Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	father_n	holy_a	place_n	5,553	5	4.7190	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A62897	An epistle to the flock professing the true light which lighteth every one that cometh into the world : wherein the opposers and villifiers of the true light are (by the way) expostulated with, and they that own it are exhorted to answer the light in the consciences of others by an unblamable light, and to grow up therein, both in general and in their particular relations : given forth chiefly for the service of some in the flock and may be serviceable also to others / from W.T.	Tomlinson, William.	1674 (1674)	Wing T1847; ESTC R26323	20,917	27

of their knowing of him as Philip did But continuing in his Fear and abiding in the Path of Righteousness and Holiness they may come to know the Lord and that it is he that Operates all these things in them and for them and to feel the cleansing and washing of their Consciences by the Blood of Jesus Christ from all sin which is enjoyed in walking in the Light but not in talking of it only The true Christian Life doth not lye in words as if to be changed from one form of words to another were it although the Holy Spirit which changeth the heart require words sutable to himself and to eschew corrupt words Neither doth it lye in the changing of Apparrel although the Spirit that changeth require modest Apparrel sutable to himself and sutable to that humble mind which he formeth in man Nor doth it stand in high Notions or soaring Imaginations wherein the exalted nature gets up and magnifies it self above the simple-hearted but it is in simplicity and godly sincerity With such exalted Spirits the Apostles of our Lord were much troubled in the Primitive times after Christ and laboured much to keep down Believers from them to the simplicity that was in Christ as you may perceive by their Epistles Of such also our Lord made mention and strengthened the simple-hearted against them in some of his Epistles to the seven Churches of Asia In that to Thyatira he takes notice of some who were high in their Imaginations and Notions insomuch that they looked upon those whom the Lord approved of but as weak and low in comparison of themselves and as such as did not know the depths of Satan for that was the phrase it seems which they used But the Lord encouraged the simple-hearted against their exalted expression and said I will lay on you no other burthen but that which you have already hold fast till I come Rev. 2.24 25. And what would he do when he comes that he had expressed before verse 23. I will give to every one according to his Works not according to their Imaginations Neither doth the life of Christianity stand in any outward formal way although some way may be required for the gathering together of the true Worshippers who Worship in Spirit and in Truth As its probable there was in the old World before the Flood for there was a distinction between the Sons of God and those that were called the Daughters of Men. Some were called Men and some the Sons of God But how-ever after the Flood it is expresly said Job 1.6 That the Sons of God came together to present themselves before the Lord. So that this may be requisite and hath been practised more especially in all ages since Christianity was openly named in the World But observe Satan himself can come there as well as the Sons of God The Pharisee can be there whose Religion lyes chiefly if not only in outward observances For the Proud Covetous Persecuting Pharisaical Hypocritical spirit can come under the formal part of any Profession And so there were those in the Apostles days who had a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof they were to be turned away from For their lives were corrupt as you may read 2 Tim. 3. where you may see of what sort they were Neither doth it stand in openings or visions of things or understanding of Mysteries though these are excellent gifts given forth from the Lord and enjoyed by many of his Faithful Ones Yet for as much as evil Men and Spirits may have true Opinions therefore the Life of a Christian doth not consist therein but in living in Obedience unto the pure Life which doth open Balaam had very eminent Visions and Openings of things yet is he Noted in Scripture for a false Prophet because his Heart and so his Life was not right before the Lord. His heart run after the reward of Unrighteousness and he gave evil Counsel to Balaac against a People whom he knew the Lord had respect to and would not suffer him to speak an evil word of them to Balaac yet he taught Balaac to entice them to Fornication and Idolatry Satan himself and the evil Spirits may have openings and a sence given them of true things as its plain they had in the days of Christ in the flesh Art thou come said they to torment us before the time They knew that by him God would judge the World and them and they knew the time was not yet Therefore say they art thou come to do that Work before the time They knew whence he was what he was We know thee who thou art said they even the Holy One of God Paul and Silas going about in the Ministery of the Lord the evil Spirits knew them and followed them crying These are the Servants of the Living God Act. 16.17 chap. 19.15 Jesus I know and Paul I know but who are ye said the evil Spirit to the Exorcists who took upon them to cast out Devils in the Name of Jesus And further Satan knoweth when his time is near an end and that he hath but a short time Rev. 12.12 Therefore in respect of these things be wise to Sobriety and mind the approved blameless Life And let not Satan disquiet and trouble you because you are not as such a one or such a one who have had wonderful Openings from the Lord but keep down to the Anointing that abiding unction which guides the Life and discovers evil Paths and leads into all Truth and keeps abiding in the Truth and abiding in the Lord. I do highly prize the serviceable gifts of knowledge and utterance and such like given for the service of others But the Union of my heart is with you that are careful that you offend not in your words nor in your lives who walk humbly with your God observing the checks motions inclinations of the Spirit of Christ in your hearts applying to the Lord in all cases especially of difficulty as a Child to the Father for Council Guidance Wisdom Strength Assidance Succour Success whose Holy Spirit is your Guide Strength Assistance in Prayers and Supplications and Thanksgivings without limitation to time or place so that you cannot be banished from your Temple or place of Worship or removed into a corner where you cannot offer up Spiritual Sacrifices to God You whose hearts do breath after the Lord and to be filled with his Holy Nature and you who inwardly Converse with God dwelling in inward Peace and Consolation which the World cannot give nor take away it being Administred by him whom they cannot reach You whose hearts are ballanced with the free gift of God to your selves that excludes all boasting and with the true sense of the Universal Love of God over all that shuts out all Pharisaical exaltation and despising of others and so are kept lowly in your minds Also you who mournt in secret who Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness to be filled with it your selves and that it may fill the Earth Such as you it is that my heart is towards from the least of you that have the true savour of God in your hearts to the greatest from the Babe to the Father It 's you that my Soul longs after wheresoever you are found walking at present And that such may be daily raised up more abundantly to the magnifying of the Name of the Lord in the Earth and to the convincing of the World of the evil of their ways and of a Righteous Life that their hearts may be opened thereby to believe the Truth and to receive it in the Love of it is the earning of my Soul For these are they which are the true Seed of Sion of which glorious things are spoken and which the Lord loves above all the dwellings of Judah above all the out-works or formal ways of all professions It 's you that honour the Lord and make his Name to be loved in the Earth And your Prayers do I desire on my behalfe as mine are for you that utterance and strength and faithfulness may be given me to hold forth the Truth seasonably and stedfastly both in Life and Doctrine as it is or may be communicated unto me And to you the God of peace multiply all blessings with Joy and Consolation and make you to abound more and more in every good gift to his praise and to the raising up of thirstings after Righteousness in the hearts of others Amen POSTSCRIPT IF this shall fall into the hands of any that have an Enmity in them against the Flock and therefore catch at every failing they can espy or hear of in any Member that therewith they may asperse the whole Let them know that first of all they ought to judge at home and learn to separate between the Precious and the Vile in their own Bosom and then will they come to distinguish after the same manner in the Flocks of Christ and their desire and endeavour will be rather to convince those that err and strengthen those that are weak and gather those that stray and support those that stumble and help forward those that come behind and to hide the Infirmities of the weak then seek to blast the whole by the weakness or wickedness of some Let such remember the words of the Prophet Isaiah Woe to him that calls good evil or evil good that puts darkness for light and light for darkness and so confounds what God would have distinguished The true Spirit is not a Spirit of Confusion but of Order and Clearness distinguishing aright between the Precious and Vile And so did our Lord teach us to do by his example in his Epistle sent to the seven Churches of Asia the good that was found in them he approved of and encouraged and reproved only the evil He did not over-look the good in them because of the evil neither did he approve of the evil because of the good but saith he I have somewhat against thee Repent c. Let us learn to be like-minded lest any one by false and confused judging heap Judgment and Condemnation upon their own Heads W. T.