Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	body_n	life_n	natural_a	5,868	5	6.7181	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47127	The benefit, advantage and glory of silent meetings both as it was found at the beginning, or first breaking forth of this clear manifestation of truth, and continues so to be found by all the faithful and upright in heart at this day / writ for the stirring up and encouraging of those more especially who are lately convinced unto the love of them, and diligent improving them unto those ends and uses for which they serve by George Keith.	Keith, George, 1639?-1716.; Crisp, Stephen, 1628-1692.	1687 (1687)	Wing K145; ESTC R29891	18,469	27

and Dominion over the Heart and the Thoughts and Affections thereof otherwise it cannot so conveniently and readily have the command of the Mouth so as to order and direct it that the Mouth steadily and soundly only as the Instrument of the Word and Spirit of God may only express or declare the living Words of God otherwise as where the Heart is not under the command of the Life as aforesaid the Mouth will reel and stagger in its expressions and be apter to speak the Words of the Wisdom and Spirit of Man then of God now as the Words of the Spirit of God and Christ are in the Mouth Spirit and Life so the Words of or from the Spirit of Man though even gathered from the Scriptures are instead of Spirit but Letters and instead of Life but Death the one is Spirit and Life the other but Letter and Death which Profits not but hurts yea even the Mixture as where it is partly Letter and partly Spirit as much as possible is to be shunned and forborn especially in this so Clear and Glorious manifestation of Truth which calleth out of all Mixtures both in Words and Works unto Purity soundness and simplicity in all and now doth more pressingly require it then in the Times of Ignorance and Darkness that are past Thus I say that even very necessity at first occasioned their silent Meetings of Friends in Divers places every one being afraid to open the Mouth nor daring to open it till the Lord opened it by the Power and Vertue of own Spirit and Life and though none durst speak or open a Mouth nor had received that Spiritual Power and ability to do it yet a necessity and Duty they found in it to meet together yea the least measure and appearance of Life and Light in every one did even draw them together and when or wherever they came together in the drawings thereof and sat down together in stilness and quietness every one being turned and gathered unto their particular Measures they came to find the Benefit Advantage and Glory thereof in a Wonderful and unspeakable manner for after this manner they became all as one Body and as Members together of the Body and one of another by reason of that wonderful and excellent and Glorious Unity which the several Measures of Life and Light hath in the particular Vessels and persons For if even but two be together that each of both be gathered unto their own measure of Life the measure of Life in thr one doth after a secret unspeakable manner reach unto the measure of Life in the other flow forth into it wh●reby the one is raised Strengthened inlarged by the other as it were fed refreshed thereby yea and the Life in the one doth so joyn and Vnite its force and strength and Vertue unto the other that every particular feels the Strength and Vertue of the twofold measure of Life as it were doubled within themselves and if they be three thus gathered together the particular Measure of Life in every one reacheth unto every particular so that one feels not only the Vertue Force and Strength of his own particular Measure of Life but also the very force and Strength of the other two so that his Life is as it were strengthened enlarged and refreshed as in a threefold degree and so still as the number of these do increase who come indeed to Witness any Measure of the Life and Light of God to spring up in them all the particular Measures of Life in the particular Vessels or Persons in whom it hath appeared Vniting in one even as many small Streams become as a large river of Life which in the wholeness or Vniversallity of it hath its Course Motion and Operation in and through every Member in some Measure according to the capacity of each and thus the whole Vniversal Life and Spirit of the whole Body reacheth in its whole Vertue in some Measure unto every Member for the quickning refreshment and edifying thereof as even it is in the Natural Body for the Natural Spirit that is Vniversally diffused through the whole reacheth unto every Member in the Body with its Influence Life and Virtue end a plain example whereof we have also in the Light that is Natural for if a Company of People should come into a dark place every one of them having a Lamp or Candle lighteh each person injoyeth not only the Light of his own but also of all his Neighbours where each suf●er their Light freshly to shine forth And of this Friends having such manifest and clear Experience in their own particulars they became greatly indeared toward one another in all Pureness and tenderness of Love and finding the great Benefit and Advantage which they had in one anothers Company Presence and Fellowship as of one being a Strength to another their Life and Spirit reaching unto them oft without all Words yea in the silence or ceasing of Words they were drawn to meet often together for that in the Presence and Company of one another they were inwardly Refreshed Comforted Quickened and Strengthned through that Communion and Communication of the Spirit and Life of God from Vessel to Vessel as from one upon all and from all upon one and this is that Communion of the Saints which is a Mystery forever sealed from all Natural Men but is most open and clear to every Child of Light yea even unto the Youngest who are but as Babes and Sucklings in the Truth And oft times it so comes to pass that one only particular Person is made an occasion of great Refreshment Quickning and Comfort unto many yea unto a whole Meeting so that in good and certain experience where divers have come together but Life had but a weak or small manifestation in and among them as being but young in the Truth and much Death and Darkness as yet having place which Burthened and Clouded the tender Life so that as it were the Power of Death and Darkness could be felt to work strongly in the Meeting by reason of which those who met had much ado to wrestle against the said dark Power yet the coming of one among them and sitting down with them in the Meeting to wait together upon the Lord in pure Silence has occasioned Life in great Glory and Dominion to shine fo●th flow like a mighty River through the whole Meeting and every particular Member thereof by which every particular could sensibly feel the Power of Darkness and Death which did Burthen and Weaken the Meeting and quench or stop the springing up of Life to be removed by the force and strength of Life which br●ke forth against it and dispelled it as the Sun in his strength dispelleth and breaketh a Cloud into pieces the occasion of which hath been that the one aforesaid hath had the Life of God in his own particular raised into a large stature and measure of Power and

Dominion whereby his Life hath had its course through all that Darkness that stood in the way to the reaching the weak and small measures of Life in the others and so by its Influence quickening and strengthening Life in every particular till it was raise● over all that stood in its way and all were abundantly Refreshed Comforted and Quickened and such through the Goodness and Providence of God are sent unto others or raised up among them to be unto them as Nursing Fathers and Stewards and Shepherds unto whom as it were the Keys of the Kingdom were given that may open it unto others not but that it is possible to be opened even without all Instruments from without yea the Service and Benefit of Instruments fitted and prepared of God hath been and is found to be great unto the more abundant opening of it and helping the Weak and Feeble unto the more ready and easie entrance into it wherefore such cannot but be dearly Loved and Honoured in the Truth for their Works sake and because of that excellent measure of Life in them which hath such universal Influence and Service unto all And though the Unity and Fellowship of the Children of Light and Truth doth not simply consist in their outward Nearness Company or Presence for that though at never so great an outward Distance their Unity remains in that Spirit which reacheth over and through all yet it is certain that even their being together in the outward when they are gathered in the Name of Christ as aforesaid as in the particular measure of his Life and Light made manifest in them doth greatly conduce and contribute to increase and strengthen their Unity and to make their Fellowship and Communion of Life the more sensible as is known and witnessed by certain experience for that when they are outwardly present Life hath and oppertunity to convey it self unto one another by an through the natural Spirit and the very Face of one sharpneth another as Iron doth Iron for where Life is rased in the Heart it hath its Image on the very Face or Countenance which by a secret Vertue reacheth unto others Yea not only doth Life convey it self and its pure influence through the Voice and Sight but even through the taking one another by the Hand where it is done in pure and undefiled Love and by the laying on of Hands also as was witnessed in the Primitive Times so that those who were indued with a large measure of the Life and Spirit of God whilthey laid Hands on them who Believed Vertue went forth from that force and strength of Life in them an● reached unto these on whome Hands were laid whereby they came to feel the Life to be raised in their own particulars and the Power of the Holy Ghost to fall or break forth upon them as even so it is witnessed at this Day in and among the Children of Truth through the form●r formality of laying on of Hands that is in the false Church which hath only the empty and bare imitation is not regarded And thus now it being showed how great an Advantage and Benefit the Children of Light and Truth have in their Meeting together through the Communication of Life yea from all to every one and from one to all and that without all Words as well as with them the Benefit and Advantage of their meeting together even in Silence cannot but be manifest and this serves to answer that common Objection used by many who say We may sit silent at Home and wait in silence in our own Houses and so be as much edified a● to come to a silent Meeting where nothing is spoke for our Instruction or Learning to which I say nay if your outward Liberty and Health can permit you to come and yet you come not but stay at home you cannot Profit nor be Edified so much at home though you should give your selves to waiting in silence as by coming to the Meeting of the Lords People and waiting together with them in silence first because to meet together is the Ordinance of God which he doth bless yea he hath promised that where two or three do meet together in his Name he will be in the midst of them and this promise is to meeting simply in his Name though there should be no Speaking among them but secondly because as is said through that universal influence of Life which the whole Meeting hath upon every particular Life to raise and refresh and strengthen Life in every particular th●refore it is manifest that it is more profitable and edifying to wait with others where oppertunity can be had then alone for while we wait with others we become a strength and help unto one another in waiting which many can seal the truth of by certain experience who have found much more ready and easie access and entrance to wait upon the Lord and a much more freedom of Mind from vain Thoughts and Encumbrances while they were waiting with others then while alone as also many has been Convinced and brought to the knowledg of the Truth by coming to Silent Meetings and seeing as is showed that Life doth readily most prevail abound while they wait together surely these occasions cannot but be the more Edifing and Profitable when rightly improved for when Life is most raised and doth most prevail and abound in the Heart then a man hath the best opertunity to feel the operation of it in him to work and purge out the old Nature and Spirit with the Works thereof and to leven him into a new lump so as to mould and transform him unto its own pure Similitude and Image And so these who came together to meet after this manner in Silence so that they would sit together many hours in a deep Silence and Quietness came to sind great Benefit and Advantage in them yea and a great Glory though such Meetings became the Worlds wonder and natural and dark spirited men did scorn and deride them as they do unto this day yet the Children of Truth found them and do find them the most Profitable and Edifying Meetings that ever they were at where all Flesh is made Silent and the Lamb alone is waited for to appear in his Temple and speak forth his holy Mind Will and Counsel in such Vessels as are fitted and prepared of him and those who met together in this Silence where at that time perhaps not one in the Meeting had a Mouth opened or utterance gave them in the Life and Spirit of God came in due time to receive the opening of the Mouth in a very large and powerful and glorious manner as continues unto this day with them who yet remain alive in the Body and now many have received an opening of the Mouth and come to witness the Word of Life sprung up in great Power and Glory to the putting Words into their Mouths which are Spirit and Life that Minister Grace largely