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	soul_n	understand_v	5,748	5	6.7898	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A67003	A short letter modestly intreating a friends judgement upon Mr. Edwards, his booke he calleth an Anti-apologie, with a large but modest answer thereunto framed, in desire, with such evennesse of hand, and uprightnesse of heart, as that no godly man might be effended at it : and with soule-desire also, that they, who are contrary-minded, might not be offended neither, but instructed.	Woodward, Ezekias, 1590-1675.; Hartlib, Samuel, d. 1662.	1644 (1644)	Wing W3502; ESTC R18279	37,876	40

A SHORT LETTER Modestly intreating a Friends judgement upon Mr Edwards his Booke he calleth an Anti-Apologie With a large but modest Answer thereunto Framed in desire with such evennesse of hand and uprightnesse of heart as that no godly man might be offended at it And with soule-desire also That they who are contrary-minded might not be offended neither but instructed Optimè locutus esset si non in fratres pessimè The man had spoken very well if not against his Brethren very ill Mel. Ep. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Chrysost. There is something unholy in His holy ones His Angels he has charged with folly c. Job 4. 18. 1 COR. 4. 5. 1 COR. 11. 31. Judge nothing before the time except your selves that ye may not be judged 1 THES. 5. 21. Prove all things hold fast that which is good LONDON Printed according to Order 1644. Worthy Sir IHave heard of Mr Edwards Anti-Apologeticall Book as I must needs doe for all the City and Parliament rings of it The most of them cry it up and some few cry it downe Truly Sir I could cry too but neither up nor downe For my heart is big with weeping and I could wish my head a fountaine of teares to bewaile the sad effects which are likely to follow upon these differences of Religion which are fallen out amongst Brethren But that I may know also your affections let me intreate you to cast your eyes not carelesly over a few leaves but the whole Booke that we may be instruments by the grace of God of healing those breaches Sir your freedome of judgement hath not deceived me this 16. yeares in other matters of highest concernement nor is it like to doe now since so many gray haires have covered the seate of it Thus beseeching the God of Truth and Peace to assist both your judgement and affections I take my leave remaining alwayes Sir Your many wayes obliged and most affectionate friend to serve you SAM. HARTLIP From my house in Dukesplace in great haste Aug 5. A short Letter modestly intreating a Friends judgement upon Mr Edwards his Booke he calleth an Anti-Apologie With a large but modest answer thereunto I Must begin complaining Alas Sir how doe you disparage your own judgement when you doe hearken after mine But it is a friendly error I must pardon it and more I will grant your earnest request also How can he choose but yeeld to you what can be yeelded who are all for Truth and Peace pursuing it with all your might Now Blessings be upon your head and the head of yours who have laid-out your selfe and all for God He will returne for man will not nay indeed power is wanting though will more he cannot all your labour of love worke of faith patience of hope seven-fold into your bosome Amen But Sir me thinks you and I are Instruments now meerely passive you in the motion to this undertaking I in the undertaking wrought upon both by a power and counsell higher and better then our owne I conceive it so in you by what I heard you say you had concluded upon between your soule and God I conceive the same of my selfe because I never thought of this nay my mind was wholly averse from scribling till I thought of your Letter and then I could thinke of nothing else and was restlesse till I had answered you Surely Sir there was an hand here more then humane a stronger motion on our spirits than selfe can make A bond which is more binding and engaging then the bonds of men are Gods Cause with his Legacy to the world Truth and Peace And now all is engaged body soul spirit judgement also that is little or nothing indeed But He can use it and direct it Who useth the smallest things to great purpose I le waight upon the Lord as He shall communicate unto me I shall give-back unto you even from His own hand For I thinke it is the desire of my soule willingly to offer my selfe with all the powers of soule and body first unto the LORD Indeed I would not have my selfe or them at my owne dispose for all the world and then my judgement unto you But first I shall say something by way of preface Doe not be jealous of your friend now that he will give any the least libert to his pen to asperse persons or their opinions touching the way of Government now in agitation and dispute Or that any word shall reflect upon the Scots whom I honour no people in the world more with my soule And am perswaded they ought so to be honoured for they are come-forth carrying their lives in their hands willing to lay their lives downe for their friends A greater love than this has ●o man Surely here is a love more then humane for it is as strong as death the Lord returne it to their bosome in Spirituals for Temporals are too meane a returne for such Adventurers It is also as far from my thoughts as it is out of my power to asperse their way of Church Governement I think honourably of that also as be-commeth Nor shall you make judgement by what followeth that I am for the Independency as I foole have called it nor for the Presbiterie neither and Governement that way I professe unto you These words are so tossed to and fro by such simple ones as my selfe that I cannot tell what to make of them or which way to take And yet can see the way cleered before me the Church way past all question for there the Scripture is cleere when yet where it speaketh out cleerly at the first sight for Presbyterie me thinks at the second view and that should be as our second thoughts are the wiser it speaketh all for Independency So that I have not understanding enough the Lord be a light and help unto it to tell my selfe for what way I am unlesse for both as they may both lead each to other and meete in one I am perswaded in my heart that so it will be they will accord meete and kisse each other Not that I can thinke the difference to be small about which there is so great difference nor the way of governement easily discernable sith so many quick-sighted men are prying thereinto yet cannot find it out But this is the ground of my perswasion because the seekers after this way doe I hope seeke Him That makes a path in a wildernesse and are fully resolved to continue seeking and in their disquisition here to keepe themselves close-up to the clue of the sacred Scriptures and to shut-out passion which a Noble Schollar of large understanding the Lord fill it with himselfe calls nothing for so much as there is of passion in the Dispute so much there is of nothing to the purpose The very best Ministers in the world are jealous over themselves in this matter and as watchfull They are zealously affected towards Church Governement in a Church

Now Sir I have done with the Resolves and will not question how I have resolved you but resolved I am not to withdraw my hand here Let it be my fault hardly perswaded to put my pen to paper as hardly drawne to take it off But let it be my excuse to That I am very desirous upon your intimation to give Resolution to those that desire it touching these grave Questions Q. 1. What a Church-way is Or What it is to walk in a Church-fellowship Q. 2. Who they are that may in the judgement of Charitie be thought walkers in that way Q. 3. Who they are whom we may judge and without breach of Charitie to be cleane out of the way Q. 4. Their Qualifications what they must be to whom the Lord will shew the beautie of His way When this is done I shall tell you a short Parable make a short use of it for the keeling of our spirits and uniting of our hands in mutuall fellowship and our hearts unto God and then I have done indeed To the first for I hasten What is a Church-way or to walk in a Church-fellowship that is the question to be resolved and not whether Independency or Presbyterie be the way of Church-Government nor what the Ministers must be or how to be ordained Ah Lord I might run my self into a maze here quickly nor what Elders and Deacons nor how they must be qualified None of all this this is the bare question Q. 1. What is a Church way or what is it to walk in a Church-fellowship A. I humbly conceive it is this To stand charged to watch-over each other in their way To give an account of their way To beare each others burthen To supply each others wants To partake of each others graces To doe all things as becommeth a Communion of Saints alwayes doing or receiving good This is the Resolution in short to the first Quaery The Q. 2. Whom may we conceive to be walkers in this way A. I humbly conceive Those who have most diligently asked after this way most frequently and fervently prayed Lead us Lord and hold us in this way And if Leaders unto others then they prayed in prayer for grace to lead unto Christ and to command for Him Who is given a Leader and Commander to His people Grace to labour in his Word and Doctrine accounting those spirits best spent which are spent in that service Wisdome to understand this soul-craft how to win soules and to lay out and stake themselves all they have and are to those inestimable commodities They who could never comply with crosse men in as crosse a way no never rather let Libertie go sweet Countrey farewell and friends adieu now we must shake hands for we cannot reach them forth in fellowship with abominable men and to their services They who kept their garments and their Lords Word even where Satan had his throne These are walkers in the way People also who are not pretenders to it but burning and shining lights in it examples before others so to win those that are without unto it These are walkers in the way whether Independents or Presbyterians we doe not regard names these are walkers and with a right foot And here I cannot exclude any by including these five I might say fifteen the more persecuted with the tongue the more precise walkers in the way so I have resolved the second Question The Q. 3. Who they are whom we may judge without breach of Charitie to be quite out of the way A. It is not my conceit it is my knowledge 1. They are out of the way who are not in it within their owne house I meane quite out They that cannot guide their owne house cannot guide the Church 〈◊〉 a Church way that is a resolved Case * 2. And they who are opposites to this way out of the way sure all these for they are enemies to the way 3. And they who complying with crosse-men to Gods way did those services served those idols read those bookes published those decrees did this though the greatest abomination neglected that though the great charge of soules gave forth their hands to that the establishing of evill And to that the throwing-out of good All these things one whereof had been enough but all together hath now kindled the fury and anger of the Lord in our Cities and streets and they are wasted and desolate as at this day These mischiefes these have done to their Countrey and land of habitation by their compliance with abominable men in all these or some of these things before mentioned And have these men been humbled for all this This must be more enquired into what Ministers have done who are Commanders and Leaders unto others have they been humbled for all this If they have not not taken shame to themselves for all this Then the word of the Lord speakes to them cuttingly sharply That the Patterne of His House shall not be shewne unto them for so saith the Lord Let the Wise and the Disputers and the Scribe hearken to the good Word of the Lord upon the Resolution of the fourth question which is Q. 4. What their Qualification what manner of persons they must be To whom the Lord will shew His way or Pattern of His House A. I humbly conceive and that it is undeniable That they must be men that feare God above many There are many secrets in this way of Church-Government and some Mazes there This for one which we call Ordination A man can never find his way out of it by the ●lew of his own reason Other Mazes there are and secrets Aenigma●s and hard Questions Mysteries also but this is the comfort God will lead by the hand open his secrets * unto all them that feare Him and from the heart obey 〈◊〉 as before pointed at for He gives His Spirit to all such 2. They must be humble men such as lye low as the valleyes men ashamed as Ezra and Nehemiah were astonished when they confessed over their owne sinnes and sinnes of their Fathers To say all over againe They must be ashamed of all that they have done especially in Gods House and about His service there If they have gone beyond Melancthon his rule bearing with those things which could not be borne without impietie they must be ashamed of all that if they have complyed with the Bishops and their services first and second They must be ashamed of all that if they have answered their unlawfull commands for the establishing of evill and throwing down of Good for the strengthening the hand of the violent men and weakning of the Godly yea the murthering of a Righteous people if so they must be ashamed for all this if they have ducked and cringed when time was so serving the time they must take shame for all this and all that they have done against the Lawes and Ordinances of the House of their God

fitted to every mans taste and yet some did strangely dis●●lish it A. Who can relish this I pray you They call themselves exiles B. Call themselves so They were so indeed and in truth Reader I cannot say a little to this and indeed it is not so fully to my scope yet this I 'le say As sure as by the patience of a good God I breath in His aire so sure I could cleare this even to M. Edw. himselfe that these his brethren justly call themselves exiles A. Voluntary and willing if not wilfull exiles he sayes B. He saith what he pleaseth and so he hath a contradiction in terminis No man that may live in his Countrey and enjoy quietly all the sweets there with Gospell liberties take that with you will leave his Countrey willingly sure No these brethren were forced-out their persons forced their consciences forced c. but I 'le say no more A. They make an Apol. for themselves and therin a motion to the High Court and is that well relished thinke you B. Yes truly I thinke very well relished That they should take liberty to make a motion and speake for themselves It is no more than what is permitted to Church-robbers Traytors yea and Sorcerers too All these sayes one are permitted to make a motion and speake for themselves Are they so Then give the same liberty to the faithfull servants of the Lord to make a motion that they may be permitted to serve their God after the way which I and you simple ones may call heresie But they are perswaded that in that very way they worship the God of their fathers beleeving all things which were written in the Law and in the Prophets A. If it be so reasonable a motion why is it not granted B. I professe unto you I cannot tell but I can tell that you and I must shew more manners than to aske more questions touching this matter It is a reasonable motion so we are concluded It is committed to the highest Judicature in the Kingdome there we leave it and so an end A. Not yet you must remember there is one reason more out of their politicks why they will forbeare to make answer Because it will but widen the difference and lay-open their Church-way to more open scandall B. I humbly conceive none of all this can be but the contrary It will close-up and heale the difference And cleare their way to all unprejudiced beholders or give them cleare knowledge that those brethren are a little out of the way And this answers their supposed politicks why in policie they will not make reply A. 2. It is resolved by some They cannot make reply through weakenesse B. But I can never beleeve that I hold it as feosible a thing as any thing that has been done this many yeares and a work also of quick dispatch for I suppose 1. That all personall things shall be cast away Wherein they have failed in point of practise they will thanke him for telling them all that and be carefull with all their care to correct it Moreover they have a good God to goe unto the Father of mercies And for the people of God the Church she is the mother of mercies I remember Luthers words here in the very like ease I have much ignorance in me about matters of God and have carried things negligently sometime but my ignorance the Church will beare with and my saults she will pardon for she is the Queene of mercy and nothing else but c. These personall matters therefore touching these brethren shall not blot paper these shall be transacted in the closset betwixt God and their soules 2. What things may be unjustly urged against them which sure are very many they can heare with silence and beare with patience so be the glory of God and honour of their profession be not concerned therein As surely all this is concerned when things which the Apo● knew not are taken-up upon trust and urged against them and yet they should make no reply whereby to reprove him to his face 3. And for their reproaches as Melanct. said in the very same case Their Lord Christ will give them strength to beare for him * Who bore away the curse from them they can suffer for Christ and goe away rejoycing More than all this can I beare for Christ said he smitten with the tongue in the same manner None of all this neither shall blot paper no It is spread as the Kings Letter before the LORD He will answer it by Himselfe 4. Touching M. Edw. his walkings in and out his scatterings here and there not a word of that let him and his friends lay open their own nakednesse they will not And so now the Answer is in every ma●s judgement cut short by twenty sheets Now for the worke and body of the Answer I can say nothing to that only I am perswaded in my heart that the Spirit of the Lord is with them the secret of the Lord is revealed unto them because they ask it as the most comprehensive blessing * They obey from the heart and so they feare Him and doe His will surely they shall know of the doctrine a for they can professe that they hated mans inventions all along in his will-worship and that they never leant to their own wisedome they abominated that in their search and enquiry after Truth they followed the most unerring patterne and when any sparke of light was communicated to them they desired no more but to see the clearenesse of Heaven come along with it and then they followed on to seeke the Lord And knowing the terrour of the Lord they would perswade with us simple ones in this That we would feare to kindle a fire of our own to compasse our selves with sparkes for this is the judgement of the Lord in that matter walke in the light of that fire and sparkes which ye have kindled This shall ye have of My hand ye shall lie downe in sorrow Thus Sir I have for the satisfaction of the simple Reader it is great reason he should be satisfied removed the politick reasons which were resolved upon would with-hold a Reply to the Anti-Apol and cleared in passage how able work-men we have for the work how easie the work is and how quickly framed and raised upon the Advantage ground of Truth Whether these servants of the Lord will apply themselves or their Answer to M. Ed. that I cannot tell I think not They cannot sure thinke him worthy of an Answer who has done so unworthily But the people and Church of God they are worthy And now what will this man doe with his Rejoynder and Letters Rejoyne 〈◊〉 what will be Rejoyne to this Thou shalt not raise a false report h Or to this Consider of it take advice and speake i Doubtlesse the man will put his Rejoynder and Letters both to some private shame or open pennance