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	lord_n	soul_n	15,609	5	5.1843	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A54131	A discourse of the general rule of faith and practice and judge of controversie greatly importing all those who desire to take right measures of faith and to determine (at least to themselves) the numerous controversies now on foot in the world / by W. Penn.	Penn, William, 1644-1718.	1699 (1699)	Wing P1277; ESTC R1708	28,457	59

that now so lamentably Pesters the World In which State for all the External Imitations of the Ancients in some temporary and figurative Parts of Worship I am to tell such and that from the Spirit of the Lord God of all Truth They will never be Accepted The Utmost of that Literal Knowledge Historical Faith and Outward Religion is but as the Old Heavens that are to be wrapped up as a Scroul and the Old Wine and Bottles that belong not to the Kingdom of God Such Believers may slatter on themselves and at last cry Lord Lord But alas They shall never enter into the Rest that God hath reserved for his Regenerated and Redeemed Children For under such a Faith and Religion Envy Wrath Malice Persecution Pride Passion Covetousness Worldly ●●ndedness c. may and do prevail yea and are Cloaked as with a secure Cover from the Stroak of God's Spirit insomuch as when any are moved of the Lord to Decry such Fair and Hypocritical Shews of Religion they are reputed Rash and Censorious and presently a Plea must be made on this wise Do not we follow the Commands of the Scripture Did not such and such do so and so Which at best are but the Duties of Sacrifice and not of Obedience Never regarding from what Ground the Performance springs whether it be according to the Rule of the New or of the Old Creature But abuse and vilifie us for making such Distinctions as if the Prayers Preachings Singings outward Baptizings and Suppings c. of Men in their own unsanctified Spirits Strength and Will were required and accepted of God for Evangelical Worship Thick Darkness and a Dangerous Presumption Thus are Men Out of the Way concerning both Faith and Practice and the true Rule and Judge of Them They make the former viz. Faith and Practice to lie in an Assent of the Understanding to such Propositions and in an Imitation of former Observations that were at best but Signs of good things to come and the Duties of Sacrifice which is far from the Immanuel-State And the latter viz. the Rule and Judge to be the Scriptures which is but an Account of those Things that others were Ruled to and Directed in by the Holy Spirit before they were ever Recorded or made Scripture and no other Rule or Judge can so Regulate For as the Faith and Experience so the Rule and Judge of that Faith and that Experience must be One God by his Spirit begets Faith God by his Spirit rules Faith and governs the Life of his Children for as many as are Children of God are led by the Spirit of God The Scripture much of it is but a Declaration of Faith and Experience therefore not The Rule or Judge For as Faith and Experience were before Scripture so the Rule and Judge were before Scripture because as I said before there must be a Rule and Judge where there is Faith therefore the Scripture is not That Rule or Judge And before that Declaration be answered or fulfilled by any they must come to the Faith Rule and Judge of which That is a Declaration So that Faith is yielding up to the Requirings of God's Spirit in us in full Assurance of the Remission of Sins that are past through the Son of his Love and Life Everlasting from whence daily flows Works of Holiness well-pleasing to God which is more than a meer Assent of the Understanding to a verbal though a true Proposition Again The Life of a true Christian stands not in Bodily Exercise which says the Apostle profits little Nor in an Imitation of the Ancients in Temporary and Shaddowy Things which the Hypocrite as well as the Sain● can do But in Self-denial and walking in the Spirit to bring forth the Fruits thereof unto all Godliness which is the pure and spiritual Obedience resulting from the Living Spiritual Faith of God's Elect and the Rule and Judge thereof is their Author and Begetter even the Spirit of Truth which alone gives saving Understanding Faith and Obedience and searcheth the deep things of God O you Professors of Religion that you would but seriously weigh these things and examine your selves in God's Sight for he respects none for their Fair Outside If this Saving Faith be your Faith and this Heavenly Life be your Life and if the Holy Spirit be your Ruler and Leader If not you are but Legal Formal and in the Oldness of the Letter and Will-worshipers which obtains not with God In which State not the Wisdom from above but that which 〈◊〉 from below of the Old Creature is your Rule In it you read Scripture Expound it Pray Preach Sing and Perform all your Duties and this is not to walk according to the Rule of the New Creature but in a Legal Spirit to make a Gospel-Profession the End of which from the Lord I am to tell you will be a Bed of Sorrow Therefore Resist not the Light and Spirit within but Turn at the Reproof thereof that you may come to walk in the Way of Life Daily Life to your Souls that so you may be quickned and made alive to God in all your Duties and live to him while you live 〈◊〉 that Life which is hid with Christ in God that being thus Born again and become Renewed in your inward Man you may perform that Pure and Spiritual Worship which is of a sweet Savour with the Lord so shall he Bless you with his Heavenly Blessing and daily Replenish your Souls with the unspeakable Joys of his Love and Salvation This I heartily desire and through all Difficulties Incessantly Travel for in Body Soul and Spirit that the All-Wise Good Omnipotent God may be Known Served and Obeyed by you to your Comfort and his Eternal Honour who alone is worthy to receive 〈◊〉 now and for ever Amen William Penn FINIS Postscript I Would not be misunderstood in what I have writ of the Excellency and Preference of the Holy Spirit of God as the first chief and general Rule of Life and Practice and as the infallible and therefore the best Judge of Controversy among Christians as if I thereby intended to lessen or undervalue the divine Authority or Service of the blessed Scriptures of Truth since we most heartily believe them to have been given forth from the same Holy Spirit and are a Declaration of the Mind and Will of God and as such are obliging upon all that have and can have them both in reference to Faith and Practice And we utterly disclaim and renounce all Doctrines and Practices repugnant to them But as the holy Spirit gave them forth through Holy Men so without the Help of the Holy Spirit they cannot be truly and spiritually understood by those that read them for their Edification and Comfort for that which writ them can best apply them Which is the Reason of that Preference we give to the Spirit of God and of our pressing People to take diligent

short It were greatly to be wisht that all Men would hold themselves unconcern'd in disputing about what they have not received an Assurance of from the Holy Spirit since they beat but the Air and obtain no solid Satisfaction neither can they upon any other Bottom God never Prostrates his Secrets to Minds disobedient to what they do already know Let all Practice what they assuredly know to be their Duty and be sparing in their search after Nice and Unknown Matters Weighty and Seasonable was and is the Apostle's Saying Nevertheless whereunto we have already attained let us walk by the same Rule Where he both limits us to the present Knowledge communicated to us and exhorts us to live up to that and if any thing be further necessary for us God in due time will reveal it by his Spirit that on gives to Know Discern and Judge of the things that are of God Obj. But how will this determine the Controversie and allay the Fury of Debates that are foot in the World Answ Nothing like it if Man adhere to it and if he does not there is no way left but the Wrath that is to be reveal'd But mo●● Persuasions are agreed about the absolute Necessaries in Religion from that Light and Witness God has placed in Man's Conscience viz. That God is That he is a Rewarde of them that diligently seek him That the 〈◊〉 of God is a Way of Purity Patience Meekness c. Without whcih no Man can see the Lord Nay they accord in some considerable Matters superadded as some of them speak to wit That God was manifested extraordinarily in the Flesh that he gave his Life for the World that such as believe and obey his Grace in their Hearts receive Remission of Sins and Life Everlasting Now I say since these things Men generally Consent to let them live up to them and forbear wanton Scrutinies after Things or Notions that gender to Strife and Contention and leave not Mankind better but rather worse than they found them and the World would be soon Rid of Controversie Holy Living and not Disputing would be the Business of Mankind What more excellent Judgment can be given then that Men quit their Contentions about Notions and Opinions and betake themselves to the Pratice of that Good which God hath already shewn unto them as spake both the Prophet Micah 6. 8. and the Apostle Paul Rom. 〈◊〉 19. And if any thing be revealed to one more than another let the rest judge in the Spirit or be silent till God manifest more ●o them in order to Right Judgment 'T is good to Try all things but we must have something to try them by and what ●ught that to be but the Spirit that searcheth and the Anointing that teaches all things which is Truth it self Here Mankind will 〈◊〉 in Love having at least Natural Affections now lost by the Barbarity of some of their cruel Religions or Heats for their Opinions and a Judgment of things will be made not from the Rash Partial Short-●●ghted and Froward Mind of Man but that Eternal Light and Spirit that never erred which however disgustful to some Protestants in this Age was no false Doctrine in the Account of John Philpot and Bp. Latimer Two great Founders of the Reformation in England The first in his Answer to the Bishop of Chichester reproving his Confidence about true Faith in Christ These Hereticks saith One take upon them to be Sure of all things obey stand in Let him doubt saith John Philpot of his Faith that listeth God give me Always to believe that I am Sure of true Faith and Favour in Christ The second in his Answer to Sir Ed. Baynton objecting the Uncertainty of Man in what he calls Truth thus recorded by J. Fox Your Friends deny not but that certain Truths are communicated to us according to Capacity But as to my Presumption and Arrogancy either I am certain or uncertain that it is Truth that 〈◊〉 preach if it be Truth why may not I say so If I be uncertain why dare I be so bold as to preach it And if your Friends be Preachers themselves after their Sermon I pray you ask them Whether they be Certain and Sure they preach the Truth or no and send me word what they say that I may learn to speak after them If they say they be Sure you know what follows if they say they be Unsure when shall you be Sure that have so Doubtful and Unsure Teachers Let not Protestants for Shame judge us for owning a Doctrine that is Confessed to and Confirmed by some of the Worthiest of their own Ancestors viz. That an Unerring Certain or Infallible Judgment in things Necessary to Salvation is both Possible and Requisite and that God communicates it by his Spirit to the Souls of Men. The Conclusion TO Conclude Immanuel a word suited not only to that Appearance but the whole Dispensation of the Gospel imports God nigh to or with Men The Tabernacle of God is with Men he will dwell in them and walk in them They shall be all taught of me and in Righteousness shall they be established That is by the Spirit of his Son And this admits not of any Book or Literal Rule or Judge to come between that Indwelling Spirit of Light Life and Wisdom from God and the Soul as its Rule of Faith and Practice And because it is the unutterable Goodness of God to People in these latter Days as the Sum of Scripture-Prophecy thus to make known himself we are incessant in our Cries unto them that they will turn their Minds Inward now abroad and taking up their Rest in the Externals of Religion that they may hear his Heavenly Voice and Knocks and let him in and be taught of him to know and do his Will that they may come to be Experienced and Expert in the School of Christ For never Man spoak and taught as he livingly speaks and teaches in the Consciences of those who diligently hear him and are willing to be taught of him the Knowledge of his Ways The Priest was Outward but he is now Inward the Law Outward but it is now Inward And now he is no more a Jew that is one Outward nor that Circumcision which is outward in the Flesh but he is a Jew who is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the Heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter whose Praise is not of Men but of God Which is so far from lessening the Authority of the Scriptures of Truth that unless This be Man's Rule and Judge in the Reading and Believing of them he can never understand them Rightly or keep their saying Faithfully And indeed as before I have expressed I cannot but say That Man whilst unregenerated setting his Wit and Wisdom to Fathom and Comprehend the Intention of the Holy Ghost in many of those Writings hath occasioned that Confusion Darkness and Perplext Controversie