Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	bear_v	enter_v	kingdom_n	5,396	5	6.1932	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41067	A touch-stone, or, A perfect tryal by the Scriptures, of all the priests, bishops, and ministers, who have called themselves, the ministers of the Gospel whose time and day hath been in the last ages past, or rather in the night of apostacy : they are tried and weighed by the Scriptures of truth, and are found out of the life and power of the scriptures, and out of the spirit and doctrine of them that gave them forth, and quite contrary to their principle and practice, both Papists and Protestants : unto which is annexed, Womens speaking justified, &c.	Fox, Margaret Askew Fell, 1614-1702.	1667 (1667)	Wing F639; ESTC R7178	82,431	96

Samaria Jesus saith unto her Woman believe me the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this Mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father but the hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth John 4. And to this purpose did Jesus speak to Nichodemus when he came unto him by night when he said unto him Verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God At which words Nichodemus wondred but Jesus answered Except a man be born of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God That which is born of the Flesh is Fesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Marvel not that I said unto thee ye must be born again the wind bloweth where it listeth c. John 3. And to this purpose was the man whose name was John sent of God to bear witness of Christ Jesus the Light that all men through him might believe He was not that Light but was sent to bear witness of that Light which is the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world He was in the world and the world was made by him which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God John bare witness of him and cryed saying This is he of whom I spake he that cometh after me is preferred before me and of his fullness we have all received grace for grace as may be read at large John 1. And to bring People to this Light and Spirit of the Lord within them did Christ Jesus and all his holy Apostles endeavour by their Preaching Therefore saith Jesus Christ unto Nichodemus we speak what we know and testifie what we have seen and ye receive ●ot our witness This is the condemnation that Light is come into the world and men love Darkness rather than Light because their deeds are evil For every one that doth evil hateth the Light lest his deeds should be reproved But he that doth truth cometh to the Light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God This is Christ's Doctrine and Worship And when he was preaching among his Disciples and also the Scribes and Pharisees heard him and many believed among the chief Rulers ●●t they did not confess him because of the Pharisees lest they should be put out of the Synagogue And Jesus cryed out among them ●nd said He that believeth on me believeth ●ot on me but on him that sent me I am come ● Light into the World that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness And if any man hear my words and believe not I judge him not for I came not to judge the world but to save the world He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the Word that I have spoken shall judge him at the last day and so on John 12. And Christ told the Pharisees that the Kingdom of God came not by observation but the Kingdom of God was within them And when he sent forth his Disciples he saith As ye go preach saying The Kingdom of God is at hand Mat. 10. Also when he sent out the seventy he said Heal the sick that are therein and say The Kingdom of God is nigh unto you Luke 10. 9. And we also see by the Epistles of the Apostles which are left upon record after what manner of Doctrine and exhortation they spake unto the People as the Apostle John which was the beloved Disciple what he hath written in that which hath been already mentioned in the 1st 2d. 3d. and 4th Chapters of John Also the Apostle Peter in his first Epistle saith For we have not followed cunning devised Fables when we made known unto you the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ but we are Eye-witnesses of his Majesty For he received from God the Father honour and glory when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased And this voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy Mount We have also a more sure Word of Prophesie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place until the Day dawn and the Day-star arise in your hearts Here the Apostle directs them to a more sure Word than that which was heard in the Mount which came from the Excellent Glory which they taking heed unto might have the day to dawn and the day-star to arise in their hearts This was a true and a right Minister also he saith Knowing this first that no Prophesie of the Scriptures is of any private Interpretation 2 Pet. 1. How is it then that it is kept so private that none must interpret it but Learned men such as have been at Oxford or Cambridge But the Apostle saith That the Prophesie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost But those that have had learning at Cambridge and Oxford will hardly give a right Interpretation of that which the holy Ghost hath spoken forth But when the Apostle wrote to Timothy who was a Bishop and an Overseer made by the holy Ghost to him he saith Continue thou 〈◊〉 the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of knowing ●f whom thou hast learned them and that from a Child thou hast known 〈◊〉 holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation through faith in Christ Jesus Here Timothy did not go to Cambridge nor Oxford nor no such place to learn what he had done from a Child All Scripture saith he is given by inspiration of God and i● profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction that the man of God may be perfected throughly furnished unto all good works 2. Tim. 3. And when Peter speaketh of his beloved Brother Paul and of his Epistles which he had written and what he spake Some things he saith are hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they do also the other Scriptures unto their own destruction 2 Pet. 3. So they that have not the Inspiration of the Almighty and motion of the Spirit of the Lord God the same that gave forth the Scriptures when they come to Interpret them and give meanings to them being unlearned therein they just wrest them to their 〈◊〉 destruction and therefore they do not profit the People at all These be they who separate themselves men that are sensual not having the Spirit Judge 19. Also the Apostle Paul when he was sent forth to Preach the Gospel of Christ the

little Children were nearer the Kingdom of God and readier for the Kingdom of God than any others for Christ saith several times Whosoever will enter into the Kingdom of God must be as a little Child So by all these Scriptures we may see that he ownes little Children above all others Now how it cometh that they throw water upon them to give an addition to that Innocent state while they are Infants this is certainly an Invention and an Imagination of their own for there is nothing in Scripture for it Indeed John the Baptist who was sent before Christ to preach the Baptisme of repentance he baptized those that received his Doctrine with water in Jordan but we do not find that he put Infants in that was not according to his Doctrine which was Repentance for Infants were not capable to repent And when the Jewes sent the Priests and Levites to enquire of John what he was they asked Why he baptized if he was not the Christ neither Elias nor that Prophet John answered them saying I indeed baptize with water unto repentance but there standeth one among you whom ye know not he it is who cometh after me and is preferred before me whose shoes latchet I am not worthy to unloose This was beyond Jordan where John was baptizing Saith he and I knew him not but he that sent me to baptize with water the same said unto me Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him the same is he that baptizeth with the Holy Ghost John 1. And Matthew saith In those dayes came John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Judea and said Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand c. I indeed baptize you with water unto Repentance but he that cometh after me is mightier than I whose shooes I am not worthy to bear he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire Mat. 3. It is said in John 3. After that Christ had been preaching and speaking to Nichodemus and had been preaching the Light to him that he and his Disciples came to Judea and there he tarried with them and baptized and the disciples of John and some of the Jewes were at difference about Purifying and they came to John and said He that thou bore witness of baptizeth John answered and said Ye your selves bear me witness that I said I am not the Christ but I am sent before him he must increase but I must decrease When Jesus therefore knew that the Pharisees heard that he baptized and made Disciples more then John though Jesus himself baptized not but his Disciples he left Judca and departed John 4. Also when John was preaching and baptizing and preaching repentance and remission of sins then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John to be baptized of him but John forbad him saying I have more need to be baptized of thee and comest thou to me and Jesus answering said Suffer it to be so now for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness And Jesus when he was baptized went up straightway out of the water and the heavens were opened unto him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a Dove and lighted upon him and a voice came from heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Mat. 3. This is the main Scripture that the Baptists build upon for their Water-Baptism and here is a secret in this which they never came to see For John saith I knew him not but that he should be made manifest to Israel therefore am I come baptizing with water And John bare record saying I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a Dove and it abode upon him and I knew him not Now how do the Baptists know him And the end wherefore he went into the water since that John did not know it nor would not have had him to have done so who was a man sent of God to Baptize with water till he said it was to fulfill all Righteousness which word was hid from John as he afterwards saith but that he should be made manifest to Israel therefore he came baptizing with water And so afterwards when Christ was teaching Nichodemus when he told him That those that were to enter into the Kingdom of God must be born of the water of the Spirit These things were strange unto him but Jesus said We speak what we know and testify what we have seen and ye believe not our testimoony If I have told you earthly things and ye believe them not how shall ●e believe if I tell you of heavenly things To the same purpose the Apostle saith There are three that bear record in the Earth the Spirit the Water and the Blood and these three agree in one 1 John 5. It were good for the Baptists to know this Water and this Baptism and this Spirit by which they might he born again and to know the washing of the Regeneration and Renewing of the Holy Ghost For this was the Washing and Water that the Saints were washed with They were made clean through the Word by the washing of the water of the Word Ephes 5. Now for the Baptists to stand washing with outward Water which John baptized with who was before Christ which was a Figure of the inward washing and cleansing and purging as the Apostle Peter saith the same when he is speaking of Noah's preaching while he made the Ark wherein few that is eight persons were lived by Water The like figure saith he whereunto even Baptism doth now save us not the putting away the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good Conscience towards God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 3. 21. Whose Blood and the Water and Spirit which he Baptizeth with is the true and only Baptism For John himself saith He must decrease and Christ must increase and for them to stand washing here with outward water and their hearts and Consciences defiled and polluted this will be of little value to them for John who was a man sent of God and bore a true witness of Christ Jesus yet after he was cast into Prison he sent his disciples to ask Art thou he or do we look for another He was ●●r beyond the Anabaptists So it concerneth them to question their state and condition For they that look at the outward element of Water to be the Baptism they are far from the real and true washing and from that Baptism that baptizeth into the body When Paul came to Ephesus and finding certain Disciples he said unto them Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed they said We have not so much as heard whether there be a Holy Ghost he said unto them Unto what then were ye baptized they said Unto John's Baptism Paul said John Baptized with the Baptism of Repentance and that they should believe on him that was to come after him that is in Christ Jesus Then

Spirit or else he would not have learned them to have prayed That the Will of God might be done on Earth as it was in Heaven Vain-bablers and Patterers over of many words do not the Will of God on Earth as it is in Heaven but this Prayer is abused by them all as many other places of Scripture are And this may serve for the second particular of their Worship which is Prayer The third is their Singing which indeed is more like may-gameing then worshipping of God playing and piping of Organs and setting a company of wilde ungodly light boyes to sing tunes to to them which is such a kind of Worship as no Christians in the Primitive times exercised It s true there was in Davids and Solomons dayes such as were appointed to minister in way of singing and giving thanks as David when he had brought the Ark of God and set it in the midst of his Tent which he had made for it he offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before God and he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the Ark of the Lord and to record thank and praise the Lord God of Israel Asaph the chief and next to him Zachariah Jaaziel Shemiramoth Jehiel Mattathiah Eliah Benaiah and Obed-Edom 1 Chron. 15. 16 and 27. and Jehiel with Psalteries and with Harps but Asaph made a sound with Cimbals Benaiah and also Eliezer the Priests with Trumpets continually before the Ark of the Covenant of God Then on that day David delivered first this Psalm to thank the Lord into the hands of Asaph and his brethren who were the Singers Give thanks unto the Lord call upon his Name c. Psal 105. This was upon a special occasion when the Ark of God was brought up among them And these that David committed this Psalm unto were such as were appointed of God for that Place and Office as Asaph and those that were called to that office Also Solomen had Singing-men and Singing-women Eccles 2. 8. and them of this order came with them again out of the Captivity in Babylon Ezra 2. 41. Neh. 7. 67. But these were all before Christ and why may not Christians as well imitate Circumcision Burnt-offerings and Sacrifices which were in the time of the Law as well as imitate Singing-Boyes And we do not find that any of the Apostles and Saints in the Primitive times did Sing David Psalms in Meeter and Rhime and turn his Lamentations and Groanings and Sufferings and Tears and Anguish of his Bones being burned like a Hearth and that he was as a Pelican in the Wilderness and like an Owl in the Desart when he cryed out that his heart was smitten and withered and his Prayers and Cries Psal 102. We do not find that the Apostles turned this state of weeping and lamentation of his into Rhime and Meeter and sang it But Christ and his Apostles and Christians and Saints when they sung they sang with the Spirit in prayses to the Lord and in the joy and rejoycing of the Spirit This was not to take another mans Sighs and Groanings and Lamentations and Tears and Cryes to turn this into a Song and sing it This is not the Truth neither is it the practice of the Spirit of Truth But when the Soul and the Spirit is joyful in the Lord and enjoyes his Presence and feels his Life then there is joy and honour and praises given to the Lord God in the Truth and in the Reality in his own Spirit and this glory and praises are acceptable to the Lord God And therefore doth the Apostle say I will Pray with the Spirit and with the Vnderstanding also I will Sing with the Spirit and with the Understanding also 2 Cor. 14. Yet the Apostle did not turn his praying into singing nor none that have the Spirit of the Lord Jesus to pray and sing with but when they pray they pray unto the Lord and when they sing they sing unto the Lord yet both by his own holy Spirit When Christ Jesus and his Disciples were at the Passover and that he had broken the Bread and given them the Cup of the New Testament he said unto them I will drink no more of the fruit of the Vine until the day that I drink it new in the Kingdom of God And when they had sung an Hymn they went out into the mount of Olives Mar. 14. 26. And according to this the Apostle in his Exhortation to the Ephesians among many other particulars he saith Be not drunk with Wine wherein is excess but be filled with the Spirit speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord giving thanks alwayes for all things unto God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ Ephes 5. 19 20. And again in his Epistle to the Colossians he saith Let the Word of Christ dwell richly in you in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Likwise the Apostle James saith Is any among you afflicted let him pray is any merry let him sing Psalms Jam. 5. But he saith not sing those Psalms which David sung but the Apostles sung in the Spirit with grace in their hearts as before and said those that do glory and rejoyce let them do it in the Lord and in so doing they may worship and give thanks unto the Lord in rejoycing and singing as well as in other parts of worship in the Spirit of the Lord God But these are not wild wicked ungodly people and boyes who are imployed in this service in our dayes but the Lords holy Spirit where it dwels and rules and lives is the same as ever it was and can worshrp the Father in Spirit and in Truth who is a Spirit and his Worship is in his own Spirit and this Spirit speaking or praying or singing worships him More might be said concerning their Altars and bowing and cringing to Stocks and Stones and calling Wood and Stones set together by mens hands and adorned with Inventions A Church but all this trash and rubbish will fall together Since that Temple that Solomon built which God commanded Christ said should not be left one stone upon another of its building but it should be all thrown down surely these Popish Houses have no long reign And so this may serve for the finishing of the third particular and fourth Head which we except against which is their Worship The fifth is their Practice which is so large and indeed so contrary to all Scripture-Rule it is much to express the Heads of it except it be such as are practised in it for the body of darkness is deep and is such a puddle to rake in that it is fit for none but those whose garments are filthy and defiled to meddle with Yet for the Seed of God sake which is kept in Bondage and in Captivity in

immediately he was eaten of worms and gave up the ghost Acts 12. This with much more might be instanced concerning this Generation of men of their cruelty and oppression joyning with the Heathen Monarchs in the crucifying and persecuting of Christ Jesus and all his holy Apostles and all the Primitive Christians But we never heard of any Bishops neither in the time of the Kings of Israel nor in all the four Manarchies before Christs time neither in the dayes of the Apostles nor in the Primitive times there was no such Bishops as had Courts and Laws to make people to Swear and to imprison them if they would not such as there could not be Kings without there were Bishops For Christ Jesus nor none of his Apostles sought not after neither looked after Earthly Kingdoms for he said His Kingdom was not of this World neither could his Servants fight And the Apostles said The Weapons of their warfare were not Carnal but Spiritual neither did they wrestle with Flesh and Blood but with Spiritual Wickednesses And so they that are true Christians and of the same Faith and Principle that Christ Jesus was of they desire not Caesars due nor right but give unto Caesar that which bears his own Image the outward earthly Image and the money that bears the Superscription of Caesars Prerogative this they can give unto Caesar and not wrong any man of his outward Propriety or Prerogative for they seek not after earthly Crowns nor Inheritances but after heavenly The Apostle when he wrote to Timothy exhorted That first of all Supplications Prayers and Intercessions might be made for all men for Kings and all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable Life in all godliness and honesty for this is good and acceptable to God who would have all men to be saved This he wrote to him that was a Bishop which if any man desireth the Office of he desireth a good work for it is no more then to be an Overseer of the Church of Christ and not to look after carnal means or carnal maintenance neither to be a burden or an oppression to the People nor to be upholden by men or the Powers of the Earth such Bishops and Overseers of the Church of God as Timothy and Titus were and all those holy Apostles the Scriptures mention we should be glad of Such as are lovers of Hospitality lovers of Good Men not given to Wine not greedy of filthy Lucre but Patient not a Brawler not Covetous for the Apostle saith The love of Money is the Root of all Evil which while some have coveted after they have erred from the Faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows Such things as these the Apostle exhorted Timothy and Titus from which many of the Bishops in our dayes and for the last twelve hundred years and upwards it is to be feared they are fallen into Demas his way and trodden his paths and have forsaken the Apostles Spirit Doctrine and Principle and have embraced this present world and here hath been the misery of these Ages last past But this is that which Christ Jesus foresaw which he mentions Matth. 24 and 25 Chap. As also the Apostle Paul foresaw when he told them That grievous Wolves should enter into the Church not sparing the flock Acts 20. 29. 2 Pet. 1. 2. 1 John 2. 18. All these had a true sight of the dayes of darkness and night of Apostacy that was coming on As also the Revelation of Jesus Christ which he sent and signified by his Angel to his servant John he saw the Beast rise out of the Sea and out of the Earth and power was given to him for forty and two moneths and this power began at Rome which is the foundation of the Ecclesiastical and Spiritual Power and here was the first Bishop that was called his Holiness and his Children are called as high as they can but Timothy and Titus were not such who made war with the Saints and overcame them and power was given unto him over all Tongues Kindreds and Nations and his power was to endure above twelve hundred years And one of the seven Angels that had the seven vials shewed him the judgment of the great Whore with whom the Kings of the earth had committed fornication and the Inhabitants of the earth had made themselves drunk with the wine of her fornication And he saw a Woman sit upon a scarlet-coloured Beast full of names of Blasphemy having seaven Heads and ten Horns which Beast he had seen before Chap. 13. And when John marvelled the Angel said unto him Wherefore dost thou marvel I will tell thee the Mystery of the Woman and of the Beast that carrieth her Chap. 17. And so He that hath wisdom may reade and count the number of the Beast for it is 666. And this Proverb which hath continued so long No Bishop no King hath risen out of the Bottomless-pit and must go into Perdition for there were no such Bishops in the times of the four Monarchies before Christ neither among the Primitive Christians that had Ecclesiastical Courts and tossed poor people up and down and caused them to swear contrary to Christ's command which they have nothing to do with wrangling among them for getting of money The Apostle saith They should be no Brawlers And now this usurping power is gotten up under the Profession of Christianity and because it is upholden by Monarchial Power it hath hatched a Cockatrice into the minds of People No Bishop no King but this we can say That Kings have reigned by the Power of the Lord God and may reign as long as it pleaseth him and God sent his Prophet to anoint a King So can we say that this usurping Power hath been alwayes against and contrary to the power of the Lord God and hath ever been the Oppressour of the Innocent and the Just and Gods Heritage and People have alwayes been Sufferers in all Ages by this Power and this generation of Priests hath been the cause of all the Saints sufferings they stoned the Prophets and slew them before Christ and ye may see how they used Christ and his Apostles And now in the Apostacy O the Inquisitions the Racks and the Tortures the Courts Citations and Imprisonments that have been and are continually imposed upon poor People so that the very misery of Nations cometh by these Usurpers and their Superiority in having Power and Oppressors and Layers on of Burdens grievous to be born that upon this Generation might come all the righteous blood shed upon the Earth from Abel Mat. 23. 35 36. But the Lord is coming to Redeem his People and his Flock out of their covetous mouthes and bloody hands and the Lord hath sent the Spirit of his Son into the hearts of his People and his Light is risen in their Consciences and the Lord will Teach them all Himself and set them free from the bondage and slavery of these Taskmasters and he hath committed all Power in Heaven and Earth unto his Son and he hath all Times and Seasons in his hands and it is good for Kings that are set up by the Lord to fear him that by his Power they may stand and not uphold that power that God will throw down for he is come to Reign and Teach his People himself Read Isa 21. THE END First Theit Titles which are your Holiness Lord-Bishop your Lordship and your Gra●e contrary to Christ and his Apostles Secondly Their Qualifications contrary to Christ and his Apostles who were 1st Meek Lowly and Humble 2. Suffering and taking up the Cross 3 Love and Charity to all men Thirdly Their Call contrary to Christ and his Apostles which was by special command and revelation in Christ Jesus Theirs of men and from men The true Worship it self discovered Fourthly Their Worship contrary to Christs example and all his Apostles 1. In Preaching 2. In Praying 3. In Singing Studying and Divining contrary to Christ and his Apostles and contrary to the Levitical Priesthood The second particular of their practice is binding and limitting people to their Worship by citing them to their Courts The Third Particular of their Practice in causing People to Sware contrary to Christs and the Apostles Commands Practice and Doctrine The fourth particular of their practice is Sprinkling of Infants without ground from Scripture The Anabaptists Baptism with outward water condemned Tythes contrary to Gospel-Maintenance Long Robes and Surplices Hoods Tippets are contrary to Gospel Ornaments