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	holy_a	scripture_n	6,955	5	5.9774	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B01449	The defence of the people called Quakers: being a reply, to a book lately published by certain priests of the county of Norfolk, under the pretended title of The Quakers challenge. And containing, some brief and modest animadversions upon the book it self. Several certificates, which detect the errors in those of West-Dereham, and clear the people called Quakers of the said challenge. The letters that passed between them and the priests.	Ashby, Richard, 1663?-1734.	1699 (1699)	Wing A3939; Interim Tract Supplement Guide 4152.f.20[18]; ESTC R1295	32,665	56

to prevail Mat. 16. 18. As we Received not our Religion from Man so Man cannot Continue it to us nor Take it from us Yet we did and do Gratefully Acknowledge the Favour of the Government and do Desire to Bless Almighty God for it by whom Kings reign and Princes decree Justice Prov. 8. 15. And so far were we from Abusing this Favour that we Commended the Reason they Assigned for it namely The Vniting of the King's Protestant Subjects in Interest and Affection and Earnestly Pressed the Prosecution of it For we Heartily Desire the Well-fare of our Country and Actually Endeavour it according to what we have Received wheresoever our Lot is Providentially Cast But it never was in our Hearts to conceive that we had thereby a Priviledge to Blaspheme God or Contemn Authority though these Priests have Misrepresented us both to our Neighbours and the Nation to be Persons that Blaspheme under the Protection of an Act of Parliament O Unchristian Practice Are these the Teachers of the People Are these Ministers of Christ If the Tree is to be known by its Fruit their Works do apparently Discover that they are not As to the Demeaning our Selves under the Government We Hope We have had our Conversation Honest in the Sight of all Men and have led quiet and peaceable Lives in all Godliness and Honesty Not only Doing unto others what we would have them Do unto us but we have Patiently Born many Injuries and Undergone great Sufferings for Truth and Righteousness sake And in this Temper and Evenness of Spirit have we been Preserved by the Power of our God under All and through All our Exercises to this very Day And we have not only a Testimony in our Selves but many Witnesses without us how contrary to that Strutting Carriage our Adversaries falsly Speak of we Behaved our selves at this Conference Rel. p. 4. They told us we are going about most uncharitably to Damn them all Animad And so they were but that neither was nor is in their Power to do Thanks be to God through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ They have indeed Invaded the Regal Power of Christ and Taken upon them to Bind and Loose as though they were the Successors of Peter but wherein do they truly Succeed him Is it not rather in Denying of his Master than in Owning of him For they neither Follow him in Faith Doctrine Humility Patience nor in any other Characters of that Penitent and Self-denying Apostle and Minister of Christ Rel. p. 4. We told them they may Repent of their Blasphemies and be saved For Paul was once one of their Companions in Blaspheming the Name of Jesus Christ Animad We replied That ever since we have been a People Gathered by the Power and Spirit of God we have sincerely Believed and do still Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the holy Scriptures do Declare of him and do not only plainly Say but also firmly Believe That there is no other Name given under Heaven whereby Man can be saved neither is there Salvation in any other Name And this we hope is no Blasphemy Whereas they say Paul was once One of our Companions in Blaspheming the Name of Jesus Christ We Absolutely Deny that ever we Blasphemed that Sacred Name whereby we are called and which we Put our whole Trust and Confidence in and Prefer above every other Name And if they mean by Paul the Apostle Paul they have shewn great Ignorance in not Distinguishing between Saul the Pharisee and Paul the Apostle While he went under the First Denomination he was a Blasphemer and not under the Second For waving the Conjectures of others about his having two Names at his Circumcision Saul a Jewish and Paul a Roman Name We never Read in all the Holy Scriptures that he was called Paul till after his Conversion see Acts 13. 9. where 't is said He was filled with the Holy Ghost and then surely no Blasphemer So that their Simile though Designed to our Reproach Tends greatly to our Honour Paul the Apostle is our Companion in the Faith and Patience of Jesus Christ but not Saul the Persecutor and Blasphemer Rel. p. 5. They told us Blasphemy against God was the Sin against the Holy Ghost because the Holy Ghost was God We told them we were Sorry it was so for their sakes but for their Comfort we hope for to make it Appear it was not that Unpardonable Sin So from the 12th of St. Matthew we explained to them the Nature of that Sin and so Stop'd their Mouths Animad They hoped to make it Appear That Blasphemy against God was not that Vnpardonable Sin mentioned in the 12th of Matthew but have not done it neither have they Defined that unpardonable Sin or Proved that Blasphemy against God is not Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost If they had explained to us the Nature of that Sin they should first have given the Etymology and Proper Signification of the word Blasphemy for how should the People Understand what Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is before they are Informed what Blasphemy it self Signifieth So that not Acquainting the People with the proper Sense of the Word they were Barbarians to the Major Part of the Auditory and fill'd their Ears only with Frightful and Unintelligible Sounds 'T will therefore be Convenient since these Learned Rectors have not done it to Explain the word Blasphemy and make it Obvious to the Capacity and Understanding of the People The Word then is of Greek Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blasphemy often rendered so by our Translators Lexicographers generally Derive it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to Calumniate Speak Evil or Reproach the good Name of another And this according to Beza in his Notes upon Mat. 9. 3. is the common Acceptation of it among the more Elegant Greek Writers Blasphemy then in True and Proper English is Evil Speaking and so 't is Translated Eph. 4. 31. Let all Bitterness and Wrath and Anger and Clamour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Evil-speaking be put away from you with all Malice And having given the genuine Sense of the Word we will in the next Place for the Benefit both of Priests and People Acquaint them with what their own Church says of Evil-speaking against the Holy Ghost They may find it in Anthony Sparrow's Collection of Articles c. p. 44. and it is this Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is when a Man of Malice and Stubbornness of Mind doth rail upon the Truth of God's Word manifestly perceived and being Enemy thereto Persecuteth the same 'T is the 17th of the Articles agreed upon by the Bishops and others in the Convocation at London in the Year 1552. and Published by the Authority of King Edward VI. in the Year 1553. We do not say That we Agree to this Definition but it being the Account their Convocation gives of it we conceive the Priests should either Own it or Reject that Article

made in the Year 1562. by another Convocation which declares The Church hath Authority in Controversies of Faith If they will own it then whether the Sin against God be the Sin against the Holy Ghost or no We do not see how they can Quit themselves of the Blasphemy the Article speaks of For do they not of Malice Rail upon the Truth of God's Word manifestly perceived and as Enemies thereunto Persecute the same in Charging so many Blasphemies upon the Light within as taught by the Quakers For the Light within is Christ and Christ is the Truth of God's Word The Way the Truth and the Life John 14. 6. The Word that was in the beginning with God and was God Chap. 1. 1. The Sum and Substance of the Gospel and that which the Holy Scriptures give Testimony of and we Believe and Teach But whether the Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost be Unpardonable we shall not Determine A great Doctor of their own Communion was of the Opinion it was not see Hammond's Annot. upon Mat. 12. If they Print again we intreat them to be Plain and Open and not Talk great Words in the Dark to Endeavour to Fright People and to Exasperate them against us without any just Cause or Provocation Rel. p. 5. And now we began to Charge them with Blasphemy against God Animad Whom did they begin to Charge Not the Quakers of this present Generation for they were then acknowledged Orthodox and yet at first all were by them Charged to be Blasphemers see their Contradiction Rel. p. 5. And as soon as we began to prosecute our Charge one gets upon a Form and Bawls aloud to the People c. Animad It 's true one got up on a Form and made a Solemn Confession of Faith in Scripture-Terms yet did not Bawl but in words of Sobriety Declared to this Effect We Believe in God the Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth and in Jesus Christ his only Begotten Son our Lord and Saviour who was Born of the Virgin Mary whom the Holy Ghost overshadowed who appeared in the World in that Body prepared for him who died for our Sins and rose again for our Justification And we Believe in the Holy Spirit and own the Three that bear Record in Heaven and that these Three are One. We Own the Holy Scriptures of Truth and Believe they were given forth by Divine Inspiration and that they are profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness and are able to make the Man of God wise to Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus And We Esteem the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the best Book in all the World and could be glad that People did spend more of their time in Reading of them And the Ordinances of Jesus Christ his Baptism and Supper according to the Holy Scriptures and that we neither Preach Teach nor Believe in any other Light than the Life of that Word which was in the beginning with God and was God And therefore this Light as taught by us could not expose us to Error or Blasphemy And we own Magistracy to be the Ordinance of God for the Punishment of Evil-doers and Praise of them that do well Rel. p. 5. This Disorder hindred us from Prosecuting our design to any Purpose tho' we permitted every one of them from London or from Rome if they pleased to have free Liberty to Dispute if they will do it fairly without Noise or Clamour Animad Whatever their Design was it seems they did not Prosecute it to any Purpose But what an unjust and unkind Insinuation is this from London or Rome As tho' we had Romish Emissaries among us who Blessed be our God do equally Renounce all the Corrupt Doctrines Anti-Christian Spirit Lord-like Power and Grandeur Idolatrous Worship Superstitious Ceremonies and Wicked Practices both of Pope and all Others who Persecute for Religion and Conscience towards God it being Romish And this we Testifie and Declare that Whoever they are that promote Persecution upon any Pretence whatsoever they are Friends to Rome and not to England being Profest Enemies to Christian Liberty and Property and Publick Disturbers of the Peace of their Native Country Rel. p. 5. And whereas we brought a great Number of the Quakers Books both Old and New and all of them of their most Celebrated Authors they cried no Books no Arguments which occasioned great Laughter and Shouting among the People Animad Who said so We would willingly have discoursed upon Books Regularly but when we demanded a Copy of their Charge which was but Justice then the Managers of the Conference who should have been Examples to the People of Gravity and Soberness did turn it off to Laughter and Shouting with a Company of vain Persons there present to Joyn them therein Rel. p. 6. And ever and anon they would have been Charging us Insolently urging us to prove our selves Christians Animad They gave us great Occasion to Question their Christianity by reason of their frequent Hissing and Hollowing which made us take Notice of it to the Auditory that they might Observe what Fruits some of them brought forth Rel. p. 6. And by and By we must prove our selves Ministers of Christ which was answered Animad We do not remember that any of them did but if they did Why did not they Insert it here that we might have seen it They gave the Occasion by their frequent Examining our Friends whereupon One of them said If they would prove themselves Ministers of Christ he would be Chatechized by them but they Declined the Proof of that and when one in the Pulpit made an Essay towards it they discountenanced him saying He was a Young Man and not concerned with them in this Affair or to that Effect yet we Acknowledge he Behaved himself more gravely then most of them Rel. p. 6. And it was a Cunning Design of theirs to divert us from our Charge so much dreaded by them Animad It rather seems they were upon Cunning Designs and afraid to give their Charge than that we were affraid to take it For we offered to pay for the Writing if we might have had it and once we had a promise from Dr. Beckham but were afterward denied by Rector Meriton Now being thus imposed upon and denied just Measures we told the Auditory that seeing these Persons had refused us Justice we Appealed to the Lord of Heaven and Earth the Judge of All and in His Name and Fear we made our Confession of Faith in Opposition to their Charges and then some of them Laughed Hissed and Hollowed and one of them called for the Stocks and a Watch-man came near the Scaffold which we were upon and held up his Bill at us And they appearing with such seeming Threatning and Violence and we could not be heard some of our Friends took Occasion to disperse certain Books called The Christianity of the People called Quakers

Asserted c. among the People that they might speak for us And whereas it was Suggested that the Book being without a Name it was to serve a Turn and might be denyed afterwards Now We do Declare That Book was first Printed in the Year 1689. in Behalf of the said People and given to the Parliament and since Reprinted to serve no other Turn but Truth and to shew in brief what we Own and Hold concerning the things mentioned therein and that they are not Contrary but in all respects Agreeable to the Holy Scriptures And as to their Resolution of not leaving the Matter thus and Intention of Proving their Charge at a more Favourable Opportunity viz. When the Days are long and the Weather good as also their Permitting any of Us to Appear and Signifying how Civilly they will Treat Us viz. By Taking us by the Hands and leading us out of Doors We think not to take much notice of it but Commit our Cause to the Lord who knows our Innocency to whose Will we are Resigned and in whom we Trust that he will Defend us from their Evil Designs Threatned and Attempted against us Rel. p. 6 7. It being near the Evening one of their Speakers made mention of our Lord Bishop's Name and that he had waited on him at Norwich and discoursed with him about this Matter in the presence of the Arch-Deacon Dr. Jeffery's And insinuated to the People as if my Lord had now a more favourable Opinion of their Challenge than before since he had given him a more Just Relation as he said of the Circumstances but none of us could believe his Relation Animad We hope 't was no Offence to wait on the Bishop of Norwich but we deny what they say was Insinuated for we neither did nor do Esteem our selves the Aggressors or first Challengers And though they could not Believe the Relation he gave ' was nevertheless True Rel. p. 8. We hope we have stopt the Gangrene that it spreads no further in our Corner the People being generally satisfied and do believe them now to be Blasphemers because they refused to come to a Trial. Animad If they have stopt the Gangrene as they falsly call it what need they then seek the Remedy of the Parliament by Petitioning them Doth not this shew what Spirit they are of But our Defence against them is The Shield of Faith which is able to quench all the Fiery Darts of the Devil By it the Elders obtained a good Report subdued Kingdoms wrought Righteousness obtained Promises stopped the Mouths of Lions quenched the Violence of Fire escaped the Edge of the Sword out of Weakness were made Strong waxed Valiant in Fight turned to flight the Armies of the Aliens Heb. 11. 2 33 34. Are these Ministers of Christ Are these Ambassadors of the Prince of Peace who endeavour the Subversion of their Neighbours Peace both Civil and Religious But what a weak as well as false Affirmation is it to say The People are generally satisfied and do believe us now to be Blasphemers because as they speak we refused to come to a Trial For we were willing to come to a Trial as appears by our Letters and their own Relation of the Conference upon such reasonable Terms as the Justice of England allows by the Common Law even to Malefactors viz. A Copy of their Charge but this they Peremptorily Denied us Now is it probable that the People should be so Generally Satisfied and Believe that we were Blasphemers when the Cause assigned for this Pretended Satisfaction and Belief is Evidently and Notoriously False This Triumphing of these Priests before they have got the Victory both loudly Proclaims their own Weakness and manifestly Imposeth upon the Credulity of the People Note Moreover that these Priests who first Challenged and Charged Us the former of which they now deny did at the Conference use Various Ways to divert us from Proving them what they really were and are viz. The first Challengers and did Insultingly Demand our Names and whence we were as if they had been the King's Justices of the Peace and would Impose upon and Question us as if they had a Jurisdiction over us and would as if we were Children have Catechised us which gave our Friend Occasion to tell them If they would prove themselves Ministers of Christ he would be Catechised by them but not one of the Challengers would undertake that as before is hinted Yet one Queried of us Whether we own'd the Resurrection to which Answer was given We did own it according to the Holy Scriptures And then We were ask'd Whether Christ was Born of a Virgin and whether that Christ that was born of the Virgin Mary was now Glorified To which we Replied That he was and is Glorified according to his own Prayer John 17. Then the Priests Accused G. W. and Charged him with Preferring our own Writings to the Holy Scriptures But we denied that G. W. hath so done or that we Prefer our Writings to the Holy Scriptures Then they Suggested That our Teachers have Asserted some Blasphemies against the Priestly Office of Christ which we utterly Deny as a Gross Slander cast upon our Teachers For howsoever we may be Accused and Misrepresented by these Men that seem to be in a Confederacy against us and say Page 1. We could make nothing appear under their Hands that they were the Challengers we hope we have now done that to the Satisfaction of the Impartial beyond only urging some Stories we had heard as a Provocation as they say Page 1. And as to the Liberty Page 4. that they allow us to Charge any of the Church of England-Writers with Blasphemy and without giving them Book Line or Page before hand and their saying We will either Disown or Justifie it We Reply that when we Answer their Proposal therein we shall be more Just to them than they have been to us for we shall give them Authors Names Book and Page Something Briefly but truly laid down by Way of Reply to Hen. Meriton John Meriton and Lau. Park their Charging the Quakers in Norfolk with Challenging them c. Proving by Certificates that the first Challenge lay not on the Quakers Part but on the Persons above-named in Conjunction with F. Bugg FRancis Bugg their Mercenary Agent Printed a Challenge upon the Quakers bearing Date the 30th of August 1698. in which he says Friends you cannot but remember your Ancient Practice in going into the Churches disturbing the Established Ministers your Challenging them into the Field to Dispute with you But behold here is a Change with you We may now Challenge you and Charge you again and again Fearfulness doth Surprize you that you dare not appear but remember it is a sign you cannot defend your Errors and that your Innocency is not Triumphant as G. Whitehead boasts Let this Charge and Challenge therefore be a Touch-Stone to try your Sincerity and let it be a Monument of your

from the Quakers so call'd his mis-representing and abusing them in his Sermons was one great cause why some left him And whereas they say The Wife of one Becket a Quaker gave her self the trouble of going three Miles to the Ministers House on purpose to vex him with Quakerly Questions in a Quibling Way on Ascention day Morning 1695. To which take her Certificate This is to Certifie that I Mary Becket the Wife of Thomas Becket was much disatisfied in my Mind concerning some Religious Matters which I heard Laurence Parke the Priest of West-Dereham where I dwell preach in his Sermons where he use to preach frequently not only against the Quakers but other Dissenters at several times before I went among the said People called Quakers and for that reason I went to his House in Barton desiring to be satisfied by him touching those Matters they now call Quakerly Questions not designing to disturb him but to be instructed by him he told me he could not then resolve me but would endeavour to satisfie me in some of his Sermons if I would come to Church which I did but instead of being satisfied touching those Matters I grew more dissatisfied in my Mind until I heard some of the People called Quakers and then it pleased the Lord I came to be satisfied concerning those Matters And this was the true reason of my going to his House and not in the least to Vex or Disturb him Witness my hand Mary Becket And whereas they further say They remember the time that Becket the Husband himself watched their Minister in a Lane not far from the Church lined on both sides with People to Dispute him when his Spirits were exhausted with Preaching and his Strength weakened by performing the Duty of the Day Here follows Thomas Becket's Certificate This is to Certifie that I Thomas Becket was accidentally alone in my own Hired Ground which lies next the Steeple-House-Yard in West-Dereham when the Preist and the People were coming from their Worship and I had no intent to speak a Word to Laurence Parke the Priest but before he came near me I being by the Gate next the Road where he came he held up his Hand and said to his Hearers Look yonder stands a Man do not you think he looks as if he had seen God or to that purpose adding The Light is in him and then I replied If the Light be not within thee thou art in a Miserable Condition or Words to that effect When he came nearer he asked me how I did I asked him how he did and wished him to leave telling so many Lyes of the People called Quakers till he had heard the Truth of those Matters he reply'd When there was a Meeting at my House he would come to it and gave me his Hand to it but he never came although he had notice To the Truth hereof I Subscribe my Name Thomas Becket And whereas they further say that One Phillips a Quaker went to disturb their Minister at his own House one Munday in May last to Challenge and Provoke him to Dispute with the Quakers at a Meeting at Stoak that was to be held on the Morrow as himself confessed after he came Home And he and his Friends set abroad the Report some days before to call the Country together and then gave it out the Priest promised but durst not come Now here follows a Certificate of the said Phillips This is to Certifie that I William Phillips of West-Dereham being informed that Laurence Parke was much disturbed at a Meeting that was at our Town the beginning of the Month call'd May last and that he said If he knew where there was another Meeting he would come to it I thought fit to go to his House and let him know there was to be a Meeting the next day at Stoak he answered He could not or should not come for that he was not then ☞ provided but said that in a short time there would be Meetings enough when they had got the Books meaning our Friends Books and more Discourse we had together and he would have me sit down in his House and Drink and I did not think he was offended with me for my friendly going to his House for We parted as good Neighbours and I thought then in good Will to each other Witness my Hand William Phillips And whereas they further say This Phillips together with one Mason and Becket by speaking Profanely of the Ordinances of Christ and setting up a Conventicle contrary to Law c. This is a General and Proofless Charge and deny'd by them and till Prov'd needs no further Reply And whereas they further Certifie that their Minister Laurence Parke had many Provocations and Challenges One above all the rest say they we cannot forget which was given him in Writing when he was in the Pulpit by one Lilly in sight of the whole Congregation In Answer to which take the following Certificates This is to Certifie That about Five or Six Years ago I Phillip Tassill together with John Brown being at the Burial of a Relation at West-Dereham at which time some of the Parishioners being the hearers of Laurence Park told us that their Minister had Preached That the Quakers had not Read in a Bible these Forty Years and that they did not care if all the Bibles were Burn'd Now we hearing the Report of such a very Sad Wicked and most Uncharitable Abuse were concerned knowing our Innocency did therefore write a few Lines to him that he would admit us to a Friendly Conference that he might either Prove his Charge or Clear Vs before the People or to that Effect without Advising with any of our Friends Witness our Hands Phillip Tassill John Brown This is to Certifie That Mr. Park having Preached much against the Quakers and Discoursed that he would Prove them to be No Christians the Report thereof came to some of the said People and one of them gave me a few Lines to give him to desire a Friendly Conference with him about those Matters which I accordingly gave to the said Mr. Park and though I gave him them in the Church it was my own Doing and not by Direction of any one to give him them in that Place And I did not understand that more than One or Two of the said People wrote those Lines or that I might not give him them as Inoffensively in that Place as in any other being one of his Hearers This is about Five or Six Years ago as I remember Witness my Hand John Lilly And whereas they further Certifie That this and nothing but this made them and their Ministers willing to Permit Mr. Bugg to come amongst them to try if he could Conjure down that busie Spirit which possesses the Quakers and is so troublesome to us Reply First We may conclude by the Nature and Grossness of these words that you poor People know not what you have sign'd For you have given a Notable Reflection upon Fra. Bugg Is he indeed turn'd Conjurer But if it be so we know that Spirit the Sincere Quakers are led by has always been too hard for such Conjurers But pray wherefore are you so harsh in Reflections on your Neighbours as though they were led by a Diabolical Spirit This touches not them only but Christ also in whom they have Believed and that Spirit that dwelt in those that Persecuted our Lord dwells too much in you they call'd the Master of the House Beelzebub and also a Blasphemer no Marvel then if his Followers be called so We remember this Caution The Servant is not greater than his Lord we are sorry for your sakes that you should Offer that Injury to your own Souls but do desire you to Repent that God may shew you Mercy for you together with your Minister lie under that Wo spoken of in Isaiah 5. in calling Good Evil and Light Darkness Further whereas you confess That you and your Minister accompanied F. Bugg to one Quakers House and sent one of his Printed Charges in a Letter to Samuel Cater Answ This is a clear Confession here are Eighteen of you and your Minister have Espoused F. Bugg's Challenge and sent it not only to a Quaker's House but to S. Cater of Little Port in the Isle of Ely for him and Five more of his Brethren to come forth and joyn with your Minister and F. Bugg and Four more So now you have done well to be Ingenuous and Confess your Act for now the Challenge lies at your Door Here is a Printed Challenge you sent Dated August 10. 1698. And here is your Minister's Letter Dated August 28. 1698. And here is the 3 d of October fixt for the Day of the Dispute and if we do not Appear we must be judged Insincere and Cowardly And all this on your Part before the Quakers wrote their Friendly Letter Dated September the 7th 1698. ERRATA PAge 7. line 10. for laghed read laughed l. 29. f. ye there r. yet here p. 13. l. 13. f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 20. l. 27. f. Office r. Office p. 48. l. 10. f. Preist r. Priest FINIS