Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	deed_n	flesh_n	mortify_v	5,880	5	10.8136	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65902	A manifestation of truth ... writ in answer to a book which a nameless author hath written against the people called Quakers : wherein is contained divers untruths and hard speeches tending to beget jealousies and evil thoughts of them who are known to be harmless and innocent ... : also the truth of those things which they believe and practice ... is declared / by John Whitehead.	Whitehead, John, 1630-1696.	1662 (1662)	Wing W1979; ESTC R26356	14,009	17

that they were of at Munster who followed John of Leydon and thought to build up Sion with blood and beat down its enemies with carnal weapons for though they might pretend to be led by the Spirit within them we know that that which led them into uproars war and bloodshed was not the Spirit of Christ which leads us for it teaches us to love our enemies and to save mens lives and not to destroy And for the corrupt principles and practises of those called Ranters we have given testimony against them which all that have heard and duly weighed in that Spirit that tries all things can witness that we are as far from them as light from darkness but whereunto shall I liken the men of this generation for when the Spirit of Christ doth so work in the hearts of any that they cannot run with the world into rioting and excess then presently they will call it Belzebub Mat. 10.25 or the Devil transformed into an Angel of Light as the Pharisees did unto Christ in the dayes of his flesh and if they called the Master of the house Belzebub no wonder if it be more done to them of his houshold But as for self-mortification voluntary humility and will worship whereof we are accused we know it avails not but those which do by the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the flesh shall finde comfort in so doing and an humble heart Isa 57.15 with a broken and contrite Spirit which doth fear God and tremble at his Word however that be reproached as one of the Devils tricks yet such a one God delights to teach and dwell in Ch. 66.2 and we with whom his Tabernacle is do not worship in our wills but in Spirit and Truth neither do we say that it is a perfect demonstration of humility to cast away band-strings lace and ribbonds though we believe it a duty incumbent upon us to abstain from wearing things superfluous and unserviceable and also from all excess in meats and drinks though we know the Kingdom of God stands not therein yet we desire to be found temperate and in modest apparel 1 Tim. 2.9 according to the good example of the ancient Christians And further I do observe how the Author of that writing with which I now deal hath often misrepresented our doctrines and practise as further may appear by a serious view of his and what follows thereby I perceive he doth not rightly understand us and I am perswaded did never regularly try our Spirits either by a sober hearing of our doctrines declared by our own mouths and pens or by his own view of our practises but hath heard and believed what evil and prejudiced men have maliciously printed and said against us on purpose to slander and render us odious Therefore in answer to what is said against us I shall labour rather for the stopping of slanders and to prevent misconstructions to inform the Reader of the Truth of those doctrines which we do believe and practice then particularly to traduce the Author with whom I have to deal though in many things more I might shew wherein he hath wronged us and given unsound constructions both of Scripture and our doctrines and practices Concerning the Scriptures and concerning the Word Spirit and Light within Concerning the Scripture I say we do not slight them nor cast them off as a dead Letter Paper and Ink but own them which Moses and the Prophets Evangelists and Apostles did write or speak forth as they were moved by the Spirit of God so far as they are free from false transcription and corrupt translation to be the very words and true sayings of God and therefore not to be slighted but read believed and practised by every true Christian but they that are unlearned of Christ 2 Pet. 3.10 whose hearts are not stablished by the grace of God do pervert or wrest the Scriptures out of their right place to their own destruction not rightly distinguishing betwixt the Law and Gospel times nor betwixt that which was abolished for the unprofitableness thereof and that which God hath established for ever and therefore we do direct all to that Word of God which was in the beginning before the Scriptures were written Read Joh. the first of which the Scriptures testifie that it is Life and is the Light of men that shines in darkness even in mens dark hearts shewing the grosness and corruption of their hearts I say this Word which was and is God the Saviour of all them that believe who searcheth all hearts and incomprehensibly dwels in his Kingdom that is in man and doth reprove man for his unbelief and evil deeds we do direct all to wait to knovv this ingrafted Word and hearken to it Luke 17.20 21. that they may not be unlearned but all taught of the Lord that Spirit vvhich holy men of God knevv and did believe in Jam. 1.21 and vvas moved or led by before the Scriptures vvere vvritten that so by this Interpreter one of a thousand people may have the Scriptures opened and feel the povver of God and have faith in the povver and live in the life that the Primitive Christians lived in Act. 26.17 18. and thus to direct people to the Word Spirit or Light of God vvithin is none of the Devils vvork as he saith but the vvork of Christs ancient Ministers neither doth it make void the Scriptures 1 Joh. 1 2 3. but establisheth them in their right place as a true Declaration and the Lord Jesus Christ vvho is that quickning Spirit vvhich doth enlighten every man that cometh into the vvorld in his right place as the foundation which unto all generations standeth sure Joh. 1.9 1 Cor. 3.9 2 Tim. 2.19 neither can our directing people to this foundation Christ the Light vvhich enlightens their consciences have such bad effects as to lay them open to all base lusts error and delusion for all those things are condemned vvith the Light and they that believe and do such things go from and against the Light in their ovvn consciences Concerning the tryal of Spirits I say the Apostle gave forth no such command as that we should try the Spirit of God by the Scriptures for it is most absurd to try the superior by the inferior and no man can rightly understand the Scripture nor discern Spirits whether they be of God or no but by the Light of the Spirit of God within 1 Cor. 2.14 Therefore are they worthily reproved who presume by strength of reason sharpness of wit and humane learning both to judge of the Scripture and of the Spirit of God and its movings in men Jer. 31.33 as the Scribes Pharisees and chief Priests did who in their pride and self-wit sate as Judges of the Law in the letter Isa 8.20 Heb. 10.16 and thereby condemned Christ the Prince of Life and also his blessed Martyr Stephen as blasphemers that were not