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	jesus_n	son_n	14,487	5	5.3429	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A84076	A monstrous dispute: or, The language of the beast, in two men professing themselves ministers of the Gospel; both proved at a publike dispute in Lumber-street, Oct. 12. 1653. I. That they are no men, but beasts. II. That they are no ministers, but monsters. William Erbery.	Erbery, William, 1604-1654.	1653 (1653)	Wing E3233; Thomason E714_25; ESTC R207252	4,476	8

A Monstrous Dispute OR THE LANGUAGE OF THE BEAST IN Two Men professing themselves Ministers of the Gospel both proved at a Publike Dispute in Lumber-street Oct. 12. 1653. I. That they are no Men but Beasts II. That they are no Ministers but Monsters WILLIAM ERBERY Where is the wise where is the Scribe where is the Disputer of this world hath not God made foolish the wisdome of this world 1 Cor. 1.20 Every man is bruitish in his knowledge Jer. 51.17 18. The Ox knoweth his owner and the Ass his Masters scrib but Israel doth not know my people do not consider Isa 1.3 London Printed by J. C. for Giles Calvet and are to be sold at his shop at the Black-spred Eagle at the West end of Pauls Something of the Dispute THE Dispute I call Monstrous because it had neither head nor taile as they say the Opponent could not at first finde the Question nor form an Argument to the last and the Defendant was faine to frame both for him Mr. Webster the Respondent had published a Book and publikely preached for the exalting of God alone and of Christ in the Spirit Christ being the onely Ordinance or means to bring men to God and the Spirit alone the teacher of his people Christ the way to the Father and none knowing the Father but the Son inus neither any able to say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Spirit c. such spiritual Truths two professed Ministers came publikely to oppose though pretending some errors I shall not name the opposing Ministers because they were sham'd enough at the Dispute therefore will not strip them bare before the world because I honour them both especially one of them my worthy friend There was also a third that is a Presbyter Independant and Anabaptist three against one but one was too many for three Onely because to me they publikly resisted the Spirit that is now breaking forth in the Saints and seemed to spare the flesh yea to defend that which the Lord God is about to destroy therefore I could not but tell the world that the wisest Ministers and purest Churches this day are so befooled confounded and defiled also with their natural Reason and humane learning that such things are as much set up by these Men in the things of God as by Papists or Prelates I will not mention all the Particulars in the Dispute how little of reason or literature appeared in those who professed both so much Let the impartial hearers judge and let all the Ministers of England Answer if this be learning to say That Rationality is a habit That because humane learning was in the man Christ therefore 't is not sinful in man whose very plowing is sin Why not his learning al●o Is it learning or reason or religion to say That all the imaginations of mans heart are only evil continually per accidens That humane learning is necessary for the preaching of the Gospel Yea that Christ made use of humane learning in his Minstery who knew n●t letters And whereas the Apostle bids us beware of Philosophy and the rudiments of this world That 's humane learning and the like in the things of Christ Col. 2.8 Why is it not a transgression of the Law Evangelical to look for natural Reason and humane learning as necessary means to open the Mystery of the Gospel which is onely manifest by the Spirit of Revelation Eph. 1.17 Eph. 3.3 4 5. Gal. 1.16 Mr. C. Who came to oppose would needs according to custome begin the Dispute with prayer but I prayed him to forbear his prayers till he came to his Closet and to begin the Dispute telling him that Christ did Dispute with the Doctors and Paul in the School of Tyrannus without any prayer before no nor yet with their publike preachings to the world There was no prayer before nor after Sermon I speak this That he and other Ministers might once forbear their superstitious forms of Prayer having no precept nor president for them from Christ and his Apostles it being a customary traditional practise of the old Priests a voluntary humility and seeming holiness with a shew of devotion to begin every publike speech or Sermon with Prayer which is but a meer superstition hypocrisie and pride also to think themselves wiser then God and more devoute then Christ That which is commonly said That every creature is sanctified by the word and prayer is true 1 Tim. 4.5 but why then do they not say grace before eating of Oysters or Apples and why do they not say their prayers before a pipe of Tobacco a good creature The word and prayer is a more spiritual and secret thing in the Spirits of the Saints then understood by common men or Ministers 'T is the word within and the inward prayer for we know not what to pray for as we ought but the Spirit helpeth our infirmities and maketh intercessions or secret petitions for us with sight and groan that cannot be uttered Rom. 8.26 but these men have the spirit at command can pray when they will and know what to pray or utter before hand Besides the mighty command of the eternal Spirit in us is that word which is nigh thee in thy mouth and in thy heart Rom. 10. 't is this sanctifieth every creature as well as every Dispute or Sermon in which Spirit both Christ and his Apostles went forth in their publike speakings or preachings without any forms of Prayers before or after Truely there was no fighting nor blows at the Dispute as 't was reported at Westminster but the Dispute was so confused without any form or order without method or matter indeed that I ne●er saw less Reason or Learning in rational men and Scholars less Religion in Saints who came to catch not to finde the truth but to seek out errors and set up snares in which themselves fell at last The first Question was conce●ning the Ministery which Mr. Webster desired his opponent to prove in himself and to hold it forth to the people how he was sent of God a Minister of Christ but the man was silent to this The position was that God and not man made Ministers of the Gospel Gal. 1.12 Men did only declare who were designed by God before and made Ministers by him for that work So 't was in the Gospel-Church the Spirit seperated Paul and Barnabas whom the Church of Antioch Ordained afterward Act. 13.2 3. Againe the Ordaining of Elder● was an appointing those in their porper charge whom God had before set apart in the Church T●t 1.5 Againe there was a g●ft of the Spirit given by the l●ying on of hands of the Presbytery or Eldership of a particular Church as Act. 20.17 1 Tim. 4.14 compared There being no such manifestation of the Spirit in any Church this day how can any go forth to preach the Gospel having not power from on high nor the holy Spirit sent down from heaven 1 Pet. 1.12

I mean the glorious Gospel of the blessed God 1 Tim. 1.11 or the manifestation of the Mystery hid from the sons of men for the Gospel virtually was preached before under the Law Heb. 4.2 The Gospel taught typically under the Law parabolically in the Gospels by Christ in the days of his flesh and so by the Apostles then till the Spirit came on the Apostles and Primitive Saints to manifest the Mystery of the Gospel to fulfill or fully to preach it as the margine reads Col. 1.25 and so by the Apostles who were under a legal dispensation while Christ lived in Flesh and the Gospel vailed for the Apostles then were very carnal and believed not the resurrection but the revealed Gospel my Gospel saith Paul and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the Mystery kept secret since the world began Rom. 16.25 Eph. 3.3 was not published nor could be actually preached by the Apostles themselves till they were baptized with the Spirit Act. 1.5 How dares then any Minister now say That he preacheth the glorious Gospel or any Churches pretend to be in Gospel-Order The next question was about humane learning and acquired gifts of Arts and parts with natural reason c. which Mr. C. did so exceedingly magnifie that I could not chuse but break forth in these Queres saying Sir I see you cannot object any thing against Mr. Webster will ye please to Answer my objections First I assert you are no man but a Beast Secondly That you are no Minister but a Monster To the first I argue thus Mr. C. you are an Ass therefore a Beast He denied my proposition which I proved thus That which God did truely say of his people Israel may I truely say of you But God did truely say of his people that Israel was an Ass Therefore may I truely say of you Sir that you are an Ass The minor is Jer. 2.24 A wilde Ass used to the wilderness c. but vaine man would be wise though man be born a wilde Asses colt Job 11.12 My next Argument which I had ready to prove that he was no man but a Beast and that to the Ministers also with him If men may truely call the Ministers as God called the false prophets greedy doggs then the Ministers are no men but Beasts But men may truly call the Ministers at God called the false Prophets greedy doggs Therefore the Ministers are no men but Beasts The minor is proved Isa 56.11 Yea they are greedy dogs which can never have enough shepherds that cannot understand they look to their own way every one for his gaine from his quarter Let their own conscience and the experience of these times witness if godly Ministers were ever more greedy of gaine none will preach under one hundred pound per. an who formerly were content with fifty pound for a Lecture or a little in their own Church who now must have five hundred pound or seven hundred pound per. an in a Colledge and run from one fat parsonage to another in the country changing their quarters The next thing that I was to prove but could not be suffered by the Ministers friends was this that those men are no Ministers but Monsters which I proved thus Those men who are the Beast with seven heads and ten horns O horrible monster are no Ministers but monsters But the Ministers are the Beast with seven heads and ten horns Therefore they are monsters The minor is proved thus Those Ministers who have the number of a man are the Beast with the seven heads and ten hours But the Ministers have the number of a man Therefore they are the Beast with seven heads and ten horns The major is proved Rev. 13.18 The number of the Beast is the number of a man c. If the Ministers deny the minor and say they have not the number of a man Then I conclude they have the number of the Beast and so the first is the last The Ministers are no men but Beasts Yea the seven heads and ten horns being the perfect wisdome of man and the absolute power of the Magistrate which the Independant Ministers and Baptized also depending on so much make themselves Monsters and no Ministers For as seven is the number of perfection so it has reference to the seven Churches whose heads note their fleshly wisdome and as the ten horns are the ten Kings or absolute Magistracy who for a time gave their power to the Beast or fleshly Ministry Rev. 27.13 so afterward the ten horns hate the whore make her desolate and naked eat her flesh and burn her with fire vers 16. This fire is the Spirit of the Lord in our godly Magistrates who are the most absolute men both Civil and Martial by Land and Sea joyned together to manage the great designe of God this day in destroying all that is of man or fleshly Ministery and setting up God alone in the land that at last we may cease from man and God may be All in All Isa 2.11 to 22. vers That Babylon is the Church in her Members That the Beast is the Church in her Ministers and that the great whore is the Church in her worships typified by the whoredomes of Israel I shall prove with God another Time Lastly Let men know that Independant Ministers were the first who new model'd Tithes in Wales and are the last who establish Tithes in England contrary to their old light love and Spirit of Liberty FINIS