Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A40240
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The royal law of God revived wherein you may see that all nations of men may keep in it a royal society ... / G.F.
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Fox, George, 1624-1691.
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1672
(1672)
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Wing F1892; ESTC R28007
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37,382
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48
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THE Royal Law of GOD REVIVED Wherein You may see That all Nations of Men may keep in it a Royal Society and by obeying the Principlâ— of God in them which brings Men to do the Royaâ— Law and to do unto all men as they would have alâ— men to do unto them which Royal Law of God answers that of God in every Man and Woman in thâ— whole World which they transgressing are judged by the Royal Law of God in doing that unto others as they would not have others do unto them and they to be without natural Affections which Royal Law brings all men to have Natural Affections and to do unto all men as they would have them to do unto them G. Fâ—â— Jam. 2.8 If ye fulfil the Royal Law according to the Scripture Thou shalt Love thy Neighbour as thy self ye do well â—â—t 7.12 Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you do ye even so to them Printed in the Year 1671 2 Who they are that break this Royal Law of God Them that Quench Vex and grieve the good Spirit of God and hate the Light of Christ and walk despightfully against the Spirit of Grace and make Shipwrack of Faith and of a good Conscience And also They are them that keep the Royal Law of God that walk in the Spirit of God and in Faith and a good Conscience and love the Light Christ who inlightens every man that comes into the World The Royal Law of God Revived c. ALL People upon the Face of the whole Earth both High and Low Rich and Poor know that as the Apostle Paul saith Acts 15.26 God hath made of one Blood all Nations of Men for to dwell on all the Face of the Earth So all Men and Women are of God's making his Workmanship and the Works of his Hands and Creation and he it is that gives Life and Breath unto all And hath determined the Times before appointed and the Bounds of their Habitations saith he And saith Moses Deut. 32.8 The Most High divided to the Nations their Inheritance when he separated the Sons of Adam c. And the Psalmist acknowledgeth Psa 24.1 The Earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof the World and they that dwell therein which he hath distributed unto the Sons of Men. And the Lord is called The God of the Spirits of all Flesh Num. 27.16 And so saith likewise the Apostle Eph. 4.6 One God and Father of all who is above all through all and in you all Now seeing the Lord hath made all Nations of Men and Women upon the Earth of one Blood and Mould to dwell upon the Face of the Earth and that the Earth is the Lord's and the Fulness thereof and he gives the encrease and hath distributed unto the Sons and Daughters of Adam What then is the matter that makes a Discord amongst all the Sons and Daughters of men but the Devil the Cause of all Discord who is out of Truth and so leads them out of Unity with God and with one another so that they cannot Commerce Trade and hold a Correspondence a Concord in Civil things of the Creation of the Earth seeing the Earth is the Lord's and the Fulness thereof that all Nations of Men cannot hold a Commerce Unity and Concord I say in these outward things though they cannot agree in and about Matters of Religion and Worship and abouâ— their Teachings and Wayes What is the matter now that they do not agree seeing there is no Discord nor Disagreement in the Way of the Lord which is Christ Jesus the Heavenly Man who is the Way to God the Father Neither is there any Disagreement in the Fellowship of the Spirit nor in the Worship nor in the Spirit nor in the Truth And therefore are not all the Disagreements and Discords throughout all the World about Religions Worships and Doctrines about I say such as men have made which are called National Worships National Wayes and National Religions that are all the Works of Mens hands And there are such a Multitude of them in all the Nations of the World which hinders them from Civil Commerce Civil Society of Natural Affections that ought to be amongst Mankind For where these Natural Affections or Affections of Nature are not they will destroy one another about their Religions Worships and Ways and certainly such doings are not of God nor of Christ who said to his Disciples when they would have had Fire to come down from Heaven to consume them that would not receive him That they did not know what spirit they were of Therefore do all people that Persecute others for not receiving their Doctrines their Worships their Wayes and Religions yea persecuting for not receiving of Christ they know not what Spirit they are of Now mark the tender Nature of Christ Who saith he came not to destroy mens lives but to save them Therefore they that would have mens lives taken away for Religion or not receiving of Christ They have not the Affections of Nature 2d They do not know what spirit they are of themselves 3d They have not the Mind of Christ 4th No man will trust his Body Soul or Spirit in the hands of such that do not know what spirit they are of themselves Have any of all these that make Religions VVayes and Worships and Doctrines of their own any Affections to Nature who will destroy people because they will not conform to that Religion VVay and VVorship that they have set up As now look over all the whole VVorld and all the Religions therein and see and consider Who they are that have destroyed burnt and put to death such as would not conform to the Religion and VVay and VVorship that they have made And have not these first been Truce-Breaâ—â—â—â—â— to and with God and then with Man and fallen from that Religion that is from above and from his Religion his VVorship and Truth his VVay Christ Jesus and then the Devil entred them who hath led them to destroy one another about their Religions VVayes and their VVorships which they have set up and were not set up by the Lord but forbidden by Christ and saith the Apostle He is not worshipped with the Worships of Mens Hands Acts 17.24 who is Lord over all and would have all Repent and feel after him and so to Repent as to change from their Worships and the Works of their own hands the Religions the Worships and Wayes that they have made and come to God by Christ Jesus who is the VVay to God and so through him receive that Religion that is from above and so to worship God in the Spirit and in the Truth And is there any Religion to be owned or any VVorship from such which are without Natural Affections And is it not the Devil that makes Religions VVayes and VVorships and leads them to be so peevish about them and in a blind Zeal to contend so earnestly for them which brings
the Word of God which is the Sword of the Spirit but by the outward Power and Sword And how have many people been converted in Germany think you Were not many their Converts by the Magistrates Sword and did they not turn as the Magistrates did and as the Pope and as the King of Spain and King of France Was not there once a King of France a Protestant and did not he turn and how many did turn with him And how many were converted by Henry the eighth from the Pope by his regal Sword and Power yea how many Priests and People And so likewise how many turned Protestants in his Son Edward the sixth Reign which was not long And then how many turn'd Papists again in his Sister Queen Mary's Reign immediately after his decease for did she not by her Power convert both Priests and People to the Pope And shortly after How many did Queen Elizabeth convert from Popery to Protestancy both of Priests and People Thousands of Thousands So were not all these converted by the Laws and outward Powers all along since that Conversion has been lost by the Power and Spirit of God that the Apostles were in in their Day by which I say they did convert people to God and not by the Magistrates Sword nor by humane coercive Laws contrary to a mans Conscience And how did the Presbyterians convert to their Directory from the Common-Prayer by vertue of their outward Power and Sword when they had in this last Age got it into their hands And how many did the Independants convert to their Church-Faith from the Presbyterians and from others when he had got the Sword and Power into his hands And now how many have the Common-Prayer-men got back again by their Power outward Sword when they had got it into their hands both from the Presbyterians Directory and Independant Church-Faith c. to the Common-Prayer again So that much of the Conversion since the Apostles days or about this Thousand Years have been by outward Law and coercive Power by Prisons Inquisitions Gallows Fire and Faggot c. and by this means they have forced men to their Religions that they have made contrary to their Consciences and have done to others as they would not have others do the same thing to them And so the Priests turn'd with the Magistrates and preacht stifly against that that they preacht up not long before and preacht up that now that once they preacht against this has been clearly seen And so as one Power has got up by the Sword and the Law they have put down other Religions that were set up by Law and the Sword and if others should get over them then they would put down their Religions and set up again Religions and Worships of their own And so men make Religions and then set them up and then again others in power put them down and men open mens Mouthes and others stop their Mouthes that formerly had preacht and so men are put up and pluckt down so as every man is uncertain in his Religion and Worship and knows not what may be set up in a year or what Religion or Worship he may be forced to conform to or suffer in not doing of it So happy are they that are in the Religion that cometh down from above and in the Worship that Christ Jesus set up above One Thousand Six Hundred Years since that Heavenly Man that changeth not who is yesterday to day and forever the Alpha and Omega Now if all the people in the World who are in so many Religions Wayes and Worships would come to the Principle of God in them by which they may come to the Royal Law and to do unto all men as you would have all men do unto you you would come to the Royal Society and the Fellowship in the Royal Law which is far above all the Fellowships and Societies in all the Religions Wayes and Worships that they have made and set up where they do not do to others as they would have others do to them For when one Religion is put down and another set up that which is put down is oft times called Heresie And again when at any time that Religion is put down and the other set up again then that iâ— accounted Heresie which accounted the other so before so thaâ— one putting down another in case they do not joyn they arâ— called Hereticks and Schismaticks And so all Christendom are or have been Schismaticks or Hereticks one time or other buâ— this has not been Life Therefore it is our desire that men may all come to the Light and Grace of the Spirit of God that is given whereby they may come to this his Royal Law and Royaâ— Society and Natural Affections for the others have been with out Natural Affections who have persecuted imprisoned and puâ— to death people for not conforming to the Wayes Religions anâ— Worships which they have made and set up with their hands and such I say have not had Natural Affections all being madâ— of one Mould and of one Blood upon the Face of the whole Earth and that by one God who is in all through all and above alâ— who hath given you his Royal Law but that you cast it behinâ— your backs Jew like and yet made a Profession of Christ his Prophets and Apostles words but that Profession is no Profession that Religion and Worship is worth nothing in that they cast the Royal Law of God behind their backs which teacheth you To love your Neighbours at your selves and to do to all men as you would have them do to you And now all you Christians so called in Christendom and else-where Do not your Religions Worships and Fellowships stand in outward things yea in such things as the Kingdom of God stands not in For as the Kingdom of Heaven stands not in Meats nor Drinks nor Images nor outward Crosses nor Beads nor Bells nor Candles nor your Masses you make nor your Holy-days which you make holy and call them holy nor in your Steeple-Houses and old Mass-Houses called by you Churches and Temples Neither does the Kingdom of God stand in your Pictures nor Relicks of c. nor Tippits nor Hoods nor Sursingle nor White Coat nor Black Coat nor Altars nor Organs nor Surplices Lawn-Sleeves Coapes Corner-Caps nor doth it stand in your Sacraments of Bread and Wine which some take standing some kneeling some litting some say it is Christ's real Body and Blood no more then it stands in outward Jewish Offerings and so do persecute one another about these things which be meerly outward the Inventions of your own Brain and Hands since you have apostatized and ravened from the Spirit since the Apostles dayes And thus you follow your own Traditions and compel others to follow them and so neglect the Commands of God and of Christ Jesus who said Seek first the Kingdom of Heaven and the Righteousness thereof and then in the