Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A54453
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A voice from the close or inner prison unto all the upright in heart, whether they are bond or free.
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J. P. (John Perrot), d. 1671?.
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1662
(1662)
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Wing P1640; ESTC R217888
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16,893
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23
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sees no corruption whose light shines in the very darkest of mankind though they comprehend it not but when that Light which is the same also of them that love and live in it shines by good works as it ought before meer men that as yet remain in darkness then they may be induc'd to glorifie the heavenly Father of Spirits and Lights of all degrees or measures as well that rule by night as by day or of seven dayes together gathered into the glory of one 'T is love even love universal that hath imbreathed and its beauty inamoured the soules of some that are but few of many whereby they do as it were burn with holy desires to live in union with all mankind yea with the whole Creation and not an Oxe or an Asse or any other Creature that groanes and travels together in pain till now but as it waits for so it rejoyces in this glorious liberty of the sons of God who will ere long be better known among the sons of men than heretofore even by going forth and growing up as Calves of the stall not to be markt out for slaughter as they have been but by treading down the wicked things and persons like ashes under the soales of their feet when the Lord shall by fire and his spiritual sword plead with all flesh and the slain of the Lord rather then of his People in whom he shall be admired will be very many because now the weapons of the Saints warfare will appear daily not carnal but more and more spiritual inabling them to single out and encounter those spiritual wickednesses in the high places of their own hearts and others thereby bringing down the mighty from their seats and exalting them that are of low degree and all this without any destroying in that holy mountain of God where they converse which in this respect is lifted up above all others and will suddenly fill the whole earth O ye Victorious Army of the Lamb who on white horses as Emblems of Peace and Love and in linnen white and clean which betokens the innocence and righteousnesses of Saints have followed him that is now gone forth conquering and to conquer glorious is and will be the triumph by the death of the Cross over all created excellencies as well as impure defilements by abandoning the adultrous spirit of this world O ye that witness the conquest of desire to any carnal pleasure which tends but to stupifie the immortal soul of man and bring it into the sleeps or slumbers of eternal death great is your wisdom in determining to know nothing but Christ and him crucified and in standing alwayes delivered up to death for Jesus sake that the life of Christ might the more be manifest in your mortal flesh great is your power and authority in the world as you appear already risen with Christ by seeking those things that are above as ye are living witnesses of the first Resurrection mystical so you tell the world that the literal is not far off and therefore what Prisons or Inquisitions can longer hold you what outward Chains can bind you that are inwardly free who is it that will harm you that are followers of good but eschew the evil in every appearance O ye that have chosen the most solitary paths that an earthly pilgrimage could yeeld therein to meet your Beloved whose love is better than wine that does but refresh and exhilerate for a season and then the natural man that is served becomes as heavy as before 't was tasted but the pleasure of your love and espousals with the Lamb knows no end it grows in you and you in it with such divine increases till it swallowes up words and thoughts as those narrow medium's which are far below and too strait for the expression of that loving life which is incapeable of any confinement but enlarges it self freely in and unto all that entertain it You that have conquered the great and last enemy and that by yeelding daily to it what other enemies but either are or will be at peace with you because you fear not them but love and fear him that commands all hearts and hands yea the very stones of the street and beasts of the field will be in league with you not to offend but defend you though because your munition of rocks and wall of fire is never wanting all other help from without is wholly needless and such as offer it do rather express their own love than your desire of any guard or regard but what alwayes comes from heaven before you call or ask it Your Wisdom is from above What Serpent can beguile you you are redeemed from the Power of all things below What Scorpion or deadly Poyson can hurt you ye are past the Fear of Pain no Tyrant can torment you yea you have past thorow Sorrows Sighs and Tears beyond them you are neither to be exalted or abased by any thing which Flesh can give or take your Life Peace and Joy is endless because your Love is stronger than Death Who will not bend or yield to you and take hold of your skirts O ye inward Jews circumcised in heart and be called by your New-name for all your Names are given by Him whose Name is One that no man knows but he that hath it Your Language one and not divided Your Church but one and not rent in Schisms Sects or Divisions And therefore not Carnal but Spiritual unknown invisible to the World but well known to Christ your Head and one another O ye that admit no Buyers or Sellers in your inner Man the Lord's Temple but are freed from Cares and Cumbers of this World having sold all your Possessions personal to gain the real and therefore have not spent your Money for that which is not Bread and does not satisfie but laid it all down at the great Apostles feet with a free willing mind to quit all single selfish property that is from beneath for that universal equal Liberty that is from above and as well to distribute or communicate your Wealth of good Works to an Enemy or poor Stranger as unto a Friend or Brother What man or sort of men under the Sun when they see you walk by this Principle but will desire your ruling with if not over them You are the Governours of Judah that rule with God because God rules in you and alwayes checks the entrance of any other that is strange or forreign to his All-pure impartial Spirit you that have learn'd of Shiloh the prosperer to heal Breaches and restore Paths to dwell in What People Nation or Language will not ask your Help to new lay their Foundations renew their Land-marks to re-build the wast Places and Desolations of many Generations All Government in things spiritual you yield to Christ onely in things temporal to Him and the Nations whereof he is as well King as of Saints yea the Heathen are his Inheritance and the utmost parts
A VOICE FROM THE Close or Inner PRISON UNTO ALL THE Upright in Heart Whether they are BOND OR FREE LONDON Printed for the Author 1662. A Voice from the close or inner Prison unto the upright in heart whether they are Bond or free THe night of thick darkness or ignorance bondage and affliction is far spent the day of Redemption the welcome year of general Jubilee and glorious liberty of the Sons of God is at hand the Day-Star of the lightsom Morning is already risen in the hearts of hundreds and thousands of Saints Yea clouds of Angels or ministring Spirits are impowered and coming from the heavenly Temple to proclaim and publish it by sound of Trumpet By terrible things in righteousness will the God of Salvation now answer them that have waited on him His swift messengers from above are commissionated to pour their Vials forth and destroy the third part of all that grows in the earthly nature or bodily form of things as also of all creatures whose life is in a troubled boyling Sea and many men must die by the bitter waters of affliction who have not faith to sweeten them by the tree of Life being cast into them yea the very heavenly Lights themselves whether that rule by day or by night viz. Sun Moon and Stars must lose the third part of their lustre and woe woe woe to the Inhabitants of the earth by reason of the other voices and trumpets that are for to follow But oh ye meek ones of the earth that have sought righteousness and meekness who therefore have been are and shall be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger the time is coming and now is when the Holy one of Israel shall beautifie you with Salvation to the astonishment of earthly kindreds and people You that have sowne long in tears the time of reaping the joyful harvest of all your labours travels hardships and sufferings inward and outward is at hand and your joy is of that new nature that no man can take from you Oh ye that have long obscured your selves in silence to seek the pearl of price even the innocent harmlesse patient long-suffering suffering life by the blood of the Lamb which as it lost its living lustre in earthly ease power and prosperity so of late hath it shined forth to all beholders in burning fiery trials and having discovered this inheritance of the Saints in light have forsaken and sold all to purchase it Behold the clear evidence of your matchless wisdom and immortal state will soon appear for all that 's mortal will shrink and consume in that fervent heat whereby the old worlds Elements or Foundations shall melt and the heavens of visible worships themselves will pass away with a great noise then will that which cannot be shaken or consumed remain not impaired but improved in virtue strength and power convincing both apostate Professor and open Prophane between whom ye have suffered as fools gladly that you have wisely chosen the better part by keeping the word of Christ's patience without fainting To you shall come the first Dominion that stand as Towers or He-goats of the flock having withstood all encounters both within and without against Satan and his instruments enabled thereunto not by a sound of words but by an Almighty power whereby through weakness being made strong and willing by resisting even unto blood to overcome you have not minded the conquest that saves Life in stead of loosing it but with a ready willing mind yeelding to the loss of all in that war wherein is no discharge You that can stand still in this manner resign'd and sincerely given up into the will and custody of your faithful Creator without a double mind that consults to hear what flesh and blood can say which cannot inherit that glorious kingdom of God consisting in righteousness peace and joy in the holy Ghost nothing can hinder your admittance thereunto whose union in death and sufferings is so firm with Christ who is the resurrection and the life that over worldly distresse and tribulations of all kinds you are become more than Conquerors through him that loves you The Captain of our Salvation hath led the way before us and all you that have thus followed the gates of hell it self can never prevail to hinder your interest in his reign and glory Nevertheless Satan's winnowings and siftings of you may be for some small time frequent and many until by your finishing upon the Cross your Fathers work your hearts and soules become dry places wherein though the unclean spirit of this world seeks its rest yet finds none and the Prince thereof being thus judged hath nothing when he cometh in you for as there is no way to kill the fear of Death but by loving it in order to an abiding life so no resurrection can be to life but by dying to all on this side it and in this Grave mystical or litteral wherein no man of the meer first or natural birth which is of the earth earthly ever lay are alwayes buried those carnal fears vain hopes and false joys which are Satans various Engines of deceiveable unrighteousness to corrupt and beguile unstable soules whose conversation still is only in the changable glory of the first or second heavens but are not yet taken up into the third where the hidden Manna remaines incorruptible within the Vail of all transcient ministrations though pure and beautiful in their kind and season there only stands the true tree of everlasting life for all that come to feed upon even in the midst of the Paradise of God This is that pleasant lovely food that causes to hunger no more after carnal husky comforts of the old world without which man may live but not by bread alone though spiritual meat and Angels food but by every word coming forth from the mouth of the living God not as 't is onely written on paper but on the fleshly tables of his heart where God hath set the world which being restored or renewed by a right spirit within him does become an inward Paradise and in that is Christ the living Word who makes to live for ever yea out-live all storms as well as sun-shines of this lower outward world with a growing youth and beauty But to such as have not yet gained this Crown incorruptible and nevertheless are still lawfully striving for the mastery by a holy temperance in all things this time of general restitution which is at hand will much facilitate their course because the brethrens accuser shall be bound in chaines to his place not only from bruising the outward man with trouble and torment but also from seducing the inward man with his false glass or gloss which he is wont to present before as well refined as grosse self-lovers thereby inticing souls who are not fixt upon their invisible rock of Ages to those ensnaring treats and entertainments that are abundant in his airy principality Behold also the time