Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	eternal_a	life_n	soul_n	7,461	5	5.0564	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A44613	The sufficiency of the spirits teaching without humane learning a treatise tending to prove humane learning to be no help to the spirituall understanding of the word of God ... / by Samuel How.	How, Samuel.; Kiffin, William, 1616-1701.	1655 (1655)	Wing H2952; ESTC R24385	44,603	49

he saith himselfe should please him though it will not give carnall men content Likewise are not the Scriptures alledged frequently by these learned men for the Nation and people for being the Church of God and for the same end Nationall observances as the High Priests consecrated and set apart for the services of the Church and so under him the rest of the holy Priests with their holy garments and tithes and such like for ●heir maintenance and for this purpose the Scriptures alledg●d in a most plentifull manner both from the Law and ●he Prophets for the justifying of their names orders and ●dministrations when as if it be spirituall discerned and ●he Scripturs not wrest●d nor perverted it will be found ●rue as Peter o Act. 10 14 15 saith that not every Nation nor any more any Nation but in every Nation them that fear the Lord and none other are accepted of him Whereas Christ Jesus himself p Rev. 13.7 with Rev. 16 19. hath told us that the q Psa 125. Psal 1. beasts should have power over every Kindred Nation and Tongue and that the National Cities should fall whereas Mount Sion the City of God shall never be moved as saith the r Heb. 12. Prophet and also the Apostle by this then it appears that all such Scriptures as are alledged for the maintenance of a National Church are perverted being that long since the Lord hath rejected it now accounting a company of Saints in fellowship with himself to be Mount ſ Rev. 14.1 Psa 14 9 from 6. to 9. Sion that shall never be moved and these he hath made t Rev. 1.6 5.10 1 Pet. 2.9 Kings and Priests to God The like we may see in the Ministers of the Church seeing that they were of old times in that Church to be honorable persons in outward honor and esteem for their names Priests for their callings above the rest of the people a distinct body of themselves for their apparel different in their administrations from other of the people and so for their maintenance by tythes and offerings all which had a respect to Christ and were in him to have their end as the Apostle u Gal. 4.12 declares as being but worldly rudiments Yet these men though they professe themselves Ministers of Jesus Christ and under the Gospel yet Child-like as under Tutors and Governors do yet observe these things after the rudiments of the world and so suitably to the Gospel cannot abide to approve themselves to be Ministers of Christ by such marks as his Word affords as we have x 2 Cor. 6. from 4. to 10. before considered but they must be men of Honour and such as be distinct from others in their apparel maintenance and such like dishonor and reproach and nakednesse and living on meet Alms they cannot brook but they be so far from working with their own hands for their own necessities as the Apostle requires that the y Act. 2.33 34 35. Ministers of the Gospel should do as that they wrest the Scriptures of the Law and the Prophets haling in as it were by the hair of the head the Scriptures to speak for them and their delicious living faring like Dives deliciously every day whereas the Elders of Jesus Christ should z 1 Pet. 5.1 2 feed the Flock of God not caring for it for filthy lucre but of 〈◊〉 ready mind But leaving these things and such as these are which declare them to be more suitable for Moses and the Law which tends unto wrath and bondage then such as are Ministers of Christ and made partakers of the liberty of the servants of God 1 Object with the Answer I will speak of some few things that are in difference among them and us You know it is usually objected against us because of our departure out of the a Joh. 6.68 words of Peter to our Saviour being these Whether shall we go thou hast the words of eternal life From whence is concluded against us if the Text be not perverted that we in leaving them do forsake Jesus Christ wherein they take it for granted that he is with them and not with those that forsake them whereas the Text is clear to prove that the words of eternall life are in him as b John 6. himself saith also The words that I speak are Spirit and Life and this who denies but that he that hath the Son hath life he that hath not the Son hath no life But let not the Text be wrested yet what proof is here that Antichrist hath the words of eternall life and that there is no forsaking of him and yet all that know wherein the difference lies know that this is the controversie and how that these persons thus forsakeing go to Christ and to the word of Eternal Life seeing that the Lord c Isa 8.16 binds the testimony and seals up the Law among his Disciples so that till it can be proved that these leave Christ and forsake the words of Eternal Life the Text must be taken for none other but to be perverted and a Vail drawn over it to beguile the simple Object 2 Upon this same head hangs another great exception against us which is Where we had our conversion if we have any if not among them and so taking it for granted that we had it among them a great out cry is made against us as if we had stoln their gods and done them great wrong and for this purpose this amongst other things is alledged that that Church which is able to beget is able to bring up Now for answer hereunto it is to be minded that conversion doth properly belong to the d Psal 19.7 Rom. 1.16 1 Pet. 1.3 23. Word of the Lord Now this word by which we are all begotten is the proper portion of the Church of God as e Ps 147.19 20. Mat. 13.11 1 Cor. 3.22 divers Scriptures declare Hence then must it needs follow that whosoever are converted to the Lord those by vertue of their conversion belong to the true Church * Converts belong to the true Church because as is before said the word is hers and therefore they are to cleave to her and forsake those places where they were converted and that for this reason because the Lord himself is f Psa 78.6 said to count when as he writes the people that this man was born there that is in Sion the Church of God though that the man were converted in mans account in Babel and Palestina yet the Lord when he counts shall write the converted man to be born in Sion his Church Now all Gods people should count and write as God doth and give Babel no honour at all of their conversion because the Lord doth not give her any and the same thing is abundantly seen in the Converts that they are g Act. 2.40 exhorted to leave those places where they were

doctrines of devils how that men should speak lies through hypocrisie c. as Zachary also foretold that the x Zach. 13.3 Father and Mother of the Prophet should say that he told them lies in the name of the Lord If thou put the Brethren in remembrance of these things because they are subject to forget them and thou shouldest be their Remembrancer which if thou do thou shalt be a good Minister of Jesus Christ which hast been nourished up in the words of Faith and good Doctrine then mark these things are not error nor lies nor he a false Teacher that speaketh of them out a good Minister that hath been nourisht up in faith and good doctrine which was continually taught of Paul and heard of Timothy And to this is to be added what the Apostle y 1 Tim. 6.3.4 saith further in this matter declaring that he that consenteth not to wholesome doctrine that is according to godlinesse is puft up and knows nothing but dotes about words and as such a one as is so far corrupted by the fl●sh as that he is to be separated from therefore Gods good Ministers as we see should be carefull of these things as knowing of whom they shall receive their reward and what shall also be their portion from men of the world in that which is z Rev. 11.7 death in the world but a Rev. 14.13 life with the Lord Be faithful therefore to the death and you shall have a b Rev. 2.10 Crown of Life declaring the power of the Spirit of the Lord in you Vse 5 Now in the last place I will conclude with the exhortation of the c 2 Pet. 3.16.18 Apostle in the words following Yea therefore beloved seeing ye knew these things before What things among others those that worldly learned men are Gods unlearned men being destitute of his Spirit beware and take heed lest ye also as well as others you being subject to it be plucked away before you be aware into the error of the wicked to think that Gods Mysteries can be attained to by mans learning and so you fall from your own stedfastnesse which is d Rom. 11. through Faith for by Faith ye stand and by the Spirit for by it ye are also e Psal 51. establisht and for a preservative against this error as opposite to it grow and encrease in the grace of God and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ which is that that will preserve you from error Now to him be glory not to us nor to man but to him our Lord Jesus Christ both now and for evermore Amen ESAY 64.25 The Lord frustrateth the tokens of the Lyars and maketh Diviners mad turneth wise men backward and maketh their knowledge foolishnesse FINIS POSTSCRIPT HAving before the death of this Author been well acquainted with him and tasted that Spirit of Light and Truth which God in his day did more then ordinary powre out upon him by which he was inabled to minister seasonable words to the refreshing of many weary souls and also to contend against those corruptions and inventions which men brought into the Worship of God raging like the mighty waters against all the Servants of God which opposed them in the same I mean the power of Prelacy which ruled them in that day the weight of whose persecuting hand this Author while he lived had his share and when he died not suffered by them to have that which they called Christian Buriall but his friends were forced to lay his body in the high way as one which was numbred amongst the Transgressors of whom I may say the world was not worthy But my intent in writing this 〈◊〉 word is not to commend the Author but to tender to thy review the matter of this foregoing Book the bent thereof is to advance the Teachings of the Spirit of Christ in the unfolding of the mystery of the Gospel to the hearts of men as the choice Revealer of that glory of truth to the soul which will change from glory to glory into its own likeness a truth much opposed by men of corrupt minds in this day and therefore it becomes all that love the Lord Jesus in sincerity to stand upon their watch and be earnestly beging of the Father of Lights that Spirit which may help them to judg of things that differ and may lead into strait paths trying all things and holding fast that which is good Thou wilt find in this Tract the Spirit of the Author strongly and zealously contending for the advancement of the Spirit of Christ which if therein thou meet'st with any words that may seem harsh against that which men advance let it not be an offence to thee but try whether it be agreeable to the form of found words or no. I shall detain thee no longer but my desires to the Lord is that all his Isra● may more and more know the truth as it is in Jesus shining as the Sun more to their perfect clearnesse knowing the night is far past and the day neer approaching that so we may walk as the Children of the Light waiting for the glorious appearing of him that will come and not tarry Yours in the love of Christ William Kyffen