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	quicken_v	5,163	5	10.2542	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78566	A brief apology in behalf of the people in derision call'd Quakers. Written for the information of our sober and well-inclined neighbors in and about the town of Warminster in the county of Wilts. by Will. Chandler, Alex. Pyott, Jo. Hodges, and some others.	Chandler, William.; Pyott, Alex. (Alexander); Hodges, Joseph.	1693 (1693)	Wing C1934; ESTC R229320	34,744	78

plainly and possitively that none knows the Mat. 11. 27. Father but the Son and he to whom the Son reveals him That these strugglings in us should be the suggestions of Satan that he should disquiet and disturb people for their sins for serving him and put them upon endeavouring to be freed from their vassalage under his power were absurd to imagine no our Saviour puts that beyond a question when he asks Can a Kingdom divided against it self stand Mark 3. 24. 27. And by and by saith plainly that whilst the strong man arm'd keep the house his Luk 11. 21 goods are at peace till a stronger than he comes to bind him c. So that 't is clear it 's not the devil but the approaches of a superiour power that breaks the peace of people for sin and that follows and condemns them for Disobedience and Trangression and is the same that would and only can redeem their minds out of that miserable state and bind that strong man and break his power and cast him out would they but joyn thereto and accept of deliverance by it Nor does its being Extended to all men through all Ages from their youth upwards bespeak it to be therefore natural or contemptible but on the contrary of the greater moment to all men 1 Cor. 12 7. for besides that the Apostle saith a manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit withal the blessings and gifts of God are free and valuable from their intrinsick worth God in nature ordain'd nothing in vain but by how much any thing is of the greatest use to us for sustaining and accomodating our natural life the more common it is as the Sun that gives Light to all thro' all Ages c. 'T is we fondly rate things according to our fancies and esteem and prize them more for their rarity and curiosity than usefulness but God bestows most universally that which is of the absolutest necessity to man Are not all men that are born strangers and enemies to God in the dark and at a distance from him in the State of Nature Io. 3. 3. 5. and must therefore be enlightned converted and born again and made spiritual before we can be reconciled to him 1 Tim. 2. 3 4. 2 Pet. 3. 9. shall not God then that would have all repent and be saved cause the Light of the Son of Righteousness to shine upon all and give a measure of his grace and spirit to all to assist them in the accomplishment of that in themselves which they cannot do of themselves and yet is of indispensible necessity to our Salvation Wherefore God by his spirit strives with man so long as his day of visitation lasts Since then our opposers acknowledge the spirit and grace of God which also is Light to be in Man unless they can shew it by its manifestly different and superiour nature tendency and operation to be contradistinct from that we have been speaking of we see neither absurdity nor error in concluding it to be one and the same grace and free-gift of God to all which is always the same in nature though it differs in degree and is that Heavenly Treasure which God hath committed to our trust and blessed will they be who rightly employ and improve it and gives place and room to this seed of the Kingdom in Mat. 13. 31. 32. their hearts where though it may appear at first contrary to the expectation of man little mean and contemptable scarcely regarded amongst the stuff wherewith mens minds are filled yet joyn but to it that it may exert its power and force and 't will grow increase let but this leaven have its perfect work and 't will leaven the whole lump into its Mat. 13. 33. own nature Be pleased to consider whether we have justly merited the invidious invectives of our adversaries in believing that the Lord searches the heart of man and Luk. 13. 21. Jer. 17. 10. Ro. 8. 27. Rev. 2. 23 Amos. 4. 13. Jer. 31. 33 34. Ezek. 36. 26. 27. Joel 2. 28 29. Act. 2. i6 17 18. Isa 54. i3 Mat. 11. 27. Isa 42. 7. 61. 1. shews him his thoughts that he hath and will remember this latter age of the world and hath not forgotten to be gracious in performing those bountiful promises made in times past to the off-spring of the Gentiles in placing his Law in our Hearts and putting his truth in our inward parts in pouring out of his spirit upon all the Sons and Daughters of men in becoming our teacher and giving us the knowledge of himself through the Revelation of his Son Jesus Christ who is come to open our blind eyes and to bring us that were bound in darkness out of the prison-house who hath promised to be with his people to the end of the World in believing that God hath sent Joh. 14. 16 17 26. 16. 3. us the Comforter the spirit of Truth to be our Remembrancer and to guide and direct us in the way of Truth in attesting the sufficiency and utility of the 1 Joh. 2. 20. 27. Teachings of this Holy Unction sent into our hearts in believing that though Christ be in his glorified Body in Heaven yet that he is present also in the hearts of his People who is King of Saints and shall he not then rule in Joh. 14. 17 20 23 17. 23 26. Isa 57. 15. 2 Cor. 6. 16. Prov. 8 31. them The High and Holy One that inhabits Eternity hath promised to dwell also with the Humble and Contrite to revive and comfort them shall not he whose presence fills Heaven and Earth be present in the Heart of Man Shall not he that rejoyceth in the habitable parts of the Earth and delights in the Sons of Men reside in his People Are they not Members of him and he their Joh. 15. 4. 5. Head Can there be a more intimate Union and Communion than between the 1 Cor 6. 15 17 19. Head and the Body the Vine and the Branches The same Spirit of Life that is in the Head is the Life of the Body also and acts it he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit doth not the Life that is in the Root pass to the Branches also and preserves them living Are not all dead Branches in whom this Life is not Whosoever hath the Son of God and feeds on him hath Life by him and Joh. 6. 56 57. 1 Joh. 5. 13. those that have not Christ who is the Life of his Saints hath not Life How could his People in all Ages partake of him if he were not present in them Surely this Doctrine doth not deserve to be scoft but is most comfortable to those Ro. 10. 6 7 8. 2 Cor. 13. 5. Col. 2. 20 who are sick of Love and thirst ardently after the Enjoyment not Hear-say of him Consider seriously these things which are agreeable to

Knowledge 2 Pet. 3. 18. of our Lord Jesus Christ and a greater Acquaintance with that true inward Spiritual Communion and Fellowship Rev. 3. 20. with him wherein he sups with his Saints and they with him and receives Life by him who dwells in them Eph. 5. 30. and they in him as the Members are joyned to the Head and partakes of its Life and liveth by it or the Branches to the Vine which receives Joh. 15. 5. Life Vertue and Nourishment from him whereby Fruit is brought forth to the glory of God and well-pleasing to him 'T is not sufficient that we participate hereof once a Month or Quarter but as the Jews had their Manna Exod. 16. 21. fresh every Morning so ought we to receive a daily supply and renewing of strength in our inward Man by eating that Heavenly Bread that nourisheth up to Eternal Life and drinking plentifully of that Well of Living-Weter Joh. 4. 14. which in the Saints springs up to Life Eternal for as in God we live move and have our very being so is Christ the true and proper Life of the inward Man by which it truly lives to God nor can it live but by him Those that are begotten to God by the Word of Life and are born again of the Spirit are priviledged thus to feed on Christ and enjoy him which none can do that are not first quickened and made alive by him none can receive Life Sap and Vertue from him as Head and Vine that are not first joyned to him as Members and Branches of him nor is it sufficient to make People Members of Christ and give them admittance to feed on him in that they were sprinkled when Infants c. as we have already express'd though they should eat Bread and drink Wine all their days Since then we no less enjoy the Substance without the Sign why may we not omit it as either being but temporary or not of absolute necessity as well as our Opposers do that which was instituted to use their own term at the same time and with as great solemnity and greater formality and was no less positively commanded under the same pretence Why may not the same Authority absolve us from the use of this and excuse us from being chargeable with the breach of a Command of Christ as release them from washing one anothers Feet and secure Joh. 13. 4 5 8 14 15. them from the like censure As also that of the Apostles cencerning things strangled and Blood and that of James Acts 15. 20 29. Jam. 5. 14 15. anointing the Sick with Oil Why should they be thus partial Have we not good reason to conclude that if these had not been long since laid down they would have cleav'd as close to them and that had those of Baptism and Bread and Wine been then discontinued also they would be now as easie under its omission For Tradition Custom and Education makes greater impressions on Mens minds than perhaps every one may be sensible of nor is it an easie task at first to move them from those things to which they have been fastned by it Would but People wholly relinquish these Prejudices and consider it impartially 't is probable there may appear no such real difference as justly to omit the one and yet with equal reason to continue the other since 't is not that Bread that gives life to the Soul nor doth necessarily include it but that Christ may be and is received and sed on without it Nor that those can be thought to forget his Death and Sacrifice who sensibly partake of the Benefits thereof Tit. 2. 14. and pursue its Ends who are taught and assisted by him to live a godly Gal. 1. 4. righteous Life and bears about in them the Marks of the Dying of our Mat. 1. 21. 2 Cor. 5. 15. Lord Jesus who died for all that those who live should no longer live to themselves fulfilling the desires of their minds but to him that died for them that through the power of his Resurrection Phil. 3. 10. they may mortifie the Deeds of the Flesh and have Fellowship with his Sufferings in whom his Life is made manifest neither can those who acknowledge his Death and Sacrifice and partake from time to time of this Bread and Wine in memory of it and yet are not by him redeemed from a vain Conversation and made conformable to his Death and so feed on him as to participate of that Life that comes by him in anywise escape Damnation let their Pretensions be what they will Since then God hath replenisht our Hearts with his Grace and hath not with held his heavenly Manna from us but daily owns us by his comfortable Presence to our great satisfaction under the Omission of these things supplying our Wants and Necessities as we have recourse unto him in that which ever hath access unto him having our continual Dependancy on him who enables and strengthens those of us * For we intend not to Apologize for those who tho' they may be call'd by our Name yet live loosly and walk disorderly and are Blemishes and a Grief to us which yet ought to be imputed to their Insincerity or Unwatchfulness and not to the In-sufficiency of the Prin-ci-ple they pretend to that retain our Primitive Sincerity and Integrity to lead a Sober Pious Christian Life as becomes the Gospel of Christ which is the certain Product of Spiritual Grace and forasmuch as our Opposers acknowledge it to be but an outward visible Sign and dare not say that the inward Spiritual Grace is tied to it nor that 't is of absolute necessity to Salvation with what Reason do they Unchristian us and so load us with Calumnies and Accusations on this Account using it as an Instance to blacken us and condemn in gross our whole Christian Profession principally from hence as though 't were the chief thing that constitutes a Christian and entitles him to the Benefits that come by Christ What shall we think then of perhaps more than two parts in three of their own Assembly who no more practice this than do we and yet are many of them as sober People and if we may know as Christ directs us by their Fruits are doubtless as near the Kingdom and no less in a State of Grace than are those who so exult in and value themselves upon this Performance which however it may bound and distinguish particular Societies and Communions 't is certain no Observations nor Performances short of being ruled and governed by the Spirit of Christ as Head can entitle us to a Membership in him we may make a specious Shew and carry a System of Divinity in our Heads but if he rules not our Hearts we are none of his 'T were well they were as thoughtful to fulfil all Righteousness in every respect and as zealously careful and concern'd to observe and punctually perform all the Commands

same and shall so believe in our Lord Jesus Christ and love him as for the future to live a holy Circumspect Christian life and obey his commands thereby continuing in his love Which holy life so much Celebrated and strictly kept to in the Primitive Ages of Christianity that whosoever named the name or took the name of Christ upon them were to depart from iniquity we believe ought to be inseparable from a true and faithful Christian as ever accompanying a true living and active Faith and it seems was thought no less necessary by those who composed the promise that should be made in behalf of infants before they were admitted into that once sacred Catalogue to wit that as they Tit. 2. 11 12. came to years of discretion they should forsake the devil and all his works the pomps and vanities of this wicked world and all the sinful lusts of the Luk. 1. 75 flesh and keep Gods holy will and Commandments and walk in the same all the days of their lives This we believe Ro. 6. 18 19 22. 2 Cor. 7. 1. Eph. 4. 24 Thes 3. 13 4. 7. Heb. 12. 10. 14. 1 Joh. 4. 4. to be the bounden duty of mankind and though our Opposers have scoft us and branded us with error for holding perfection because in pleading for a holy righteous life as that which is well-pleasing to God and avouching his power to be stronger in man as man cleaves to it and believes to rescue him from under the power of Satan than is that of the devil to retrain him in Thraldom we have sometimes made use of the words of Christ and his Apostles as be you perfect as Mat. 5. 48 Col. 4. 12. 1 Joh. 3. 3. your Father which is in Heaven is perfect he that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure c. Yet have we never pretended to a moral perfection beyond what is contained in the above promise which is sound and true in it self and is that which God requires of us and therefore 't is that we frequently press it's necessity and fervently exhort people to its performance And notwithstanding we have hence been falsely accused that we expect to be saved by our own works as being Meritorious yet we don't acknowledge a holy life as the Efficient and procuring Cause of our Salvation which we no less than you totally refer to the free Grace and mercy of Eph. 2. 8. God in Christ without any merit in Man but we esteem it as a constant companion James 2. 18. to the end thereto and a necessary condition on our part in complyance with God's gracious offer without which we may not obtain it being inseparably annext Heb. 11. 6. Ro. 12. 1. 2. to that Faith which only pleaseth God and is but our reasonable duty And we believe that although Christ Heb. 2. 9. 10. 12. thus offer'd up himself once for all for the sins of all men to the end of the world thereby rendring repentance and amendment of life prevalent with God yet that the Traditional Belief of that alone is not sufficient to entitle us to that common Salvation that comes by him but that 't is of necessity that we truly repent and be converted from Act. 3. 19 the evil to the good and therefore 't is no less necessary for us now than 't was for believers in the Apostles days that 26. 18. 20. we be turned from darkness to light or in otherterms from the dark power of Satan to the power of God who is light that thereby we may every one know the work of Redemption and Salvation wrought in and for our selves For 't is not enough to believe that Christ dyed if we feel not the blessed effects of his death who came to save us from our sins and bless us by turning Mat. 1. 21. Act. 3. 26. Tit. 2. 14. us from our iniquities and gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works For we believe such to be the natural Gen. 2. 17 Ro. 5. 12. 2 Cor. 5. 14. Gen. 6. 5. Ro. 7. 5. State of Man in the fall that by nature we are dead as to God at a distance from him prone to evil and to gratify the desires of our sensual minds sway'd by the corrupt and sinful Eph. 2. 2. lusts of the flesh and under the power of a strange King rul'd by the 2 Tim. 2. 26. Prince of the Power of the air so that our inward man being thus dead from God we cannot exercise our spiritual senses towards him nor can this natural 1 Cor. 2. 14. man perceive know or savour the things of God which only arc spiritually discerned wherefore notwithstanding our Saviour dyed for us we are yet by nature in a miserable undone condition in Captivity to our souls Enemy except we know the second 1 Cor. 15. 45. 47. Eph. 2. 1. 5 Col. 2. 13. Ro. 8. 11. Eph. 5. 13. 14. Joh. 1. 9. Adam the Lord from Heaven that quickning spirit to quicken our souls and make us alive to God again that being restored to the use of our inward senses we may by the assistance of his Divine Light wherewith for that end he hath blest all the Sons and Eph 2. 3. 5. 6. Daughters of Men see our selves in this sad and lost state under the wrath of God and abhor our selves therefore and under this living sense wherein things will appear with another aspect than before cry to God for deliverance therefrom with such and inward 2 Cor. 7. 10. hearty sorrow as works a true repentance for the same 'T is not our being sprinkled when infants that will make us true Christians convert us from Joh. 1. 12. 13. Ro. 8. 14. being children of wrath to become children of grace and Sons of God and members of Christs Church and invest us in an interest in him 't is not learning our Catechism and subscribing to certain Articles of Faith though never so Orthodox and being educated in a historical belief of what Christ did for us above sixteen hundred years ago 't is not this only that will administer a sufficient true and saving knowledge of Christ and really interest us in his death and sufferings all which people may talk of and please themselves withal and yet continue as fast bound under the dominion of Satan who still rules where disobedience is as those less perfect in that lesson but the true and saving knowledge of Christ is to know our selves Act. 26. 18 turn'd from darkness to light from the power of Satan to the power of Col. 1. 13. God that by it we may be delivered from the power of darkness and be translated into the Kingdom of his dear Son to know his saving power really to rescue and redeem us from Joh. 8. 32. 36.