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A62873 Saints no smiters, or, Smiting civil powers not the work of saints being a treatise, shewing the doctrine and atempts of Quinto-Monarchians, or, Fifth-Monarchy-Men about smiting powers, to be damnable and antichristian / by John Tombes ... Tombes, John, 1603?-1676. 1664 (1664) Wing T1816; ESTC R6979 110,523 126

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with the Bishops that did set up Images in the Churches and if by the mixture be meant their assuming Ecclesiastical power I suppose these Objectors will not charge them with this it being to their great vexation that the Bishops especially the Bishops of Rome claimed and usurped authority over Emperors and Kings as he doth at this day to excommunicate them if they reconciled not themselves to them to depose them and many of the Emperors and Kings did contend against this usurpation in many sore Wars If by mixture of State be meant the assisting of the Popes to destroy the opposers of the Papacy I acknowledge it true that there were too many that did so But in this there was no mixture of civil Ecclesiastical power but rather a concurrence the Ecclesiastical keeping to themselves the judgment of Heresies and putting upon the secular power the execution of their sentence whereby they did debase the civil power in making it subservient to them but made no mixture of State Which appeared in that some of the civil powers that kept their civil government as before yet did oppose this usurpation in Popes and Prelates in making them their Executioners to destroy those who were judged Hereticks by them and therefore this act of theirs was the evil of those persons that did it but not of the civil Government it self 3. It is supposed that then the civil powers were the beast and a whore Which no doubt alludes to that which we read Revel 17. 1 2 c. of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters and v. 3. 7. the whore is resembled by a woman sitting upon a scarlet coloured beast and v. 18. it is said and the woman which thou sawest is that great City which reigneth over the Kings of the earth Which few do deny to be meant of Rome some of the learned Papists themselves granting it to be meant of Rome though they would have it believed that Rome is so called the Whore while it was heathen not since it became Christian. Others there are chiefly Those of the Protestant Churches who do conceive by the Whore is meant Rome Papal as conceiving the descriptions ofher and her practises cannot be applied to Rome as it was Paganish or Ethnick Whether this or the other or any other opinion be right it is not needful now to discuss It is sufficient that the Civil Powers of Rome whether Ethnick or Christian or in a future estate cannot well be termed the Beast and a Whore too sith the text makes them distinct or if they may yet sure the Civil Powers are not the Whore sith it is said v. 2. The Kings of the earth have committed fornication with the Whore and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication therefore the Kings of the earth and inhabiters of the earth must not be confounded with the Whore And v. 16. It is said And the ten Horns who are ten Kings which had received no Kingdom then v. 12. And therefore not while Rome was Ethnick but after it's being Christian Which thou sawest upon the Beast these shall hate the Whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire Therefore the Kings which are the Civil Powers are not the same with the Whore but though at first beguiled by her shall at last hate and consume her when they shall be undeceived 4. It is supposed that then the Power of Rome when adulterated from its pure Civil Estate became a mixt Antichristian state or a beastly Antichristian Power What is meant by Antichristian state or Antichristian Power is not easy to resolve It is true the Apostle John makes mention of many Antichrists that should come in the last time among which his words intimate that there should be a special Antichrist that they had heard should come 1 John 2. 18. And v. 22. He saith He is Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son And ch 4. v. 3. He saith And every Spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God And this is that Spirit of Antichrist whereof ye have heard that it should come and even already is it in the world And in his second Epistle v. 7. For many deceivers are entered into the world who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh This is a or the Deceiver and an or the Antichrist which words seem to import that those erroneous seducing teachers whether gnosticks or other who were risen in that time when these Epistles were written were it is likely called Antichrists from their opposition to the true Doctrine concerning the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh-Nevertheless many of the ancients in after ages did often give hints of the expectation of Christians commonly entertained whether from St. Johns words or some other tradition that there would arise some more remarkable Antichrist who should whether by Power or deceit corrupt or infest the Church of Christ beyond what was done in his daies And this hath been imagined by some of them should be a Roman the same with the man of sin 2 Thes. 2. 3. That wicked or lawless one v. 8. the Beast Revel 13. 11. And the Whore of Babylon Revel 17. 5. which in many ages the great corruptions in the Popes of Rome and their Courts caused to be applied ever and anon by some or other of the best and learnedst of their times to the Popes and Papacy And since the time of Luther it hath been almost generally received by Protestant Writers of all sorts that the Popes and Papacy especially since Pope Boniface the third usurped the Title of Oecumenical Bishop as proper to his See and Gregory the seventh the Power of deposing Emperors and Boniface the eight the welding of both swords Civil and Ecclesiastical are the Antichrist Man of sin Beast and Whore of Babylon foretold that he should come by St. Paul and St. John And not a few very learned and sober godly men both of Bishops and Presbyters in England Ireland France and other Nations have asserted it by Preaching and writing and have made it one of their chief pleas for their refusing communion with and enmity against the late Bishops of Rome and the Papal Church although some of late have thought otherwise and have endeavoured to apply those passages to some other whether rightly or not I do not now determin Whence it hath come to pass that as the Papists who still adhere to the Bishop of Rome as Christs Vicar and St. Peters Successor swallow down all that comes from Rome be it never so vain and erroneous so on the other side those who have been induced by the arguments inforced from the places of holy scripture alledged to conceive that the Popes or Papacy or Roman Synagogue have been and are the Antichrist Man of sin Babylon the Whore therein mentioned have been apt to
like manner though preachers called to that Office may in a fit way shew Princes their sins and declare their danger Yet in no sort are they to vilify their Authority or contemn their persons Nor may men pretend the imitation of the holy Prophets boldness unless they can shew their commission and are endowed with their Spirit and power Nor may men who are but private persons take upon them to do as Christ did when he drove the buyers and sellers out of the Temple Which will be more fully proved by a fifth argument taken from some resolutions or determinations of our Lord Christ which condemn such attempts practises as the Quinto-Monarchians Doctrine animates to upon pretence of zeal for Christ and his Kingdom Luke 9. 54 55 56. When Christ was to go to Jerusalem he sent messengers before his face and they went and entered into a Village of the Samaritans to make ready for him And they did not receive him because his face was asthough he would go to Jerusalem and when his Desciples James and John saw this they said Lord wilt thou that we command fire to come down from Heaven and consume them even as Elias did But he turned and rebuked them and said ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of For the son of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them In which resolution our Saviour condemns the motion of James and John to have fire come down from Heaven to destroy the Samaritans for their not entertaining of Christ in imitation of Elias out of zeal for Christ because it was not out of the same Spirit that Elijah had nor agreeable to the end of Christs coming and his Gospel which were not to destroy mens lives but save them Now then the Doctine of Quinto-Monarchians which urgeth their smiting work which tends to the destroying of mens lives and not the saving of them out of a zeal as they conceive for Christ and his Kingdom though there be no other then a private or rather an haughty factious Spirit in them is contrary to Christs resolution and therefore indeed damnable and Antichristian Nor hath it indeed in Christ or his Apostles Doctrine or example any warrant but is an imitation of that pernicious use of the later Jewes which was taken up in a perverse imitation of Phinehas his act Numb 25. of Elias 1 Kings 18. 40. 2 Kings 1. 10. and some others out of zeal for their Law without Authority to destroy those things and persons which they judged contrary thereto as in the stoning of Stephen Act. 7. St. Paul Acts 14. 19. c. In which they were carried furiously and violently without any legal judicial proceeding hearing and sentence by Authorized Judges which caused so many seditions and such outrages as at last provoked the Romans to make a most horrid destruction of that people and ruin of that state To which the Quinto-Monarchians opinon and practise hath been too like and if not stayed would bring the like effect on Church and State with us The other determination is that of our Saviour in the case of Peters drawing his sword to rescue Christ in the garden from the Soldiers which came to take him and striking a servant of the High Priests and smiting off his ear which our Saviour disallowed bidding him to put up his sword again into his place for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword Matth. 26. 52. where our Lord who had bid them buy swords Luke 22. 36. a little before yet forbids the drawing of it and smiting off the ear of a servant of the High Priest though it were out of zeal for him it being against an Officer by a person without Authority declaring the evil consequence which would follow on such usage of it Now the Quinto-Monarchians smiting civil powers out of pretended zeal for Christs Kingdom without any authority in a furious heart of spirit is much more apparently contrary to Christs resolution in Peters case and therefore is censured justly to be damnable and Antichristian § 9. Quinto-Monarchians Doctrine of smiting civil powers urgeth to resisting of evil and self-revenging forbidden by Christ and his Apostles and to most horrid Murthers and great confusions A Sixth argument against the Doctrine of smiting civil powers in order to the setting up of the Fifth-Monarchy is taken from those texts of scripture which forbid resisting of evil and avenging our selves Our Lord Christ. Matth. 5. 38 39. reciting out of the Law of Moses words interpreted as allowing retaliation of wrongs with the like as those who threaten to others that they will give them as good as they bring he on the contrary tels his Disciples But I say unto you resist not evil But whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek turn to him the other also Which is not to be understood simply and absolutely as if that turning the cheek were to be done alwayes in the act it self But in a comparative sense rather than make a brawl or fight take further injury signified by the proverbial phrase of turning the check now if Christians be forbidden to fight when they are injured to recompense evil for evil then much more are they forbidden being private persons to whom the sword is not commited of their own accord to begin a War even with superiors and to proclaim it in order to procuring of good as the Quinto-Monarchians Doctrine moves Saints to Likewise St. Paul Rom. 12. 17. Recompense to no man evil for evil v. 19. Dearly beloved avenge not your selves but rather give place unto wrath for it written vengeance is mine I will repay it saith the Lord v. 21. Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good 1 Peter 3. 9. Not rendering evil for evil or railing for railing But contrariwise blessing knowing that ye are thereunto called that ye should inherit a blessing When David had cut off Sauls skirt his heart smote him and he said unto his men the Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my Master the Lords annointed to stretch forth mine hand against him seeing he is the anointed of the Lord 1 Sam. 24. 5 6. The Lord judge between me and thee and the Lord avenge me of thee but mine hand shall not be upon thee As saith the Proverb of the Ancients Wickedness proceeedeth from the wicked but mine hand shall not be upon thee v. 12. 13. And David said to Abigail blessed be the Lord God of Israel which sent thee this day to meet me and blessed be thy advice and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood and from avenging my self with mine own hand 1 Sam. 25. 32 33. Which shew that herein both in the old and new Testament holy persons agree that a King is not to be smitten though in hostility without cause by any of his Subjects though he were anointed to be King after him that revenge of
the time of the Saints of the most high taking the Kingdom and possessing the Kingdom for ever even for ever and ever Dan. 7. 18. it is expressed v. 13. to be when one like the Son of man came with the Clouds of Heaven and came to the ancient of days and they brought him near before him which in the New Testament is applied to Christs second coming Matth. 24. 30. and 26. 64. Mark 13. 26. and 14. 62. Luke 21. 27. Revel 1. 7. Acts 1. 11. 1 Thes. 4. 17. which Mr. Mede in his fourth letter to Mr. Hayn proves to be at Christs second coming by the brightness of which shall be the consumption of the man of sin 2 Thes. 2. 8. and at his appearing shall be his Kingdom 2 Tim. 4. 1. and then shall the Saints of the most high which overcome sit with him in his Throne even as he also overcame and is set down with his Father in his Throne Revel 3. 21. To them he will give power over the Nations to Rule them with a Rod of Iron so that as a potters vessel they shall be broken to shivers even as he received of his Father Revel 2. 26. 27. then the Kingdoms of the world shall be the Lords and his Christs and he shall reign for ever and ever the Lord God Almighty takes to him his great power and reigns and the Nations were angry and his wrath was come and the time of the dead that they should be judged and that he should give the reward unto his servants the Prophets and to the Saints and to them that fear his name small and great and should destroy them which destroy the earth Revel 11. 15. 17 18. And Revel 20. 4. the Thrones are said to be set as Dan. 7. 9. And they sate upon them and judgment was given to them as Dan. 7. 26. then the Dominion or Kingdom given To the Saints who are troubled rest shall be given by God with the Apostles when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels 2 Th. 1. 7. The Saints shall judge the world 1 Cor. 6. 2. And Jesus said unto them verily I say unto you that ye which have followed me in the regeneration when the Son of man shall fit in the Throne of his glory ye shall also fit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Matth. 19. 28. Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations And I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me that ye may eat and drink at my Table in my Kingdom and fit on Thrones judging the Tribes of Israel Luke 22. 28 29 30. And for the means of obtaining this Kingdom as it is said the Stone was cut out of the mountain without hands that is human help so it is said in the daies of these Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed Dan. 2. 44 45. which therefore our Lord called the Kingdom of Heaven and gives the reason because his Kingdom was not of this world nor from hence John 18. 36. but from Heaven And where it is said that the Saints of the most high shall take the Kingdom and possess the Kingdom for ever even for ever and ever Dan. 7. 18. it is added v. 21 22. I beheld and the same horn made war with the Saints and prevailed against them until the ancient of daies came and judgment was given to the Saints of the most high and the time came that the Saints possessed the Kingdom v. 26 27. But the judgment shall fit and they shall take away his dominion to consume and to destroy it unto the end And the Kingdom and Dominion and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and all Dominions shall serve and obey him The Saints take it not by their getting it but by gift not by conquest but donation Suteably in the new Testament Luk. 12. 32. Fear not little Flock for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom Matth. 25. 24. Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world Out of which passages we may well infer 1. that it is great temerity in the Quinto-Monarchians to be so peremptory as they are in setting down the time of the Saints taking the Kingdom especially if we consider that when our Lord Christ was asked immediately afore his ascension into Heaven Lord wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel He said unto them it is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power Acts 1. 6 7. wherein he gives us to understand that the times and seasons of restoring the Kingdom to Israel are put by the Father in his own peculiar power and therefore were not to be then known to the Apostles nor to us till by the events shewing the foregoing signs and the special instinct of Gods Spirit was shewed the just period of the mystical numbers in which they are to be fulfilled 2. We may infer that it is very great folly pride and arrogant presumption for a number of Gentile Saints in an Island or Continent to think to smite the fourth Monarchy by Arms which is to be destroyed by the Spirit of the Lords mouth and the brightness of his coming and to take to themselves a Kingdom which God only can give and to set up Christs Kingdom which God makes his prerogative Ps. 2. 6. Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion Ps. 110. 1 2. The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool The Lord shall send the Rod of thy strengh out of Zion Rule thou in the mids of thine enemies and to think to do this by armes a feeble means which is to be done not by might nor by power but by his spirit The monstrous arrogance of this attempt is made the more hainous 1. because when it hath been begun heretofore by any they have found God against them the Lord by his providence dissipating their counsels and frustrating their attempts so as that in fine they have only brought ruin to themselves and occasioned hatred of the wayes of God and a hard hand in civil powers on the innocent Which argument although it do not Universally hold that what succeeds not well in the event pleaseth not God yet is good against these men who have no other ground or warrant to their attempts but the opinion they have of Gods putting it into their heart and assurance of his help this being their own speech Banner displayed p. 89. So that we make our conclusion with Manoahs Wife of old if the Lord were pleased to kill us or suffer our enemies to kill us he would