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
A82110	A Declaration of several of the Churches of Christ, and godly people in and about the citie of London; concerning the kingly interest of Christ, and the present suffrings of his cause and saints in England.		1654 (1654)	Wing D618; Thomason E809_15; ESTC R207568	12,283	28

Cause of Man as we now conceive Jer. 3.1 Mal. 2.11 be not a provocation of God in the highest degree and too full a testimony of the foulest hypocrisie and selfishness in them whose former Profession and Declarations obliged them to the contrary 3. Whether a persecuting and imprisoning some of of the choicest and holiest servants of Christ in the present light and work of this Generation whilst the Wicked are exalted on every side and such as were cast by taken up again Isa 49.24 25. Ier. 13.17 be of God or no 4. Whether the violence and force flattery or any other wayes which are used to compel any of us against our Consciences to prostrate to mens carnal interests and to sin against the light be according to their former pretended Principles or the Word of God 5. Whether their unjust and unchristian accusations of us in the face of the world are not full of loathsome and cruel lyes whiles they spread about That we are against Magistracie Ministery Propriety Ordinances and the like Whether it be so or no we appeal to him that judgeth righteously 6. Their vexing and rising up against the Spirit of God which they call an Impostor and the false devilish fanatick spirit of Black-Fryers or Alhallows-meeting speaking blasphemously against it and that frequently wherein we appeal to the Lord to judge Whether that Spirit that is among them leading to Pride Pomp Worldliness Carnallity Lying Persecution and Blaspheming or that Spirit which leads us day and night to the duty of Faith Assembling Praying Preaching Exhorting and Building up in the present Truth contested against by them and to Comforting Counselling and Quicking up one another every day to hold fast our profession without wavering to Self-denying and Morification that we may not minde the present World nor the vanities thereof Whether this Spirit our infirmities excepted or theirs which acts them be of God and which is the devilish wordly and deluding spirit Isa 63.10 2 Pet. 2.7 8. 7. Is not pomp pride and vanity in Court and elsewhere now up again in some respects more then ever so much contested and inveighed against for so many yeers together by themselves and others Whether by these amongst other things they have not opened the mouthes of the Enemies to blaspheme Christ and his Spirit to reproach his Cause and to harden their hearts And whether they have not given advantage to Charles Stuart or some others to invade us our lives our relations afresh by open Wars Inundation of blood and Mischief so as seems to make void and uneffectual many yeers Wars with vast treasure expence and blood 8. Whereas they say we are all for Wars and would have no Peace with the Nations round about we appeal to God therein whether we are not for the best safest and lasting godly Peace and were it God's will could wish no more blood might be shed Although we would not willingly see a peace worse then War made with the nations against the Word of God Safety and Liberties of the good people for which so many have bled both by Land and Sea and upon such terms too as makes more for the interest of some men then for the Publick or upon such Articles as might make us blush for shame at this time of the Day and after so many out-goings of God in the midst of us as have not so much as one Article for the Lord Jesus or his Saints that are in the present work of this generation concerning Christs Kingdom or Interest to subscribe unto Numb 33.52 53. to the end Exod. 23.32 33 and 34. chap. 12.13 Upon these and many other grounds we are induced and are resolved in the strength of Christ to keep up the Altar * Iosh 22.34 ED and continue our Appeal until the Lord doth answer in justice and yet in much mercy to his poor little remnant which we are perswaded will be speedily as Luke 18.7 8. And if men will yet needs blinde their eyes and harden their hearts we could wish it be not to their destruction yet we do bless our heavenly Father that hath opened our eyes and kept our feet from falling with them that we can so comfortably see the things that concern our best Peace according to the Law and the Testimony in the sure Word of Prophecie Blessed be JEHOVAH Amen Amen 3. But thirdly and lastly for that we finde much Misunderstanding among some and Misrepresentations among most of the Fifth Monarchy or Kingdom of Christ in the Nations which the holy Scriptures both in the Old and New Testament do clearly and plentifully declare with a positive period to the Worldly Heathenish Laws Ordinances and Constitutions of men as they are now executed in the Nations of the world And whereas it is also upon the hearts of many of the choice servants of God that in this present Age the Lord JEHOVAH is setting up the fifth Kingdom as Dan. 2.44 7.22 26 27. Zech. 21. which shall not be left to other people but shall break in pieces all the four kingdoms and remain for ever and ever and that at this time whenas the fourth Monarchy is partly broken in these Nations that Christ may be the onely Potentate the King of kings and of all Nations 1 Tim. 6.15 Micah 4.7 Zech. 9.9 10. Col. 1.16 Heb. 2.8 Rev. 11.15 17. Chap. 14 19. Chap. 15.16 Now finding this the present Truth so much opposed by the National Rulers and their Clergie yea and by some godly people and Church-members accounted Orthodox who cannot endure the day of Christs coming We therefore are resolved according to the presence and assistance of the Lord with us to entertain a serious Censideration and Debate for the benefit of all others touching the premises viz. of the Laws Subjects Extent Rise Time Place Offices and Officers of the fifth Monarchy or Kingdom whereby the World must be governed according to the Word of God without the mixture as now is of Mens Laws and Inventions whether in respect of Magistracy or Ministery Church or Civil affairs which Debate we intend to hold once a week in this City of London and we desire our beloved brethren which are one with us in the present Truth and sufferings whether in Churches or out whether in City or Country that are enlightned to take special notice of it for this end that they may enjoy the like fredom with us in those Meetings and Debates as often as they please to come And if the Lord give us the liberty we do purpose to proceed with the Debate of it from this day onward until we have taken up a full and clear Narrative thereof so far as shall appear to us out of the Scriptures fit to publish to the view of all men that our Principles in that point of the fifth Monarchy may be fully known with desire to know what any of our Adversaries now against us shall have to say to us or to our

opinion to themselves and upon that account charge others that are not one with them in their Carnal and Antichristian Interest with Errours and Rashness But as the Declaration of the Army to Scotland p. 15 saith This hath been found in all ages of high advantage to them that assumed it that it were strange if those Civil Tryers should not have used it to smite them withal whom they would render odious and destroy And is not This against their own Declar. to Scotland p. 16. where they say That that Church-Government which is of God Gods own means viZ. his Word must establish without a busie medling with or engaging of the authorities of the world And the Lo. General CROMWEL in his Letter to the Kirk-assembly from Dunbar p. 11. saith It is worth considering how those Ministers take into their hands the instruments of a foolish shepherd that meddle with worldly policies or earthly powers to set up that which they call The Kingdom of Christ which indeed is neither it nor if it were would such means be found effectual for that end and neglect and not trust to the Word of God the Sword of the Spirit c. Is not this all true in the Tryers And is not this also against their own Remonstr Albans pag. 20. where they declare it the Parliaments part to protect religous men and take away all the corrupted Forms of outside-Religion and National Church-stare whether imposed without Law or rooted in Law in times of Popish ignorance or idolatry or of Gospels dimmer light and also to take away the dependence of the National Clergie in Civil Laws and Ecclesiastical affairs which they had upon the King or that interest of the Clergie in Civil Laws and Affairs which the craft of both in length of time had wrought for each other But that the King's part was to discountenance the Godly or any conscience obliging above or against humane or outward Constitutions to uphold and maintain the Civil dependence of the Clergie and their Church-matters under him Our bowels are so moved at these things that we cannot refrain from bewailing our condition after so vast a stream and treasure of the blood tears prayers lives and spoils of our dearest relations O did we ever think to see so many hopeful Instruments in the Army Churches and elsewhere to be so fully gorged with the flesh of Kings Captains and Nobles c. i. e. with their Lands Mannors Estates Parks and Palaces so as to sit at ease and comply with Antichrist the World Worldly Church and Clergie Oh! how hath the Cup of the Whore foxt and inchanted men viz. with the wine of the wrath of her fornication to commit sin with her daily which the sober blush to see and to paint her over afresh for New Lovers to lie down with to their utter ruine O the Mystery of Iniquity works apace This subtil spirit and soul of Antichristianism in a new body hath bewitched many of the Common sort and is wonderful cunning to deceive although by this universal falling away amongst us the Man of sin is blessed be Jehovah more discovered then ever who must be destroyed with the breath of Christ's mouth and the brightness of his coming Yet under a sad sense of so many fresh assaults which the Saints meet with daily by outward Violence and Ecclesiastical Tyranny and in a clear apprehension of that heavie Doom and Precipice hard by we verily believe upon all those Powers and Interests of men which keep warm the Seat of the bloody Beast for the Mother of harlots And after many Solemn Meetings and seekings of God for a special presence rolling our selves onely on his Arm having no carnal confidence blessed be our wise God now left us to look upon we are fully perswaded in our souls that he who hath hitherto most eminently appeared and plainly owned this blessed Cause which the Apostates of the times have cast aside and we yet cleave unto in England Ireland Scotland and else-where according to the faith and prayers of his poor despised people that he will yet appear and that more eminently and terribly too to save then ever and witness to the righteousness of his own Cause and the innocencie of his servants that suffer therein in great mercy and pity passing by the failings and infirmities of us his poor creatures Therefore though we are sure that God will vindicate his own Name to purpose ere long under so much reproach yet in the dread of that Name we appeal unto the LORD who will be a swift witness against us if we utter these things in hypocrisie or for base ends or for any carnal Personal Interest whatsoever if we are not in the sincerity and simplicity of our hearts so far as we have one grain of true grace in us for Christ alone and his poor rejected Cause and People that we may ease and exonerate our selves in the sense we have of our duty herein and be withdrawn to the eye of all from partaking in the crying sins and Apostacie of the Times with all faithfulness holy awe and humility we profess and declare 1. For this Cause and Kingly Interest of our Lord Jesus in England Ireland and Scotland or elswhere according to the several Declarations of the Army sealed to with the blood of thousands of the precious Saints the cry of whose blood is for Christ according to the Declaration of the Army to Scotland p. 36 37 38 39. who declare They were stirred up by the Lord to assist the Parliament against the King for this end To bring about the destruction of Antichrist and the deliverance of his true Church and people upon this simple account was it that they engaged in the Wars of the three Nations against all Opposers of this work of Jesus Christ having these things singly in their eye viz. the destruction of Antichrist and advancement of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and deliverance and reformation of his Church and the establishment of Christs Ordinances according to his Word and the just Civil Liberties of Englishmen And this they declare with the loss of many precious Saints p. 38. That they engaged against the late King and his Monarchy as one of the ten horns of the Beast guilty of the blood of the Saints which act they say they are confident God will own against all Kingdoms or Nations that will oppose them and that will not suffer Jesus Christ to be King So page 39. they declare they value the Churches (a) Then owning the Congregated Churches as appears by Letters written to Mr. Feak and Mr. Simpson and the Churches that walk in fellowship with them and others of Christ who are the lot of Gods inheritance a thousand times beyond their own lives and that it is their duty to persevere therein to the utmost hazard of their lives and that the Lord made them instruments to vex all in his sore displeasure that take counsel against Christ