Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	die_v	life_n	live_v	6,262	5	5.6877	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A54031	The consideration of a position concerning the Book of common-prayer as also of some particulars held forth for truths by one Edmund Elis, stiled a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ : with a warning of tender bowels to the rulers, teachers and people of this nation concerning their church and ministry : likewise a few words concerning the kingdom, laws and government of Christ in the heart and conscience, its inoffensiveness to all just laws and governments of the kingdoms of men / by Isaac Penington the younger.	Penington, Isaac, 1616-1679.; Elys, Edmund, ca. 1634-ca. 1707.	1660 (1660)	Wing P1161; ESTC R28789	24,645	40

them up against another time and offer them up to God in his own will this would be but Will-worship and abomination This I have known experimentally and have selt the Wrath of God for it That is Prayer which comes fresh from the Spirit and that is a true desire which the Spirit begets but the affections and sparks of mans kindling please not the Lord nor do they conduce to the Souls rest but will end in the Bed of sorrow Isa 50.11 Now as touching the Book of Common-Prayer or Prayers conceived without the immediate breathings of the Spirit I shall speak mine own experience faithfully which is this I have felt both these wayes draw out the wrong part and keep that alive in me which the true Prayer kills And he that utters a word beyond the sence which God begets in his spirit takes God's Name in vain and provokes him to jealousie against his own soul God is in Heaven thou art on Earth therefore let thy words be few The few words which the Spirit speaks or the few still soft gentle breathings which the Spirit begets are pleasing to God and profitable to the Soul but the many words which mans wisdom affects hurt the precious life and thicken the vail of death over the Soul keeping that part alive which separates from God which part must dye e're the Soul can live The true Prayer is by that which God begets in the vertue of his Spirit praying alwayes in the Spirit Ephes 6.18 Jude 20. in the time he chuses for the Spirit breatheth as well when he listeth as where he listeth and man cannot limit him when he shall breath or when he shall not breath but is to wait the seasons of his breathing and so to watch unto Prayer Now if the Prayer be in words for there is a praying without words then it must be in those words which he pleaseth to give from the sence which he kindleth and not in the words which mans wisdom teacheth or would chuse to use And indeed in the true Religion and in every exercise of it mans wisdom is kept out and nail'd to the Cross by which means the immortal life is raised and grows in the true Disciple He believes he hopes he waits he prayes he mourns he rejoyces he obeyes c. in the Cross to the mortal part not as mans wisdom teacheth or would teach or can teach any of these things for his Sacrifice is still an abomination even to the wise Egyptian part in himself O wise man abase thy self before the Lord in his Spirit that thou mayest read this and live but as the life teacheth as the Wisdom from above teacheth which breaketh down shutteth up confoundeth and destroyeth mans wisdom while he is teaching his Babe Thus have I answered in the simplicity of my heart to the nature of the thing so far as the Lord hath pleased to draw forth my spirit and in sinking down to that which thus opened my spirit my Answer may easily be read and assented to but to that which is in the disputing wisdom out of the feeling of the hidden life and vertue it may prove a Mystery Afterwards he also intreateth me to peruse seriously and to lay deeply to heart in the real fear and dread of the great God some particulars which he teacheth for Truths I perceive he is offended at the questioning of his Ministry and that the main intent of his proposing these is to justifie his Ministry which if they were true yet the preaching of them would not prove him or any man else to be a Minister of Jesus Christ for it is not preaching things that are true which makes a true Minister but the receiving of his Ministry from the Lord. The Gospel is the Lords which is to be preached and it is to be preached in his Power and the Ministers which preach it are to be endued with his Power and to be sent by him The Apostles themselves though they had received instructions concerning the Kingdom from Christs own lips both in his life-time and after his Resurrection Act. 1.3 and had received a Commission from him to teach all Nations Matth. 28.18 19. Yet this was not sufficient to make them able Ministers of the New Testament but before they went abroad to Preach they were to wait for the Power Act. 1.4 8. And when they had received it they were to minister in it that men might be converted to the Power and by the Power that the Faith of persons might not stand in the wisdom of their words which Paul might have abounded in as well as others but in the Power of God 1 Cor. 2.5 And this was it made Paul minister in fear and trembling lest the wrong part in him should minister lest the earthly understanding part should be holding forth the Truths of God out of the Life out of the Power and so he should Convert men to the Wis●●m of the words he spake and not to the Power v. 2 3. This was it he was sent for to turn men from darkness to light from the Power of Satan to God Acts 26.18 from the spirit of enmity and death to the Spirit of Love and Life and this he was careful of in his Ministry that men might not run away with his words and miss of the thing And this also was the way whereby he discovered true and false Ministers I will come and know saith he not the speech of them which are puffed up but the Power for the Kingdom of God is not in word but in Power 1 Cor. 4.19 20. Many men might catch their words and run away with them and Preach them but they could not Minister in the Power Now the Kingdome which the Gospel-Ministers are the Preachers of consists not in words but in Power God hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.6 The Ministry of the New Testament is a Ministry of the Spirit and it cannot be without the Spirit It is a reaching to men's Consciences in the demonstration of the Spirit and of Power 1 Cor. 2.4 and 2 Cor. 4.1 2. which being felt in the heart and turned to this converts them to God The Ministry of the Gospel doth not consist in a bare opening of the Letter or raising of Doctrines and Uses from the Letter which the wisdom of man may easily perform as the Ministry of the Law did but in bringing men to the feeling of the Spirit even of the Eternal Power of God which redeems in turning men from the darkness to the Light in setting their faces towards the Power The Gospel is the substance of what was shadowed out in the Law and he that Ministers it must Minister substance He must have the heavenly Treasure that 's the substance in his earthen vessel 2 Cor. 4.7 and he must give out of this Treasure into the vessel which God prepares and that he may do this he must

shall be the Church and Ministry or whether Gods holy Nation which he calleth and sanctifieth by his Spirit and the Ministers which he chuseth and sendeth to gather and build up his in the holy Faith and pure power of Life shall be the Church and Ministry Our eyes wait on the Lord to see this Controversie determined and our hope of help is in his Arm nor are we at all affrighted at the rising of any strength against us our hearts being given up to Gods Truth and to suffer for its Testimony according to Gods will meekly and patiently in his strength but we pitty this poor land yea in the depth of bowels we pitty the Rulers the Teachers and People therein O that they might be humbled and in fear of the great God surrender to him his due before he appear in his strength to force it from them Of the Kingdom Laws and Government of Christ in the Heart and Conscience its Inoffensiveness to all just Laws and Governments of the Kingdoms of men CHrists Kingdom Gods Kingdom the Kingdom of Heaven for they are all one and the same is that seed of Eternal Life which God hath hid in the hearts of the sons of men whereby he gathereth them back unto himself bringeth them under the Yoak of his Government ruleth over them and reigneth in them This Kingdom is likened to a grain of mustard seed for its smalness to a Pearl for its Riches Value and Worth to Leaven for its spreading nature and many other Parables did Christ make use of to discover it by as to a piece of Silver which the woman that lost it lighting the candle sweeping the house and searching it diligently at length found it even there where she had lost it Man fallen from God is become lost as to the Lord and as to his own happiness in the Lord being driven from his blessed presence and divine Image Life and Spirit into the earthly Spirit Image and Life which he chose Yet in this Earth in this Field of the World God hath hid somewhat even the everlasting Pearl which when man is awakened to seek and findeth in the living Breath in the Eternal Light of Life it is able to redeem him it is able to overspread he becoming subject to the Laws Leadings Teachings and Power of it and leaven him into the Likeness and Image of the pure Life and Spirit Or not men knew the Gift of God O that men knew the purchase of the blood of Christ O that men knew that Spiritual good thing which Christ who died for them hath given to Redeem them by that in that they might be united to Christ and so by him be Renewed and Restored to God For as the Father receiveth none but through the Son so the Son receiveth none but in that Gift which he bestoweth from the Father He owneth no Faith no Love no Hope no Repentance no Obedience but what springeth from that and standeth in that Now as man is Born of this is Leavened by this as he becomes a fool in his own earthly wisdom and excellency of the fallen Spirit and becomes a Babe a Child Simple Innocent c. so he enters into the Kingdome being ingrafted into the Root through the virtue of this which is given him from the Root and so grows up in this and this in him And here 's the new Nature the new Life the new Heart the new Spirit in which the Unity and Fellowship with God is again known and the Disunion with the World the Wisdom the Interests the Fashions the Customs the Fears the Hopes the Delights the Joys of this World and whatever else is of it For Christ as he is not of the World so he calleth men out of the World and they which follow him and become his Disciples go out of the World after him that is travel in Spirit and Conversation from what is of the Earth from what ever is not of the Father but of the World They are not of the World even as I am not of the World saith Christ concerning his Disciples John 17. therefore the world hateth them The Laws of this Kingdom are given forth in the Kingdom from the Covenant of life which is made there in Christ They are written in the heart in the mind as far as it is renewed There the fear is put there the eternal Wisdom is opened there is Sion known and the Jerusalem which is from above and the Laws of eternal life issue fresh from it and are revealed by the life in the heart which is turned towards the life There sin is reproved and everlasting Righteousness manifested in the Light which cannot deceive and as the heart is made subject under the yoke so sin is wrought out and Righteousness brought in and under the Cross or yoke of life the blood of the everlasting Covenant runs through the vessel to keep it pure sweet clean and fresh in the life This then is the Government of Christ to be subject to his Spirit which appears and opens his will in the gift of grace which comes from him to feel his living breath by which the heart is begotten to God out of the Region of darkness to know the movings the stirrings the leadings the steps of the Lamb who is the Captain of our Salvation and to follow him where ever he goes doing all things that he commands forbearing all things that he forbids without murmuring without disputing Who ever will be of the inward Israel the spiritual Israel which Christ redeems out of the spiritual Egypt and leads through the spiritual Wilderness into the Land of Rest must know his Leader must receive his Spirit and follow it faithfully If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his he is none of the spiritual Israel and if any man follow not the Spirit of Christ through all the travels in the Wilderness but either sits down by the way or lyes overcome by any kind of enemies and comes not to the end of his journey finishing the warfar and fight of Faith he falls short of the rest O that men were awakened to consider of things as indeed they are for Religion is not such an outward Form of Doctrine or Worship of any sort as men generally whose poor Souls are deceived through the subtilty of the powers of darkness are too apt and willing to apprehend but it consists in Spirit in Power in Vertue in Life not in the oldness of any Form which passeth away but in the newness of the Spirit which abideth for ever in being born of the Spirit in abiding in the Spirit in living walking and worshipping in the Spirit yea in becoming and growing into Spirit and into eternal Life for that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit O that the sons of men would hearken that they might tast of the sweetness and riches of the goodness which the Father in his free love hath opened in the

spirits of many and hath let the spirits of many into O that men would suffer the wearing out of this earthly spirit and wisdom that they might become like God be formed into and live in his Image How long shall the Destroyer in every age prejudice men against them in that age which seek their good with their hearts How long will the world stand in enmity against the generation of God's choice and provoke the Lord to wrath against them Surely the spirit of this world will try it out to the very last against the Spirit of God for indeed the spirit of this world is not subject to the Spirit of God nor indeed can be and so cannot endure the Government of his Kingdom which is not of this world to be set up in the sight of it Yet the Government of Christ and his Kingdom is not opposite to any just Government of a Nation or People Christ's Government is a Righteous Government of the heart or inner man chiefly which doth not oppose a Righteous Government of the outward man Nay those who are Christ's subjects and singly obedient to his Law of Righteousness in their spirits are more faithful to men and more subject to any just Law of Government than others can be for their fidelity and subjection is out of love and for Conscience sake But this is it which offends the world men many times make Laws in their own will and according to their own wisdom now the wisdom of the world is corrupt and hath erred from the guideance of God and are not free from self-ends and interests not being gathered into that which cleanseth and keepeth pure the naturals Now that which is of God cannot bow to any thing which is corrupt in man it can lye down and suffer and bear the plowing of long and deep surrows upon its back but it cannot act that which is against its life It cannot be disloyal to its King to gratifie the spirit of this world but what Practice or Testimony its King calls for against the evil and corruption of this world it must obey singly and faithfully God in every age so bringeth forth and ordereth his innocent Lambs and People as that they are still offensive to the present age The Lord fitteth them and calleth them forth to be Witnesses against the evils of the present age How can they but offend it Can darkness chuse but hate the light which speaks against it How can darkness in Power and Dominion bear to be reproved by a mean contemptible appearance of the Light in mean and contemptible vessels For God chuseth the weak and foolish things of this world and things that are not to bring to nought things that are Look into former ages How did God reprove the Kings and Princes of Israel Not by the eminent Priests and Prophets whom they expected to be taught by but by Herdsmen by Plowmen by Prophets which they despised How did he overcome the Heathenish world yea and the Jewish corrupted state Was it by wise learned men by the learned Scribes and Pharisees among the Jews or by the wise Grecians among the Heathen or by Fishermen and Publicans And how shall the recovery out of the Apostacy and the reproof of the Antichristian world be Shall it be by wise Synods and Councils of learned and Orthodox men among them as they speak Or shall it be by the learning of the spirit in such as these contemn When God hath the rich Treasure of the Knowledge of his Kingdom to manifest in the world he chuses earthen vessels weak vessels poor contemptible persons he appears there where the eye of man least look for him that the excellency of the Power might appear to be of him wholly and that the vessel might rob him of none of the glory of it Now the Lord hath not only chosen in this day of his great appearance in Spirit to the spirits of his People mean instruments but mean things also foolish things weak things the keeping on of an Hat the use of ordinary Language the appearing in mean habits and despised gestures yea and in a foolish way of Preaching indeed it is so to that which hath not the savour of the Vertue and Power of the life in it And how can the wisdom of man but stumble at it Who would think that God should require such things or appear in such thirds O living eternal Power how is thy migthy Presence and Appearance vailed from all that look for it in any way of mans observation or judge it with the eye of mans wisdom Verily thou art a God that hast hid thy self from the earthly spirit in its utmost wisdom yea in its utmost search after the knowledge of and in the midst of the highest porfession of Religion Which of the Wise which of the Scribes in this Age can discern any of thy Pathes or so much as one of thy Footsteps Oh that men would fear before the Lord and be sure to Govern in that which is of God and then they should harm none of His nor hazard the shaking of their Government but whatever is not of God both within and without must fall in the day of Gods Power O happy is he who is now made willing to part with that which God is determined to rent from man that his standing may be in that which cannot be shaken For there hath been a great Earthquake in this Nation both of things without and of things within and there yet remains somewhat to be shaken both without and within that the Glory of God may have room to appear O England Kiss the Son lest he be angry Let all such Laws and Customs as are not of Him fall before Him and whatever is of Him let it bow unto Him both within and without that his wrath break not forth like a fire which none can quench For the Lord hath mighty things to bring to pass and he hath a mighty Arm of Power to effect them by and what shall be able to stand before him that stands in his way Faults in Printing Page 11. line 23. for of read on p. 15. l. 1. r. Doctrines l. 37. r. Mediator p. 16. l. 12. r. times p. 17. l. 6. r. so to that l. 7. r. end of growth l. 8. r. ever and ever p. 18. l. 18. f. it r. all p. 19. l. 29. f. along r. alone p. 20. l 9. f. in r. as p. 21. l. 19. f. the r. this l. 37. f. sed r. sed p. 22. l. 14. 15. f. he witnesses r. bewitches l. 27. 1. doth THE END