Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	believe_v	faith_n	speak_v	6,346	5	5.2623	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86651	A lamentation for the scattered tribes, who are exiled into captivity, and are now mingled among the heathen, and are joyned to the oppressor, and refuses to return. Presented unto all the separated congregations, under what name or form soever, in love to the lost. Shewing, the difference betwixt them that were separated by the word of faith, and them who have separated themselves, in imitation from the letter: ... / By a servant of truth, and a friend to righteousness, who suffers with the seed, which is held in oppression, waiting and labouring for its return; called Francis Howgill.	Howgill, Francis, 1618-1669.	1656 (1656)	Wing H3170; Thomason E885_1; ESTC R204835	28,211	39

of the living God and they separated from the temple and left Circumcision and all those things of the first Priesthood which were commanded by God and out of the worlds ways fashion custom worships and came to see the worshipping in spirit and truth was that worship God required and the ground of their separation was not from any literal command or precept for all that was written there was flat against it but they which were Ministers of Christ which had believed in him preached him the substance and the measure of him and of his grace which was in them unto whom they preached and this was the Apostles witness in their hearts unto which they did commend themselves in the sight of God which is a great mystery and they are not Ministers of the letter but of the spirit Now in these few words before written with much more I could write compare your Ministry and your members gathered and you will see you differ in the ground in the first for your command you take from the letter and so are ministers of the letter and not of the spirit 2. Ye preach the letter for the word of faith which they did not as is playne in their own writings without adding 3. Them whom you gather it s but into conformity to the letter and to that which is visible which all this may be done in the will of man which is fallen from God and see if it be not so with you both Pastors and Members not witnesses of that word which they preached which did beget faith in them that received it and believed in it which faith was in them wrought by the power of God which gave them assurance and their assurance was in them and their hope in them brought in and wrought by the operation of the Spirit which the preaching of the letter sound or declaration only of that which was in them never workes assurance nor true faith nor hope And now consider where had your ground of the knowledge of God been and your Gospel and your faith and hope if you had not had the letter I speak not to upbraid you but to the light of Christ Jesus I speake which will let you see how far short you are and that you must come backe againe to the first principle and now you may see if it had been the same word or command it would have the same effects as it had and Change into it's own nature all that received it now see what Change is in you or not some of you yea many running back after the foot-steps of the priests preaching for hire and upholding the Idols Temple if you can get into them and in the costomes of the world nay most of you not come to yea and nay in your communication but one with the world in all or most of things differ only in words and names and your Gospel you have preached hath nor begotten such a faith as was in them that had the Gospel not to respect persons nor none dare own cleansing from sin in the body but calls that a delusion but the word and faith which they preached and received gave them victory over the world sin and death and by it's power made them more then conquerors and their hope purified their hearts but you cannot believe that ever you shall be made free from sin nor hath not hope in that and therefore are ignorant of the body of Christ you so much talk on which made them clean and free from sin Secondly your Doctrine is the same with the world your hope your faith your justification is all at a distance grounded upon the report of Christ dying at Ierusalem and of their report that knew him and believing this you call it faith and so are one with the faith and hope which the world hath for the report of Christs righteousness what he did suffer and wrought in the Saints if this be the ground of salvation then why have you separated from the world If you say Because the world hath not right to the Ordinances I say Doth not faith in Christ give Interest to all his ordinances And if this be onely your faith the world hath as good an Interest as you so why do you separate from them And so you shall see the matter is the same with the world of which your fellowships consists and the name of Christ is a great mystery which they were sent to baptize in who knew his name his name is not letters and syllables and using these this with the lips speaking over is not to baptize into his name And so friends in love I speak unto you There was such as separated themselves and were sensual and had not the spirit and so there was no difference betwixt them and the world for they are clouds without rayn appeared wells but had no water in them seemed something but were but a show Freinds your foot-steps I know your ground I know and your compass and your measure yet I shall not glory over you nor boast my selfe against you but rather to informe your minde that you may not build upon a foundation which will moulder away and now boast not your selves in your Ordinances as water bread and wine which is but elementarie and was never but a signe and in the day of appearance of Christ the elements shall melt with fervent heat and while you stand here and have confidence in these things your sun will set in obscuritie and you shall know the old heavens and earth will pass away with a noyse which when you come to know and heare your hearts will fayle for fear for this I say to the highest of you If you build upon any thing or have confidence in any thing which stands in time and is on this side Eternity and the Being of beings your foundation will be swept away and night will come upon you and all your gathered in things and taken on and imitated will all fayle you Many more things I might write time would fayle me to utter but these few among many I have written that you may compare your selves with the Ministers of Christ then and the Gospel which they preached which were separate from the world in the ground and nature and if you see your selves in the light of Christ in your consciences not to be the same neither in matter nor maner let not a deceived heart lead you aside any longer Further I say they were sent out for the gathering in of the Saints some Apostles some Prophets some Pastors teachers yet all was by the spirit Now if you denie the command of the Spirit or cannot witness it but from the letter takes it up and talks of because the Scripture speakes of it then you are not that Ministry Again this end was the Ministry sent forth for for the perfecting of the Saints which it did which not one of you dare own not dare say your Ministry shall

brought forth in purity uprighteousness meekness temperance patience and the fruits of righteousness for it is not dead but the Just man lives by it and his works appeares in the world and is as a light but your faith which is dead talks of it and when you are viewed in the light no fruits of righteousness grow in you your hope and faith is vain and it will not save you from condemnation in the day of the Lord and because you finde written in the Scriptures that by the deedes of the law no flesh can be Justified therefore you would exclude the worke of grace and the righteousness of faith and the life of Christ which brings forth fruits and all faith is dead without works for as the body lives not but it moves and acts no more is faith living except it move and so you whose faith stands in words and in things taken on in the fallen wisdom which you read without you that faith is reprobate unto every good work and is vain for the living is not witnessed nor the dead raised in you to life nor the lost sheep found nor that which hath been driven away brought back but the earth yet closeth the blood and the earth in you covers the slain and the grave you see not opened nor the dead raised incorruptible and so you are unchanged but the corruptible lives and the mortal and draws you after it and is exalted and the head not known who is the life of men nor exalted and so he draws you not nor leads you not but you are led by your own wills and Another girds you not nor the gird of strength is not at all known but in words and so the old man is alive uncrucified with his deeds but his deeds are brought forth and so by your fruits you are known Concerning Hope and the difference betwixt true and false hope ANd to all sorts of professors I shall clear my conscience to you all and finish my testimony that I may dwell in peace with the Lord who hath commanded me to bear witness to his Name and his love also constrains me and in love to the seed of Israel who are bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh who are of the true Circumcision that they may come out of Captivitie from among the lying Inchanters and Sorcerers and Diviners where they have been long held Captive and the heritage of the Lord laid waste and therefore you whose hope is without you it 's vain whose hope stands without in these things which are weak as the Apostle said of the Law which made nothing persect because of the weakness and unprofitableness of it which stood in washings and signes of the true tabernacle they were yet they did not make perfect so I say unto you your bread and wine and water which were figures of a more heavenly thing they do make nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope Heb. 7. 18 19. and so while you have hope in any thing without you you stand in that which is Imperfect and Contends about that but looks not for the hope to be brought in by which you might draw near unto God Christ the hope the light and while this you own not to lead you the light you cannot draw near unto God but he will slay you and kill you notwithstanding all your words and all that walks in the light comes to see the hope brought in and this hope purifies the heart as Christ is pure and then by it and through it there is a drawing near unto God and an access to him with boldness for where the lively hope is there is no guilt then there is boldness and so you whose hope is in words without and not in you you forget God all that forgets the light forgets God your hope is the hope of the hypocrite which shall perish whose hope shall be cut off as a spiders web Job 8. 14 and all your hope which doth not purifie the heart and give you victory over sin dayly is the hope of the wicked Job 11 20 but the eyes of the wicked shall faile and they shall not escape and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost True faith how it is wrought and what it is in it 's effects and operations NOw concerning faith it is begotten in the heart of man by preaching of the eternal Word which word is nigh in the mouth and in the heart and all that comes to hearken to the word which is pure and receive it and believe in it comes to see faith revealed by which they draw near unto God and this is begotten by the word of faith which is the word of Christ which word is spirit and life to all that receive it and by it is the mountains removed and sin overcome and victory witnessed over sin Mat. 17. 20. and this faith is pure and leads into purity it is the gift of God and leads all towards God that hath it and it is perfect and all that stands in it comes to have the will of God perfected in them and that which is imperfect comes to be done away and the Just lives by it Heb. 2. 4. and in it and by it and through it is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith Rom. 1. 17. and all that do witness the birth which is from above which is borne of God which sins not faith is the life of this birth which is Just and the Son of God lives by it who doth the will of God as it is written The life that I now live is by the faith of the Son of God and all who hath it and believes in this shall never die for by it is translation witnessed from sin and death and condemnation into the Immortal life and by it is Gods righteousness revealed and well pleased is he with all who walk in it and where this is not his wrath and displeasure arises and all who stands in the least measure of it is perfect and comes to be free from sin for it brings and reveales the righteousness of God which Justifies Sanctifies and Mortifies even the righteousness of God which takes away sin and purges the heart from all filthyness both of flesh and Spirit and thus remission of sins comes to be witnessed and man Justified by the righteousness of Christ which is the righteousness of faith wrought in the Creature by the eternal Spirit and word which is one and thus assurance comes to be made manifest for it bears witness and is the true evidence of the everlasting substance which is brought in and sin and self and all Iniquity comes to be seen and revealed judged and Condemned and cast out and Gods righteousness comes to be the life of a believer even the life of Christ which is immortal by which man comes to be redeemed and purchased unto God and not his own but becomes servant to him and

things nay do not the most of you conclude no salvation without it although in words some of you will denie it and as for that you call your supper and communion which is but carnal and earthly you have none of you the forme one of you is for eating before supper another after supper another for as much bread and wine as you can eat and drinke and so your God is your bellie and you mind earthly things and in stead of remembring of Christs death you crucifie him afresh one with lust another with envie another with pride and so in stead of coming to the table of the Lord you feed at the table of devils and nourish the flesh and deceit and uncleanness and as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses by making likenesses so do you resist the spirit of the Lord because it comes not according to your carnal will nor your vaine conceptions and so deceit leads you all and the cross of Christ you know not and those things you have formerly declared against you now take up some pretends sending out to preach takes Tythes others crying out against them in words and yet upholds them and payes to the priests whom you say is not ministers of Christ and so waste the Lords goods to uphold deceit and betray the just in your selves and not one of you will suffer for that you judge your principal and now you begin to creep into the Idolstemples and worship there and seekes to the powers of the earth to uphold you and one of you preaching up free-will ather downe another an election of persons and yet you never knew true faith which is without respect of persons another company of you dreaming of a personal raign in your Carnal imaginations and judges just such a God and a Christ as your selves that you may live in pride and lust and filthy and earthly mindedness and envie and yet talke of raigning with him but of being baptized into his death you know nothing nor suffering with him you know nothing of nor of bearing his reproach dayly nor of suffering the spoyling of all and denying all for him this you are strangers to and you that tell of exercising your gifts you have no gift but acquired by long raking in the letter and the exercise of your carnal wit and knowledg in contention and strife you have treasured up a great deale of stuff in the earthly memory and this you call a gift of the Spirit and such a one you make a Pastor or an Apostle on and he begets into his Image but still in the curse and makes proselytes in the same likeness leads into sorts and opinions from the true gift of God for who hath a gift it exercises him first and then he declares unto others of those things which the gift of God hath wrought in him and he that knowes the gift of God is led out of his own way will and time into his will from whence it comes and here is the ministrie Christ alwayes blessed not in their owne wills but in his will and this wrought a reall change in people from Satan's power unto God's power and so in all your separation self shines in all you have not the forme much less the power Another sort tells of a power to come and of a greater glory to be revealed and a more glorious ministrie then hath been yet yet your eyes is without and the glory you looke at is in great words and your expectation will fayle for you neglect the present measure of Christs gift that leads to repentance and that you are got above and this is too low a thing for you you judge because you heard of this and talked of it therefore you are past this but I shall say unto you all Adulterers and Adulteresses Come down from off your mountaine of exaltation exalted above the door and the Cross and you that are here are Thieves and Robbers your mindes is without feeding upon the tree of Knowledge and imitating the best of you in your fallen wisdom and your foundation is but upon report as the vagabond Jewes were in the name of Jesus that Paul preached they would cast out unclean spirits and they were sorcerers and what are you now who only preaches of Christ that Paul and Peter and John in the name of that Jesus they declared of and his righteousness they spoke of but knows not his name in you or his power nor his righteousness but in tradition imitation and conforming in the earthly will here is all your worship all of you calling the letter the light the word the Gospel nay some of you so impudent as to call it spirit and life and so now you are made manifest and seen and your God and worship and all your profession is tryed by the light is seen Comprehended and weighed and judged with the light and all this will be too narrow to cover you in the day of the Lord which is coming as a thief upon all the world who make mention of the name of the Lord but not in righteousness therefore strip you make you bare be uncovered cast off your old ragged covers which will rust and wax old and mind the first principle the light that shews you evil and own it to lead you and guide you out of sin or else I testifie unto you you shall die in your sins and wrath Eternal will be your portion except you repent and cease from your vain thoughts and words and wait to see the Law of God revealed in your hearts that may shew you sin and condemn this nature in the Transgression and doe it away and slay you and quicken another thing which is dead in trespasses and in sins and while you sin the Image of God is dead and Christ suffers so while you have time prize it F. H. To all you who put out the eye through long accustoming unto sin who are near utter darkness ANd you mingled people of Babylon and Egypt who are in darkness and loves to be so who are blind and loves to be so who wallowes in your iniquity and loves to be so who live at ease in the flesh in pleasures and wantonness you are dead while you live you have taken up your rest in the earth you are inlarging your barnes you are cieling your houses and you are building with hewne stone and Cedars and are laying house to house and land to land and are making your selves great in the world and seeking a name among men you are swallowed up of the earth and you go upon your bellies you feed upon dust VVoe unto you that are here you have your consolation here you lay up your bags where thieves break forth and steal your garments are moth-eaten your gold is rusty your silver is cankered and there is your god which you worship which you have set up and worships in your heart And when you have over-reached your brethren and