Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	angel_n	glory_n	zion_n	73	3	8.8335	4	false

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

that the flesh of Christ was capable of or was advanced unto was not to become God but to be glorified in God and God to be glorified in him Christ is both God and son of man both Lord and son of David 3. So God dwels in all Saints God in Saints yet Saints are not God but his Temple who being fitly joyned and compacted together do grow up into one living Temple for the Lord which is that beautiful Sion that Mountain of the House of the Lord the Lambs Wife that near City Jerusalem above that Tabernacle of God with men wherein God himself dwels and the Father and Lamb himself will be the light and glory in it and the Tree of Life and the pure River of the water of Life in the midst of her and the glory of God himself in her shall be joy and praise the terrour and astonishment of all Nations Thus God is in Saints and will glorifie himself in Saints yet they are not God even as he is in Christ yet the flesh of Christ is not God SECT XIV THE union of God and Man in Christ gives this honour to Christ to be called God Second reason against the spirit in Saints If Saints partake in this union to have God dwelling in them why do they not partake in the honour to be called God Answered 1. The flesh of Christ neither is called God nor is God but he is and is called the true God who was manifest in that flesh So that if it be asked who is Christ or what is his name he is Immanuel the Anoynted or God manifest in the flesh In like manner Saints are not God nor are called God but he who is in Saints is and is called the true God So that if it be asked who is a Saint or what is his name he is an inspired man an anoynted one or Christ or the spirit in man 2. Christ so perfectly denied himself of all that was man and resigned it up to the Divine Nature that of himself he did nothing but the Father did work all his works in him and by him The several actings motions and performings of Christ were not from the will of man but were the streams and flowings forth of the Eternal Fulness in him so that God became manifest through Christ the ways and works of Christ as through a Chrystal or transparent glass and therefore came it to pass that God alone was and did all in Christ because he would be known worshipped and approached unto only in Christ and no man should seek or find or come near unto any God but that God which is in Christ Under the Law God filled Heaven and Earth yet he would be known and worshipped only in the Temple at Jerusalem Under the Gospel he dwels in all Saints yet he is with open face beheld and will be worshipped as the true God only in his living Temple or Sanctuary the flesh of Christ so because we come to God and the Father by Christ and worship God in faith and hope through Christ and not through Saints therefore is Christ called God the Saints not SECT XV. Third reason against the spirit in Saints IF Saints partake with Christ in union with God so that the same Divine Nature which dwels in Christ dwels also in Saints then what preheminence hath Christ above Saints Much every way chiefly in these things Answered 1. That it pleased the Father by him to finish the transgression to make an end of sins to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousness and to seal up the vision and prophesy of the Law and Prophets And that as through one man sin death and wrath entred into the world so he must be that son of man by whom God would put away sin abolish the flesh and death judge the Prince of this world spoyl and triumph over all the Principalities and Powers of darkness and vanquish all the Enemies of man out of the world again and so by him to reconcile all things to himself and in the fulness of time to gather together into one in him all things Dan. 9.25 Heb. 2.10 Col. 1.18 in Heaven and in Earth in him And in this work he hath the honour above Saints of being Messiah the Prince the High Priest and Captain of our salvation the beginning and first-born from the dead who was the Head of the Heasts of the living God and the only Instrument in the everlasting hand and arm of God to cut off the Dragons head to slay the Leviathan in the deeps in his death and drive all the enemies of man out of the world 2. All those things and all that Love that God hath prepared for them whom he loves he hath laid it up in Christ in the Eternal Fulness of the blessed Godhead and to him alone hath committed the administration of all things that the Father hath given unto him for us All things that the Father hath are ours but they are first Christs and given unto him the Father loves the Son and hath given all things into his hand he loves Saints through and for the Son with the same love wherewith he loves the Son Joh. 17.26 and so he gives them the same glory in himself which he gave the Son yet by and for the Son Joh. 17.22 The Father as himself without Christ judgeth no man saveth no man does nothing in the world but hath committed all judgement to the Son and hath committed the authority of executing all judgement both of life and death unto the Son of man God doth all and all things are of God Joh. 5.22.27 yet so as by Christ nothing at all without him The glory fulness light and power of God comes forth upon Saints yet so as through the hands scepter and face of Jesus Christ And in this work he hath honour above Saints to be the Head of the Body the Church the fulness of grace and truth the Mediator of the New Testament the King upon the holy hill of Sion anoynted by the Father Therefore this preheminence and honour of Christ above Saints Preheminence of Christ above Saints destroyes not but confirms spirits in-being in Saints that he hath received the fulness of all the wisdom and power of God that all dominion power and authority is given into his hand and that not for himself alone for his own private and singular enjoyment but to be all administred and shed abroad upon the Saints for their enjoyment and everlasting happiness All this preheminence whereunto Christ is exalted above Saints and Angels and every other name doth instead of casting a cloud upon it bring clear light and reason for the further confirming us in the truth that Saints are partakers with Christ of the Divine Nature it self dwelling in them For as Christ received fulness glory and spirit immediatly from the Father so we receive of that very fulness glory and spirit

Glory sometimes afar off Now stepping in OR The great Gospel-Mysterie OF THE 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 Administred through the hand of a Babe in the knowledge and fellowship of the Mysterie of Christ in us LONDON Printed for Giles Calvert and are to be sold at the black spread Eagle at the West end of Pauls 1653. GLORY sometimes afar off Now stepping in SECT I. IT begins to appear plainly to all men that light and darkness are the two great principles which have formed and given life and being to all the true and false Religions Opinions and Worships the two great Powers which have ruled and acted in all the turnings and overturning of Nations States and Interests and the wombs of all the Apostacies and Reformation Bondage and Liberty Arbitrary and Regular wayes which have been since the beginning of the world It doth not so plainly appear Job 38.19 but may be as truly affirmed what is said in one place that Light hath a way where or whence it is and darkness a place where it dwels that is all Scripture Faith Knowledge Gifts Administrations and Operations which are so many pieces or sparkles of Light do all come from an higher fulness fountain and Sun of Light and as Faith Knowledge and Gifts are to be accounted Light only as they flow from the true Light and have the true Light hid within them so they are no more Light if they fall short of God in like manner all Spirits Doctrines Principles and works of darkness do all come out of some root or first Principle which is the Serpents head the bruising whereof is the confusion of all the rest God in Christ and Christ in us the two fountains of all Gospel-truths Gospel-truths are many and various but may all be reduced under two great and supreme truths as the foundation ground and cause of all the Grace and Truth that is revealed and administred by the Gospel they are either the Mysterie of God manifest in the flesh of Christ or the Mysterie of Christ by Spirit dwelling in Saints the first of these is the producing cause of redemption justification reconciliation and of the whole work of Grace administred by Christ in his flesh the other is the operating cause of Union regeneration sanctification new creature and of all the gifts of Grace administred by Christ or Spirit in Saints As all promises truths and gifts of God in the Gospel do come unto us out of one of these fountains of Grace so our Knowledge and Faith of these many and various truths of the Gospel do come from our Knowledge and Faith in these two mysteries or fountains of Grace truths are either supreme or subordinate higher or lower truths in the Cause or truths in the Effect as subordinate and lower truths have their rise ground cause and reason in their supreme and higher so they cannot be fully believed nor understood Gospel-truths best known in Christ Christ best known in the Father but in their supreme and higher truth or Cause first we see Christ more darkly and imperfectly then through him we see the Father and the love of the Father to be the only cause and reason of Christs coming forth then from thence we look back again and see more clearly Christ and his coming forth and the work he came upon to be more and more precious and glorious Christ is known but darkly at first till the Divine mercies out of which he came be seen in him then both Christ and every work of Christ his obedience and sufferings life and death are seen and known in more lengths and breadths to be blessed and full of glory the Promises are all in Christ Christ is in the Father Christ is greater then the promises they cannot be known nor enjoyed but in Christ the Father is greater then Christ he cannot be known nor enjoyed but in the Father in like manner the fountain and cause of all spiritual light life and sanctification in the Saints is the Spirit dwelling in them those Saints that know not this in-being of the Spirit himself in them know little of that more glorious power those more rare and spiritual gifts and more Divine and ravishing enjoyments which some Saints are led forth into the actings state calling and fellowship of Saints are not known nor discerned by the world and very little discerned by most of themselves because they know not the Spirit of Christ to be in them So that if any were so spiritually knowing and would undertake a work so high and desirable as to make search into the Cause and Grounds of the little Light and much darkness that hath been for so long a time in the world and that in the dayes of the Gospel I humbly judge whatsoever other lesser reasons might be found that the highest reason and cause of all the humane inventions The cause of all the darkness that hath been and yet is upon the world and perverse disputings amongst all sorts of men of all the carnal Doctrines and Gospel-worships of Antichrist of all that Confusion of Law with Gospel letter with Spirit Jewish bondage with Christian Liberty Paganish morality with Gospel-holiness by our own Teachers of all the legality Childishness and weakness of gifts and grace in Saints fearing where no fear is unstable where they should be as mount Sion conflicting instead of conquering in mournings and complainings in stead of garments of praise and a Spirit of joy the greatest reason of all these I judge would be found to be the darkness that hath been upon these two great fountains of all Gospel truths viz. God manifest in the flesh of Christ and Christ by Spirit dwelling in Saints which as they are the great reasons of all other truths so they are the Light and Key into all the truths and riches of grace in the Gospel And for this cause I do here humbly offer what I have in my measure received from the Lord of my understanding and knowledge of this mysterie which is Christ himself in us as the Father is in Christ which as my natural reason and the disputings of flesh and blood could not see nor lead me into it but resisted and gain-said me in it and that Spirit that is mightier then I did by his own drawing and strengthening hand upon me raise me up above the reasonings of my flesh and this world in the conceiving and declaring of it so if any look into the

or spirit in Saints Col. 1.27 of shadows flying away and the breaking of the day c. Cant. 2.17 The first sort of truths belong to children and were all the light and knowledge former dayes attained unto and they saw God and Christ but as it were at a distance and they tasted of the spirit and were refreshed and made glad with him yet they knew not that that spirit and fulness which they felt and tasted was within them that more spiritual and deeper knowledge God hid from them Attainments of a few in present times what because they could not then bear it the other truths belong to them of riper age and as yet they are the light and understanding but of some known and enjoyed only by a few of the wiser children in Sion who have been children and have spoken and done as children but now are putting away childish things and the righteousness grace and salvation which sometimes they only knew and kissed as without them they watch that they may embrace and see it spring forth within them SECT XIX The fourth veil which hath been upon the truth of the spirit in Saints THe Ecclesiastical or Church-state through the favour fear or superstitious zeal of Princes hath been oftentimes promoted to great worldly honour and hath encreased and grown up unto the greatness power and glory of a kingdom and hath twisted and intermingled its power with the power of the Civil state and so became a National Church Civil and Church-state twisted together have veiled up truth and sometimes hath inlarged it self by Royal Edicts Imperial decrees Forces of armies as upon wings over many Nations and hath become a Catholick or Oecumenical Church These great Churches whether National over one Nation only or Catholick over the whole world looking liker Babel then Temples for the Lord it may be observed of them when they came to this greatness they fell in love with their own Image and worldly greatness and that they might establish and confirm the same for ever they call together the wisest and learnedst Doctors of every Countrey or Nation these gathered up truth under such forms of Profession and worship and doctrines of faith as would preserve them in their lordly preheminence over the people and keep the people in blind subjection under them and these they declared and sent abroad as their Decrees Laws and Ordinances to be the Rule of faith National Church-state hath kept light of truth out of the world and conscience pattern of all worships and the measuring line of the Sanctuary and that the union of Saints liberty of worship highest degree of holiness the door to the power of Ministring should be in conformity unto their commandments as the doctrines of Christ in these things was the interest power and practise of a National or Catholick Church-state in times past Now the people of those times and under that government were of three sorts One was of them who delighted to see the Church come forth in this carnal glory and domination that they might be great in her Greatness such magnified her National constitution as most invincible and secure from heretical innovation affirmed her authority sacred and indispensable her decrees and Laws unquestionable and watched against more spiritual worships and worshippers and so all the teachings and writings of these men were no better then Idolatrous and Antichristian admiring of a Babel-church-state Another sort was of Saints and true Believers yet having no further light then the reformation of doctrines and worships established and commanded by that present Church-power they were under they magnified the Church in its National supremacy were zealous for all her rules and prescribed forms as the highest discoveries and only wayes of God did not seek for nor think that there was any other further or more excellent truths to be found out then was prescribed by the Churches these were in the faith yet having their eyes with the carnal glory outward greatness and worldly wisdom of a National Church they opposed present reformation principles against further reformation and knowledge lesser light against greater light and so through their ignorant and inordinate zeal it came to passe that Saints themselves gave their helping hand to the man of sin the Antichrist in suppressing and keeping down all springings and risings of more glorious truth into the world The last sort was of Saints yet such as had passed from under that administration of impurer principles and doctrines established by the National Church and gone on towards more perfection of light and knowledge such could not come back from spirit to flesh nor return again from liberty to bondage they could not bless an Idol nor defile the bed of Christ their conscience by prostituting it to a stranger the commands and force of a National Church or Synodical Council the Church not bearing the light of these Saints nor the word of their Testimony nor their separating themselves from her obedience suppressed their light restrained their liberty and excommunicated their persons and after all gave up their bodies to the Iron-rod of worldly powers to be corrected with chastisements and instructed with sufferings and thus the wisdom of the wise Disposer of all things saw it good that the powers both of Church and State should for many ages down to these last times joyn and unite themselves into one interest force and counsel against the entrance growth and spreading of deeper Mysteries of clearer Gospel-glory into the world SECT XX. The fifth veil upon the truth of the spirit in Saints THe Church of Christ under the New Testament hath her several states vicissitudes and changes through which she passeth to come to the Land of Promise and under every state hath been given unto her spirit light and nourishment necessary for The Church passeth through three eminent changes of state to Sion and becoming her under that present state there are times wherein the Temple of God or Church of Christ is under curtains then her tent is set up and took down and removed from place to place Three eminent changes of state she hath and is to passe through which are as so many outer courts leading her to the Kings Pallace or as lodging-places provided to receive the Kings daughter before she be brought in to the King The first step or change The first step or change of state was when the Lord took down his spiritual Temple and sent it into caprivity under spiritual Babylon that she should be there for a time times and half a time or 1260 dayes which came to passe when the Mysterie of iniquity entered into the Temple of the Lord and many did fall away from the pure faith and truth as it is in Jesus in the morning or first times of the Gospel the Lord Jesus did by his own and the Ministry of his Apostles espouse many from amongst Jews and Gentiles as a chast virgin

to himself he put beauty and comliness upon her which stood in gifts and graces and powers purity of administrations forms and fellowships and these were as so many ornaments and jewels which he gave to her as to an espoused virgin or wife of youth and now while her glory and beauty was but fresh and new upon her she is carried away into captivity under the yoke and power of Mystical Babel thus the Church was figured under the Law by Israel in Egypt and Babylon by Jacob serving Laban by the heir of all in the house of servants by the free-womans barrenness despised by the fruitful bond-woman and as the wisdom of the Father appointed that this state of Sions captivity should be the time of Sions widdow-hood so he gave her light spirit communion and other qualifications as suited with that desolate state that is dark servile and carnal principles carnal in respect of more spiritual under this state the heavens were covered with a cloud the world lay as forsaken of God and given into the hands of blind guides cruel shepherds and beasts of prey all the earth dry and no dew upon it no voice of God no vision no lightning from God to amuse aw or awake the world all things all men all the world were as if no God no Lord no Redeemer only there was a silent whispering of the spirit in Saints some few beams of true light some seed and life of God lay hid in their faith God in tender love gave them so much as preserved them in life but for any high choice or sublime discoveries of more spirit and glory such he reserved for her next and better state as knowing them not proper to a state of widowhood wherein the worship and communion of Saints was most in bitter complaints conflicting weak faith strengthning of graces little in visions and high enjoyments of God This is the state that not long since was Second step or change The second change of state upon the Church is her coming forth out of this spiritual captivity This comes to pass when Jesus Christ ariseth as it were from sleep and stirs up himself in the faith and spirits of Saints and opens the Book of the vision of God and pours out a vial of light upon the Kingdom of the man of sin which stains and confounds all his humane Inventions Pharisaical justification and fair fleshly shews wherewith the Saints were enticed and cals up the Saints into more Evangelical ways principles and worships As thus The Church was figured under the Law by Israels coming out of Egypt and the house of Jacob from the land of Babylon by the free-woman having in her womb a son of promise by one coming out of the wilderness leaning upon her beloved In this second state God administers more grace brings forth some better things raiseth up into clearer light into a more excellent refined potent spirit puts upon them a new habit and takes off the old and cloaths them with change of raiment finer faith sweeter spirits clearer rays of light and other qualifications as do agree unto and sente with this their better state Now the Heavens begin to be opened the shadows long stretched upon all the earth do fly away the Kingdom of God begins now to appear on Earth as well as in Heaven the Skyes drop down righteousness the Earth springs forth and buds The spirit says come the Spouse says come and all that hear say come Lord Jesus come quickly Now the Lord reveals deeper secrets deeper counsels nearer embraces imparts things that could not be born before old things are forgotten all things begin to be new the Church is now upon her way to Sion Whilst she dwelt with the Daughter of Babylon that Mother of Whoredoms her strength then was to sit still now she is come forth she sits still no more every step she treads is on towards the heavenly land into more light more faith more glory and this seems to be the present state of the Church in our day and in this generation Wherein I conceive the present estate of Saints is such as answers that holy figure under the Law of the Cluster of Grapes brought out of Canaan into the Camp of Israel and of Moses seeing the Land at some distance from Mount Pisgah so the Saints in this day are at some distance from the Land of the Sabbath yet are come within view of it and so near unto the borders of it as to pluck some Grapes from the Tree of Life and to look into the lengths and bredths of it our Fathers saw the day afar off but we see it nearer they saw heavenly things much in images letter and teachings without we begin to see them by their springing forth within us all their faith knowledge of Mysteries understanding of Scriptures opinions of Light did but represent Christ his righteousness and spirit at a distance as without them yet there was a substance a seed in all which was the blessing the faith knowledge and spirit which God is now putting into Saints presents things more at hand in union and within us yet there are things more excellent then these reserved for the third state of the Church this second state is the state that now is The third is to come Third step or change and it is a state wherein the Lord himself comes into his Temple and consumes quite out of it the Mysterie of Iniquity by the brightness of his appearing in it and gathers together on an heap all humane Inventions curious Arts the wisdom and disputings of this world wheresoever he finds them in Sion or Babel in the Temple of God or Synagogue of Antichrist in the faith and worships of Saints or in the blind Idolatries of the world he burns them all up as hay and stubble and scatters them out of the earth as chaff before the wind and now the faith knowledge and gifts of the two former states do pass away as being proper for Saints in weakness at a distance seeing and knowing love righteousness and spirit afar off and love and union perfecteth finisheth and swalloweth up all Communion of Saints with Christ in gifts and graces is now changed into communion with him in spirit it is so now but will then appear to all though denied of many Ordinances Temples Teachings Governments which all held forth a prospect of Heaven and Glory without us shall now give place when he comes himself into us who is the end of all Law and Gospel-ministrations So what the first state saw afar off through thick veils weak faith carnal rudiments conflicting graces the second sees to be at the dore through purer faith increases of spirit clearer beams from the East opening of prophesies and promises the third shall see feel taste handle and enjoy within them and this is the Kings Daughter coming into the Kings Chamber in garments of wrought gold All things are now in motion the

Lord is in motion to Sion Knowledge light discerning which are but beams from the Lord are in motion from less to more glory and perfection as the Lord approacheth and draws nigh External administrations governments worships and interests whether Civil or Spiritual Divine or Antichristian are all in motion from more to less from something to nothing as he who is the end and putting away of them all steps on Princes are flying into holes Antichrist running from form to form from Temple to Temple out of common ways into more refined ways out of gross water-baptism into reformed water-baptism out of that into spirit-baptism and so is running on towards this last Sense is withdrawing up into Reason Reason into Faith Faith into enjoyment of God dwelling in Man Spirit in Saints and the life of God revealed in us This concludes the account and reasons of the darkness that hath been so long upon the Church of Christ wherein as other Mysteries so this great Gospel-Mysterie hath been hid from us that is That the Spirit or Divine Nature of Christ it self dwels in Saints FINIS One word to the Reader FRIEND WHAT I have here presented will find acceptance or unpleasedness with thee according as thou art If it seem dreadful to thee 't is not because it is so but because thou knowest it not as it is The life that acts all the world is twofold either true or false one is rooted in the Truth and Being of God and is something above and beyond the highest reach of Reason the purest form of knowledge the most raised and spiritual gifts all these being but of this Creation which must cease and perish away The false life is rooted in the invention and flesh of man yet form and appearance comes forth habited like the true life with fair shews in the flesh outward holiness goodly words concerning zeal for forms of godliness for the letter of Scripture for conformity to a rule without none like unto it none had in more admiration of their undiscerning and carnal Disciples yet all this may have no more but flesh in it that is the spirit of a man only elevated and drawn up through the sharpness and vigour of his own reason and the letter of the Scriptures into no more but the dead image of spiritual things that is into the knowledge profession and worship of God in a natural way What thou hast here read presents thee with that which is the true difference and note of distinction whereby this twofold life is distinguished and known one from the other and whereby the life state and profession of some Professors stands separate and divided from others as far as spirit is above flesh or the life of Christ above the life of Reason Knowledge gifts a form of godliness reformation of many things the life of a Saint is not in these these are things external and obvious to the generation of this world a Saints life is a secret hidden and inaccessible thing that natural reason and all the wisdom of this world cannot find it out nor come where it is it is something more then word letter or knowledge better believed and felt then reasoned out or expressed Therefore before thou givest judgement upon what hath been here offered I do intreat thee call in for thy direction the rule of Christ judge not according to appearance but judge righteous judgement wherein thou art minded of a twofold Judge one that judgeth of persons of things of the truth of God and of the God of truth according to appearance or after the flesh that is after the sight of his eyes or after the hearing of his ears Isa 11.3 that is in thy judging or respecting of these and all spiritual things set not up as Judge either thy present frame of spirit or the light of thy learned reason for so thou judgest after the sight of thine eyes Neither let the Traditions of thy Fathers the cry of many Pastors the Learning of the Schools nor the Doctrines and Commandments of men have authority to judge for thee in these things for so thou judgest after the hearing of thine ears but look upon weigh and try every spirit work and doctrine here or abroad according to the truth as it is in Jesus And whatsoever hath been said of Old Man and New Man of crucifying to the flesh of justification in Christ of living to God of union with Christ or in-being of spirit c. let these or any other things first have a fair trial how far they are rooted in God how far not how much he is all in them or how much he is denied by them either in his Nature or his Grace and then judge them and me for their sake to be true or false precious or vile accordingly And as for my self if these things were only opinion or result of my own spirit then they were mine or mans and I should reserve them to my self but being given unto me and withdrawn at the pleasure of an higher hand I do only serve to administer them to whosoever they are appointed for THOMAS HIGGENSON FINIS