Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	call_v	lord_n	speak_v	5,783	5	4.6215	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A48938	A salutation to the church of God the spouse of Christ coming out of the wilderness leaning upon her beloved And more particularly to the young and tender members of her body. By one who travels in spirit for the preservation of peace and love, and unity among the children of God, William Loddington.	Loddington, William, 1626?-1711.	1682 (1682)	Wing L2806; ESTC R216896	9,178	27

against Popery then I began to doubt some wrong thing was at work in me also and that I was not well informed And then I began more narrowly to mind and observe the Spirits on both sides and in the Light and Measure of Gods Wisdom given to me to search to the Root of the Matter laying aside personal charges and discharges and was satisfied So the Lord will by degrees enlighten and satisfie all whose hearts in Simplicity are singly bent to honour him and will keep them from wandering either to the right hand or the left The left hand Tryalls viz. Persecutions of open Enemies to bring you back to weak disanull'd Forms and Elements I do not much fear The right hand Snares take most These are laid by such as pretend to be in the right way for God for Christ for Scripture yea for the Doctrin of our Day The Light within And here the Enemy of your Peace and Vnity has crept in under a specious pretence against Forms Orders and Impositions to divide and lay wast by opposing good Order and Government But dear Friends know there was never any gathering of People though into the Power of Godliness but they had also a form or Order though many have had the form without the Power It 's true the form to the Power may be valued but as the shell to the Kernell Yet we know the shell is servicable in its place and therefore not to be neglected or spoiled The leaves of the tree of life have a service though not so much as the fruit Stand fast therefore in the living Power and form of Godliness which you are already convinced of And if any thing as yet be hid from you the Lord in due time will reveal it if you keep Faithful quiet meek and tender under your own Do nothing in bare Imitation I know it will hardly stand a Tryal for a little profit much less a Fiery Tryal Wait to feel a real service for God in what you do There is no insignificant needless things in the house of God though some things may seem to be so at the first Veiw to many as they did to me Hence arises the great cry against Innovations that is making new orders forms and changes But though the design in this Cry is to reproach Truth Yet Wisdom ever was and will be justified of her Children They know that the Spirit of the Lord may now as well as formerly make Circumstances of Order and Government suitable to the present Occasions and Services of Truth And Submision to these things cannot properly be called Submisions to men there lies the Common mistake but to the Spirit of the Lord in them And this is Christs Spiritual Government or Government by his Spirit over the Spirits of his People Here is no ruling by outward force and violence but by an inward power and Authority which the Lord gives to some according to his own Will as it is written some to be Apostles some Prophets some Teachers some helps and Governments Helpers in Governing and all for edifying the Body of Christ Eph. 4.12 1 Cor. 12. Were this Government well understood all would be contented in their Places the Lord hath set them in all whisperings and evil surmisings would cease There would be an universal bearing one anothers Burdens and so fulfilling the Law of Christ Little Children it arises in me to remind you of what is written 1 John 2.19 That such as go from us are not off us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us I can never believe such have a right Spirit renewed within them that prefer not Jerusalem above their chief Joy Psal 137.6 If they had had but any true sence of the publique Scandals of open Enemies of the private mournings and heart-breaking Sorrows of their dear tender Friends of the stumbling Block in the way of Friends sober inquiring People all which certainly follows and fallsheavv upon Seperation they durst never have acted and Printed what I have read Away with all Pretenders to Truth that are not tender of its Honor. But what is the Substance if any of you should inquire of all these Ont-cries and Complaints In short men are exalted and women are exalted In true Love I desire every such Complainers to search narrowly into himself to see if there be nothing in him that thinks it self not high enough esteemed and therefore pecks at others Surely no Professor of our blessed self denying Principle dare like Herostrotus fire a Temple to get a Name Yet formerly I as little thought such as threw down Lordly power would have made themselves Lords as some now will be men of War who in derision call others G. F's men of War But how are men and women exalted By meeting apart By having General Meetings to look to the well ordering of things among particular Meetings What hurt can be in all this As to the first consider which Women are most exalted and as it were eclipse the Head-ship of the man Whether those that desire to sit and are taken in to sit in equal power and freedom to speak and act Pro and Con among the men in all Businesses Or those Women who meet by themselves ordering all matters among themselves suitable and proper for them according to the Wisdom of God given to them and all in Submision to and with the consent and unity of the mens Meetings Methinks this very Consideration is enough to satisfie any rational impartial Man And as to the General Meeting What Evil has it done Nay have not Friends generally had great both Spiritual and Temporal Advantages thereby Pure Reason and Scripture teach that the more Counsel the greater safety even as the more Lights gathered together make the greater Light I know no visible thing not liable to corruption but methinks they that disliked this order at first should and would if they had been of a right Spirit have kept their place and proposed another more servicable to Truth and less liable to be tainted and then no doubt others would have felt unity with them But it plainly argues a Contentious Spirit to find fault with what it cannot mend I know the matters pretended to be in Controversy relating to Order are but as mint and Cummin if compared to the great and weighty Concerns of Truth which ought especially to be done yet the other not to be left undone In Math. 23.23 Judgment Mercy and Faith are recorded for the weighty things of the law Now put these to tryal How can he say he is for Judgment that dispises the Judgment of his Brethren assembled in the Power and Wisdom of God to give it How is he for mercy that for a thing indifferent according to his own Opinion will Sacrifice Truth it self and expose all its Friends to the rage of an Ignorant violent Enemy What Faith is that which would live in a latitude to temporize with all

the sincerity of my Life in this Salutation Despise not my Spiritual youth its fresh with unfeigned love praises to the Lord and I trust will ever be so for a Spiritual Unity without which Truth will not grow My earthly Tabernacle declines apace and hastens to its center but my love to Gods heavenly Building blessed be his Name by his power is enlarged and my Spirit rejoyceth in feeling a Remnant zealous for it and unanimous in promoting it through all oppositions I have seen the fruit of Discord among other Gatherings and what hurt the Spirit of Diotrephes has done among them keep upon your watch little flock hold up your hearts and stand in the unity of the heavenly life and Amaleck can never prevail No Weapon formed against you shall prosper And every thing that would be exalted over you shall fall But you that are willing and obedient even you who in Gods holy Order are equally willing to obey or to rule to rule or to obey as he pleaseth to dispose of you shall eat the good things of his heavenly Land So with this I shall conclude desiring you dear young Friends to beware of running too fast it s a great and common temptation in youth A strong Confidence may spring from the heat of your affection and may press you on to many things yea even to publique Testimony beyond your true Meafure of Life I have known and felt this to be true and have deeply suffered for it Peter himself Fell under such a like Confidence and was convinced that it was a wrong zeal which made him say Though all should be offended yet would not he Math 26.33 But he would say so no more when Christ tried him with a question directly to that purpose John 21.15 But I can tell you by experience how you may know when any motion is beyond your Measure You will certainly feel as when your bodyes are strain'd beyond their natural strength a weakness and flatness or as it were a damp fear or fainting will fall upon your Spirits afterwards especially if by any Friend opposed But the true Birth and life brings with it an inward Evidence of peace and acceptance with the Lord and feeling the inward Recompence of reward not expecting any thing from Man is bold in speaking or acting what it certainly knows to be just and true and having so done is bold and valiant under all opposition against it So the God of love keep you all faithful to your Measure and diligent in your place all performing your Duties to each other in true humility and tenderness according to Scripture So shall the Mountain of the Lords house be established over of all Mountains all Gatherings and all Nations shall flow unto it Isay 2.2 To thy Name blessed powerful God of Glory who hast redeemed us from the Iron furnace from the Law of sin and Death who art now purifying and gathering to thy self a peculiar People to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus be all the pure thanksgivings and holy praises returned for all thy mercies and savours for Evermore One thing more arises let not this come into the hands of such whom you feel sinning wilfully after they have received the knowledge of Truth who like Sanballet and Tobias not only scoff at Gods Building but also do their utmost to hinder it These will turn again and rent both this and you But of some in tenderness scrupling have compassion making a difference And if this should happen to come to the Eyes of any of my old Friends and Brethren under former Dispensations for whom I can truly and heartily say I have as much yea rather more love then ever who perhaps may look somewhat discontentedly upon it as a fruit of Apostacy from what we formerly believed were Gods Ordinances and Appointments let me desire them to consider how they will answer an Episcopal man if he charge them with Apostacy from their Church which they verily believe is established upon as plain Scripture proof as they believe theirs is And let them further consider whether they themselves are of the same Judgment in all things as they were trained up in I have often feared That the very thoughts of being upbraided with Wavering Changing Instability or the like is a strong Snare to hold many in Bondage under weak and unprofitable forms and Elements I wish it have no influence upon Some now standing in opposition to better Things I grant that to be tossed too and fro as many were in former quick National Turns from Popery to Protestancy and back again to Popery is shamefully childish But to press forward and come to clearer manifestations of Christ the Light as the Lord brings them forth by his Power in every age is every mans Duty And if therein he walk faithfully according to his Measure patiently bearing his cross he shall receive the Crown of eternal Life Finally Brethren whatsoever Things are True whatsoever things are Donest whatsoever things are Iust whatsoever things are Pure whatsoever things are Lovly whatsoever things are of Good Report if there be any Vertue if there be any Praise think on these things W. L. THE END