Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	fear_n	lord_n	wisdom_n	5,389	5	6.9425	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A53263	The old leaven purged out, or, The apostacy of this day further opened being a true and faithfull narrative of the orderly prooceedings [sic] and dealings of the lesser part of the congregation formerly walking with Mr. John Sympson, with and against severall souldiers of the army, who (being fallen in with the apostacy of this day, contrary to professed and declared principles, and the many out-goings of the Lord thereupon) are withdrawn and separated from, together with Mr. Sympson their chief abettor, and others, after neer two years labouring whilest while we were in the congregation, and neer two years more since : as also the true coppies of seven of the letters which Mr. Sympson wrote with his own hand, and sent to the congregation an answer to several objections that have been, or may be raised against printing and published the whole : all humbly presented to publique view, not in strife, vain-glory, or to be seen of men, but we hope out of conscience, to endeavor a recovering of the name of the Lord ...	Hathorn, Humphrey.	1658 (1658)	Wing O205; ESTC R32246	96,744	101

excusing of them and by his suddain starting such a question of Non-communion without serious consideration whereby many Brethren and Sisters were ensnared as they afterwards confessed and notwithstanding that truth had such hard usage from the beginning almost to that time yet we have since our withdrawing been waiting upon the Lord almost one whole year and half thereby bearing a more particular Testimony against their evil also by admonishing them twice according to the rule of the Gospel but no repentance as we can discern apprearing but rather hardness of heart and their sin every day more and more manifesting it self to the great dishonour of God and reproach of his Name We do therefore hereby declare That we can have no more fellowship and Communion with them then with Heathens and Publicans till the Lord shall give repentance unto life by acknowledging and forsaking their iniquity and do hereby humbly Testifie our separation from the accordingly Secondly That our Brother Sympson whose condition we desire to mourn for yet can but humbly testifie that he hath been for many moneths a secret opposer of those Brethren that prosecuted the cause of Christ against the evils of those Brethren of the Army and every day more and more did and doth stand by maintain and plead for them Nay more he is not afraid nor ashamed to plead for those very evils which he himself hath declared against openly and for which he for sometime suffered very boldly so that we can do no less then declare before the Lord Angels and men that he is now become guilty with the other Apostates to build again the things which he and they formerly destroyed and is become very skilful to cover the iniquity of this day which appeareth to all unbyast persons But least any should think that we had neglected our duty in not admonishing him privately before this publique testimony against him we answer That several Brethren had been with him privately upon that account Moreover we did at another time by several Brethren in the name of the whole apply our selves unto him intending particularly in love and due respects to have opened our hearts concerning his evil but in stead thereof he absolutely refused to give the least entertainment unto us as Brethren and Sisters or to hear any thing we should say unto him upon that account but looked upon us as Heathens and Publicans and thereupon refused so much as to pray with the Brethren who were sent by us Adding hereunto that thorow his pleading for and excusing of them he hath been the Instrumental Cause of this breach and separation and hardning the hearts of the Souldiers when some of them were in some measure convinced of their evil as we thought saying That if it were a sin to have Communion with them let it be charged upon himself and such as were satisfied with them as they should answer it at the day of the Lord Jesus For which and much more if needful at this time to declare We can have no more fellowship with him nor scarce so much as with those Brethren among you that wear the sword whose wickedness we have been so long contending against onely leaving him unto the Lord who can when he pleaseth convince him of his evil and give him grace to do his first works Thirdly That several other Brethren whom we could Name if need require have likewise much abetted excused and pleaded for this iniquity and particularly one of them who was formerly so convinced of the Soldiers evil as being the first person that put pen to paper to draw up Articles against them who said It was true but he thought it would not come to this And therefore we do judge it our duty also humbly to Testifie against them and separate from them as such who are greatly partakers of the Souldiers evil though it is possible that they may be much oversway'd in ther judgements by our Brother Sympson and cannot have Communion with them till such time that the Lord doth convince them of their evil and cause them to return from whence they are fallen and do their first works Fourthly That many other Brethren and Sisters though they have little to plead for the Souldiers as under those sins laid to their charge yet care not for inquiring into truth neither considering that Scripture 1 Cor. 5.6 Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump purge out therefore the old leaven that you may become a new lump But are willing to have their judgements byassed thorow affection to our Brother Sympson and so are willing to stand or fall in his bottom as we have just ground to fear and thereby become partakers of their evill deeds and if the Lord do not in time graciously awaken them out of this drowsie sleepy frame of Spirit we fear they may in time feel the sorrow of that Scripture Isa 9.16 For the Leaders of this people cause them to erre and they that are led of them are destroyed And therefore hereby testifie and declare that we cannot hold Communion with them till the Lord shall discover unto them their evil therein Fifthly As for those Brethren and Sisters amongst you that groan and mourn under the sense of those crying abominations that our Brethren the Souldiers with their Abettors are guilty of we do desire to open our hearts to them with all bowels of tenderness and compassion declaring that although we can see no Scripture ground or bottom for their present practise and the rather when the Lord hath enabled their poor unworthy Brethren and Sisters though but a remnant to withdraw and separate from the evil doers whereby the decission is made And that Scripture Psal 26.4 5.6 Seems unto us a plain word of Instruction for them in these words I have not sate with vain persons neither will I go in with dissemblers I will wash my hands in innocency and so will I compass ●●●e Altar Whence the Spirit of the Lord seems to hint himself not innocent had he not refused Communion with dissemblers and vain persons without having respect whether they were the greater or the lesser number And how they can call that part of the Body a Church when those they joyn with are onely the disorderly walkers for those who bear the Testimony are withdrawn we do not well understand which is the more considerable when they are commanded to withdraw from every Brother that walks disorderly However we judge it our duty to continue our prayers for them and to spread their condition before the Lord in secret as if it were out own that he would enlighten and inform them in their duty and give them obedient hearts thereunto that the Lord would deliver their feet out of the snare and do hereby intreat exhort and desire them as they tender the glory of God and the comfort of their own Souls in the time of Tryal and Temptation to come out from amongst them and separate

comply with our Brethren lying under these sins be not a breach of the bond of love according to that in the Corinths Love rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth And whether it be the union and wisdom of the spirit to hold the bond of peace without purity according to that in James 3.17 The wisdom that is from above is first pure then peaceable c. So that our present practise seems unto us to be a pressing after that Grace of love in its true end according to the Scripture yea it is counted by the Lord a hating of our brother to see sin upon him and not to admonish him Lev. 19.17 and to withdraw from him in cafe that Admonition bring him not to such an acknowledgement of his sinne as to forsake it 9 9. Whether it be sufficient to excuse us at the great day of the Lord d The occasion of this query did arise from the great outcry made against us by the generality of them charging us with Schism and making division in the Church when our Lord saith that offenees will come but wo be to those by whom they do come And whether the crying evil of the Souldiers hath not justly given offence and Mr. Simpson and some others chiefly abetting of them hath not also added thereunto we leave unto the upright in heart to judge and whether it be not a popish principle and also they do not hereby condemn their own practice in seperating from the National church so called of England in saying There is no withdrawing from a Brother walking disorderly because the maior part of a congregation falls in with them And is it not the argument of the Church of Rome at this day who say we do withdraw from the Mother-church because the grand apostacy first sprang from a true Church in home who in number have all along been the maior part that Wee did cry out The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord are we when at the same time it will appeare that wee have those amongst us who do defile the Temple of the Lord to the view of the World for the Temple of God is holy and that you should rejoice in such defilement surely all such rejoycing is not good And whether our Lord Jesus by the Evangelist John doth not charge five of the seven Churches in the Revelation for complying with sin yea one of them for their lukewarmness is threatned to be spued out of his mouth as being a Church onely in Name and not in deed and one of the other two to wit Smyrna hath no sin laid to their charge but are exhorted to be faithful unto death and they shall receive a Crown of life for the Devil would cast some of them into prison Now we suppose that the Devil there it taken for some of his Instruments which makes out That their testimony was of such a publike nature that the power in being would take hold of them and yet it cannot be supposed but that they had their sins of weakness though nothing is laid to their charge in regard of their faithfulness to some present Truth 10 10. Whether sin in a Church of Christ we mean sinnes of scandal be not more dishonourable e If the incestuous persons sin or two or three Brethren committing the same or other sins be dishonorable to God then surely if the church whose duty it is to reprove cast out such from amongst them Matth. 18 17. com with 1 Cor. 5.13 should either be guilty of the same or own them that are so their sin would be so much more But to come more home to our present case see Numb chap. 14. chap. 16. where the lesser part of the congregation to wit Moses Aaron Caleb and Ioshua who were pressing on from Egypt to Canaan the work of God in that generation were counted faithful owned by him for that very cause but the greater part of the conregation who said Let us make a captain and return into Aegypt and would have stoned Moses and Aaron c. their sin was so dishonorable to God and did so provoke the eyes of his glory that their carkasses must fall and not see the good Land they were going into yea and their children after them wander in the Wilderness forty years And in Numb 16. The sin of the greater part of the congregation in joyning with Korah and the renowned men amongst them in opposition to the Spirit of the Lord in Moses c. upon the forementioned account see verse 13 14 was like wise so abominable in his fight that he bid Moses and Aaron ver 21 24 26. Separ te from them and also speak to the congregation to depart from the Tents of those wicked men and touch nothing of thews lest they be consumed in all their sins Then surely the wickedness of them in Power who have indeed made a Captain and are gone back to Aegypt and those that uphold them whilest they oppose and persecute the Lords spirit in his little Remnant who are pressing from Monarchy and Tyranny towards the promised Zion and Kingdom of Christ the work of God in this generation doth equal if not exceed the sin of that congregation of Korah his company it is as great an evil to touch with them or receive any of their things upon that account as dishonorable to God to stand by uphold them therein or for Churches or others to own them that do so as it was to have countenanced upheld or touch't with Korah and his company in that day to God then the like in a private brother or two or three Brethren And how can we be said to withdraw from every Brother that walks disorderly when we quietly sit down with the Church that owns them in their sin as we conceive and do break bread with and prophesie amongst them for we cannot see how this will hold before the Lord when we are to avoid every appearance of evil 11 11. Whether to acquiess in the judgement of a Church concerning sin though a restimony have been born against it be not something of the reliques of the man of sin and in process of time may not bring us under this Maxime To believe as the Church believes though we ought to be very tender and careful how we proceed in such a business that we be upright in heart before the Lord earnestly seeking to him for direction and counsel 12 12. Whether our Brethren that wear the Sword are not to be charged with Schism making a rent in the Church having through their just offence given to many Brethren and Sisters in the Congregation and many other choice Saints in the Nation made division amongst us and as we hear several others standing in the like quality with them have been f There was a mistake about the Souldiers mentionend in this query as cast our of two Congregations in VVales for so soon

the Lambs company upon Mount Zion you will never be able to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth Rev. 14.4 The very noise and rumout that Christ is going unto a Prison and that we shall not be able to keep Company with him and minde his Interest vigorously unless we are made willing to follow him into a Prison will make some recant and rather blasphemously Father the Issues and births of the Spirit in them upon the flesh then run the hazard of suffering persecution for the Truths concerning Christ and his Interest which they have declared But you will say Why do you send these lines unto us are we not all for Christ and his People their Cause and Interest I answer with Paul to Agrippa I wish that you were not almost but altogether all of you such as I am except those bonds I wish that you were all as really for the Cause of Christ and his people against all Antichristian Spirits whatsoever as you seemed to be when the Churches at the first met at All-hallows But know that men do easily deceive themselves in generals In general Papists carnal Protestants all Professors of Christianity are against Babylon and Antichrist the man of sin who professeth himself to be Christs Vicar will say that he were not worthy to live if he were not against every Antichristian Spirit And therefore come to particulars if you will not be deceived and deluded by your own hearts Again if you will not be deceived by the great Cheaters Jugglers Impostures your own hearts do not onely try your selves in particulars in which all men Saints and sinners agree and which you may agree with them in without suffering persecution but come to particulars in the profession of which you may suffer persecution The word of Christ in our generation may be a word for a while for which we may suffer Christ had never had any Martyrs if there had not been some raised in Spirit to hold forth something in opposition to the judgement of the powers of the world under which they lived It is an easie thing to Preach and maintain a thousand truths without suffering And it may be that Christ would have one truth preached and witnessed unto which will certainly bring persecution at the heels of it You may Preach and speak against ten thousand sins and not suffer the loss of one hair by it And yet there is one sin which Christ will have his People speak against which may cost them their lives which I could easily demonstrate but the messengers departure doth inforce me to break off abruptly The Lord preserve you in wayes of truth and peace and make you more willing to suffer with the Interest of Christ then to raign with a base beggerly and proud Interest of men which shall be the prayer of him who in the Spirit of truth can subscribe himself Your Brother and Christs Prisoner John Sympson Windsor 1. Moneth 25. day 1654. This is a true Coppy of the Originall examined by us Tho. Cary. John Clements Brethren in the Lord IF I am not mistaken concerning the time in which we live the next eminent work of God which will appear upon the stage will be the filling of his Temple with smoke from the glory of God and his power Rev. 15.19 And therefore it will not be an unseasonable word to stir you up to pray for the Accomplishing of it there will not be any great thing done beyond what you have seen with your eyes until the Angell of the Covenant come into his Temple to fill it with the glory of his Spirit surely the Spirit is upon his return to the Churches of Jesus Christ During the raign of the man of sin the Learned Impostures of the world with their Accademical Anointings have ecclipsed the glory of the Saints but when the promised Spirit of glory in Graces and gifts shall dwell among Sions Congregations the learned wisdom and policy of the carnall Church will be confounded As yet as I humbly conceive one vial hath not been poured forth But suddainly a great voice will be heard out of the Temple saying to the seven Angels Go your wayes and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth Rev. 16.1 As when the Temple of Solomon was Consecrated fire came down from Heaven and the glory of the Lord filled the house and the Priests could not enter into the Temple 2 Chron. 7.1 2. So Christ of whom Solomon was a Type is about to Consecrate his New Testament Temple which Antichrist hath profaned and polluted And suddenly the glory of Jehovah will fill his Churches fire will come down from heaven upon his beloved ones The Angel will fly thorow the midst of Heaven preaching the everlasting Gospel and the earth will be enlightned with his glory Hitherto onely some of Antichrists body hath been destroyed but then his Spirit will be confounded and destroyed It was the speech of Luther concerning King Harry the 8 th that he hated the body of Antichrist but loved and lived in his Spirit So there are many in these times who hate the body but love and live in the Spirit of the Whore The Spirit of the Whore is exalted in England and though few can see Spirits yet blessed be God there are some who have Eagles eyes and behold the Spirit of Christ and Antichrist combating upon the stage of England As blinde as I am who am not worthy to be accounted a spiritual Saint from Windsor Castle I descry and behold the Spirit of Babylon gotten upon the throne in England yea I behold a Beast risen in England with two horns like a Lamb but he speakes like a Dragon It was the speech of a Pope concerning an Archbishop of Canter bury That he was a Pope of another world Alterius orbis Papa Meaning of England I tell you the truth there is not onely a Pope of Rome but there is a Pope of another world but by faith I do behold his hornes dropped off And I pray to my God that that may happen unto him which befell the Caldean Lion Dan. 7.4 That his wings may be pluckt and he made to stand upon his feet and that a mans heart may be given unto him Oh that he might cease to be a beast and become a man If the Spirit of Antichrist be in the Pope and his Cardinals he is in this Beast and his Delegates The Lord Jesus hath set in his Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers after that Miracles then gifts of healing Helps Governments diversity of Tongues But this Beast by his Ecclesiastical Antichristian power hath set up Commissioners Patrons Parsons Vicars Curates and Lecturers The Lord Jesus doth make Ministers by the Unction of the Spirit But this Beast doth make Ministers by a Sealed Instrument The Lord Jesus hath appointed that his Ministers should live by the free contribution of the People But this Beast will