Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A56113
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To all ye who be called Baptists who call yourselves saints and church-members
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Parker, Alexander, 1628-1689.
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1657
(1657)
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Wing P387; ESTC R28772
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9,000
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10
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ones who are griping for the earth whose hearts are even set thereon striving and endeavouring by all your wit and policy to compass riches and so to become great in the Earth ye cumber the ground ye envious bitter spirited ones ye cumber the ground ye who are at liberty to speak your own words to think your own thoughts and do your own works whose tongues be at liberty and carnal minds at liberty you are in the broad way and your Religion is vain where the tongue is not bridled Hos 4.1 2 3 Isa 2.1 9 Isa 58.2 3 Psal 66.18 Jer. 5.23 24 25 26 Gal. 6.7 1 Pet. 3.21 ye cumber the ground Oh! the Land mourns and the Earth is polluted with corruption thus saith the Lord Pride and vain-glory self-seeking earthly honor and preferment and respecting persons is found amongst you called Church-members envy and bitterness of spirit you have made a shew and profession of my Name outwardly in words but deceit and iniquity lodgeth and is regarded in your hearts and your sins have seperated between you and me saith the Lord. Oh lay things to heart and deceive not your selves with a vain hope for it is not the outward Name nor the outward washing that doth make a true Christian no more then the outward Name and the outward Circumcision did make a true Jew For as the Apostle by the spirit of the Lord said He is not a Iew which is one outwardly Rom. 2.28 29 neither is that the Circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the heart with the Spirit Even so by the Spirit of the Lord I say unto you That he is not a Christian which is one outwardly which hath the Name onely Gal. 3.27 1 Cor. 12.13 Heb. 10.19 20 21 22. neither is that the Baptism which is outward with Water but he is a Christian who is in Christ and Baptism is that of the Spirit having the heart sprinkled from an evil conscience and the body washed with pure Water For as many as are baptized into Christ have put on Christ are one in Christ But all that are sprinkled or dipped and plunged in Water are not one but many differences there be amongst them about these outward things Gal. 3.27 28. which the kingdom of God doth not stand nor consist in as I know you are in some measure sensible of it outward Water can do no more then wash and cleanse the outside it cannot cleanse the heart from sin Matt. 5.20 so that outward washing is but a figure of the inward washing as other figures are which I own all in their time and place but figures and parables are to the World 2 Cor. 3.13 14 15 16. Coll. 1.26 Gal. 1.16 1 Cor. 1.30 Col. 3.11 and them that understand not the mysterie For the Vail being over the heart the mysterie is hid as it was all the time of the Law but as the Power of God doth arise it rends the Vail and the mysterie is opened and the Son of God revealed within the Emanuel God with us who is the Wisdom and the Righteousness the Life Light and Leader Bread Wine and Water and all other things he is made to the Saints And as for that Scripture Matth. 28.19 which you call the Command for Water-baptism though Water is not there mentioned I say If that had been of force and extended unto all then why was it not binding unto Paul who was called into the Ministry after that who was a true Minister of the Gospel and yet he saith plainly 1 Cor. 1.17 Christ sent him not to baptize but to preach the Gospel Eph. 4.4 5 6. and he saith There is one Body and one Spirit one Lord one Faith one Baptism he brings them from the many to the one and this one I own which brings people into one Acts 4 32. Rom. 8 39. one heart one mind one soul where the unity stands unseperable in the one Spirit of Love And as concerning those words which Christ said to his Disciples at the eating of the Passover Iohn 6.27 This do in remembrance of me I own Iohn 14. chap. he saith unto his Disciples I go away a little while but I come again unto you and ye shall know that I am in the Father you in me and I in you c. So in the time of his absence that was to be done in remembrance of him but when he was come he was their bread and they fed upon him and he was their Pastor Teacher 1 Iohn 5.19 20 Col 2.19 Iohn 10.14 1 Cor. 11. And whereas Paul saith to the Corinthians What I have received of the Lord that do I deliver unto you That the Lord Iesus the same Night that he was betrayed took bread take notice this was done in the night and when he had given thanks he brake it c. for as often as ye do eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye do shew the Lords death till he come Read 1 Cor. 10 16.17 Now the Apostle declares that he could not speak unto them as unto spiritual 1 Cor. 3.1 2 3. Iohn 6 53 60 63 66. but as unto carnal even as unto Babes in Christ and saith he I have fed you with milk and not with meat for hitherto ye were not able to bear it neither yet now are you able So that it is plainly manifest they could not bear what the Apostle had to declare like unto those who had eaten of the loaves but when Christ spoke unto them of the Mysterie saying Except ye eat my flesh and drink my blood ye have no life in you they stumbled at this Saying and went back walked with him no more So Paul came down and fed them with such meat as they were able to disgest 2 Cor. 12.16 according to the Wisdom of God given him he caught them by guile coming down to their weak capacities and became all to all in the truth that he might win some but after this he tells the Corinthians 1 Cor. 12.31 that yet he shews them a more excellent way and so in his second Epistle he brings them nearer and draws them from the visibles to the invisible the Light which shined within and said We have this treasure in earthen Vessels 2 Cor. 4. chap. that the excellency of the Power may be of God and not of us We are troubled on every side yet not distressed we are perplexed but not in despair persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed alwayes bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Iesus here is a true Remembrance that the life also of Iesus might be made manifest in our body for we which live are alwayes delivered unto death for Iesus sake that the life also of Iesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh mind that which life is
a pure harmless upright perfect life which life is made manifest Heb. 13.8 the same to day as ever which draws us from out of visible fading things which are temporal to look at things invisible eternal according as it is written While we look not at thing which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen 2 Cor. 4.18 are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal Here you may see the Apostle brings them off the fading shadows to look at things eternal Now try your wayes see whether or no you be not looking at things seen and feeding on the visibles which are temporal which in time fades away as Bread Wine Water which all perish with the using the Writings visible will sade away Col. 2.20 21 22 2 Pet. 1.19 20 1 Pet. 1.22 23 24 25 John 15.5 6 7 but the invisible and spiritual Word of life which was within the holy men of God from which the visible Writings were given forth doth abide and endure for ever except this Word be ingrafted in your hearts and abide in you you cannot be saved though you may have all the words writings of the holy men and therefore the Apostle brings them to the proof trial whether or no they were in the Faith and whether or no Christ was come 2 Cor. 13.5 for saith he Know you not your own selves how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates And Iohn the Apostle in his Epistle declares that Christ was come 1 Iohn 5 19 20 Col. 1.26 27 28 29 saying We know that the Son of God is come hath given to us an understanding to know him that is true we are in him mind that that is true even in his Son Christ Jesus this was the great Mystery which was hid from former ages which was manifested to in the Saints is again appearing in this the Lord's day glory to his Name for evermore and this was a fulfilling of the prayer of Christ before he was sacrificed up he prayed to his Father that all those who through the word of his true Ministers did believe on him That they all may be one Iohn 17.17 18 19 20 21 22. even as thou Father art in me I in thee that they also may be one in us that the world may believe that thou hast sent me and the glory which thon gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one I in them thou in me that they may be made perfect in one this as I have said was fulfilled in the Saints and what was written by them was to bring to this unity as the Apostle saith 1 Iohn 1.3 4 Verse 5 Iohn 8.12 1 Iohn 1.7 1 Iohn 2.20.27 These things I write unto you that your fellowship might be with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father with his Son Christ Iesus and God is light and Christ declares himself to be the light of the world the Saints fellowship was in the Light Iohn saith likewise unto them Ye have an unction from the holy one ye know all things c. And the annointing that ye have received of him abideth in you you need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things which is truth no lye even as it hath taught you so ye shal continue in him And concerning breaking of bread the Apostle declared what that bread was which they broke the Cup of blessing which we bless 1 Cor. 10.16 17 it is not the Communion of the blood of Christ the bread which we break Is it not the Communion of the body of Christ for we being many are one bread and one body this bread is not carnal for many eat that Iohn 6.50 to 57 but are not one but this bread is spiritual it is Christ in whom the Saints are one who is the bread of life as it is testified of him I am the bread of life I am the living bread that came down from above he that eats of this bread shall live 〈◊〉 ever Christ Jesus is called by several names in the Scriptures 1 Cor 2.11.12 Mat. 22.29 1 Cor. 8.4 5 6 Rom 18.3.4 2 Cor. 15.21 and those who have the names and are not guided by the same spirit that gave forth those names are in the error and strife and falls out about the words and names but though his names are many yet his power and life of puritie is but one and except this power and life be manifest in you to destroy sin Mat. 5.20 Isa 30.1 Acts 2.46 in vain will all your talking and profession be for wo is and will be the Portion of all those who be covered with a covering and not with the covering of Gods holy Spirit Yet breaking of bread outwardly I do not deny but own it in the Covenant of Love breaking bread from house to house and eating together with singleness of heart where the word of God is known Iames 1.21 22 23 24 and received and dwelt in which doth purifie the heart and so to the pure all things are pure Titus 1.15.16 but to the unbelieving and disobedient there is nothing pure but even their minds consciences are defiled and the words and prayers of such are abomination to the Lord for he cannot away with a polluted Sacrifice Mal. 1.8 9 1 Tim. 2.11 Jam. 5.16 Iohn 9.31 Therefore I say with the Apostle I will that men pray lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting for the prayers of the righteous avails much but we know that God heareth not sinners therefore let every one that nameth the name of Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 2.19 depart from iniquity for sin is the cause of alienation and seperation from God even your sins your sins have made a seperation between you me saith the Lord Therefore bring no more vain oblations Isa 1.13 offer no more your hypocritical feigned cryes of confession of sin Prov. 28.13 but from the bottom of your hearts confess and forsake your sins and so shall you find mercy i Cor. 3. ii i Cor. 10.4 and come to the ground and true foundation Chrst Iesus the rock and corner stone and mind his light that doth discover and make your sins manifest in its first rise and conception Eph. 5 13 Isa 40 31 1 Iohn 3 8 and in that same light wait upon the Lord for power that it may be destroyed for for this end and purpose was the Son of God made manifest that he might destroy the works of the Devil and all sin is a work of the Devil and is conceived in the heart and doth defile the heart Iam 1 i4 i5 Mat. 15.18 i9 Iohn 15.3 4 5 6. Mat. 23.26 and seperates from God and breaks the peace with God if ever you come to witness redemption it must be wrought within you by Christ the light for as the work of the Devil is within so must also the work of Christ be within Iohn 15.3 to destroy the Devils work and so to purifie the heart and purge the conscience from dead works and so to make the body a habitation of holiness for God to dwell in Heb. 9.14 1 Cor. 3.16.17 Therefore in the â—â—ar of God I do exhort you all to return to the Lord mind the measure of true light which manifesteth sin reproves you for it Iohn 1.9 Eph. 5.13 Mat 3.10 Mat. 23.26 Isa 26 9. though never so closely committed and therein wait upon the Lord that the Axe may be laid to the root of the Tree that so according to Christ his exhortation you may first cleanse the inside and so know the Lord as a righteous Judge executing true judgement upon every evil thought evil motion or evil desire or vile affection that ariseth out of the evil heart for thus the Lord is known in truth and righteousness even by his working power in the inward man Mal. 3 2 3. Psalm 51.17 purifying the heart by his word of truth and so a true and living sacrifice is offered up unto the Lord even the sacrifice of a broken heart and of a contrite spirit which is Psalm 51.6 and was ever acceptable in the eyes of the Lord for it is truth in the invvard parts which the Lord loves and desires to draw nigh unto God with lips Isa 29.13.14 mouths but hearts afar off is that which the Lord loaths and that which he sent his true servants to testifie against Isa 54.13 Iohn 6.45 The Lord is come and coming to teach his people himself freely by his spirit and to fulfil his promises made of old Let him that hath an ear hear what the spirit saith unto the Churches Rev. 2. Build not upon the water for that is moveable neither upon the sand Mat. 7.24.25.26.27 for that will not stand in the storm but come out of the water and build upon the unmoveable rock that will abide and not be moved nor shaken with a storm Read in the Mystery and the Lord give all simple honest hearts an understanding for it is for their sakes that this was written for whom my soul-breaths and longs after Luke 15.17 Isa 55.1 2 Mat. 11 28.39 do hereby call invite all the hungry freely to come into my fathers house where they shal find ful satisfaction drink freely at the pure fountain of the fathers love which alone can satisfie the hungry thirsting souls Iohn 4.13.14 Read with understanding prove all things hold fast that which is good 1 Thes 5.21 To the witness of God in you all I speak and appeal which reproves you in secret for your secret iniquities and calls unto you for amendment of life Haste and amend your lives and return at the Lords reproof and no longer provoke him to anger least he cast you off for ever for the Lord hath said My Spirit shal not alwayes strive with man To day while it is called to day harden not your hearts VVritten in obedience to the spirit of the Lord in love to all your souls by a servant of the Lord and labourer in his Vineyard who is known to the world by the name of ALEXANDER PARKER THE END