Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A57302
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A general epistle to the people of God, in scorn called Quakres, in England, and elsewhere
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Rigge, Ambrose, 1635?-1705.
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1693
(1693)
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Wing R1482; ESTC R219043
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7,120
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8
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Hearts of the Sons of men by this Gospel-day with which God hath visited us is all false Spirits upon the Earth discerned and every deed of darkness manifested yea the very Seat of Antichrist discovered In the first breaking forth of this day God made us a willing People and put upon us the Helmet of Salvation and girded us with the Sword of the Spirit and made us able to War with the Dragon and his Power and thorow Faith gave us many and great Victories yea we were made more then Conquerers Oh! the sweet remembrance of this day is now with me who am warned to warn you to live in a daily sence and consideration of the height depth breath and length of the love of God and his tender mercy to us ward who are by Nature Children of Wrath as well as others and sate in darkness and in the region of the shadow of deaâ—h And when we recount the vile sort of men we can say such were some of us but God hath mercifully washed our Garments in the Blood of his dear Son and hath put upon us the Garments of Praise for the Spirit of heaviness which surrounded us in the long and dark night of Apostacy which hath been over the world for Ages and Generations before we had our beings but the Darkness is past and the true Light now shineth Oh! that the remembrance of that exceeding Riches and kindness which God hath manifested in us may ever be with us and that we may walk worthy of so high a Calling in all holy Conversation and Godliness for to this end were we called and separated from among many to be the first Fruits unto God in this latter age of the world and hereby will his Name be renowned throughout the world by us as we daily walk in a holy Conversation coupled with fear lowliness and tenderness for so is our subjection to him manifested and the same Witness which we have received be reached and raised in the Hearts and Consciences of the Sons of men who will not otherwise be reached and they will bless God on our behalf in the day of their visitation But if any walk loosely and let go the Girdle of Truth and begin to eat and drink with the Drunkards and to contend with or beat their fellow Servant or draw back into a fleshly liberty whereby the Cross of Christ is thrown aside neglected and despised the Lord of that Servant will appear in a day when he is least aware of him and appoint him his Portion with Hypocrites where is weeping forever For God will not now be mocked with any People or Profession they who sow to the Flesh shall dye wither and inherit Corruption but they who sow to the Sperit of Truth and walk in its Law shall live and flourish and reap Life and Vertue daily For its Ministration is the last and greatest the world shall be visited withal whereby Life and Immortality shall again appear to all Nations Kindreds and Tongues upon the face of the Earth if they receive and walk in it for it is ordained of God to be the guide of Life to all the Sons and Daughters of Adam to lead them out of the fall into the way of Peace and shall fulfil the last and great Prophesie Rev. 21. 24. That the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the Light of the Lamb and the Kings of the Earth shall bring their glory and honour unto it and the Glory and Honour of the Gentiles shall be brought unto it ver 26. This is begun to be fulfilled in the Earth and many are come coming to the brightness of his rising whose coming is as the Light which ariseth in the East and shineth to the West that none may be left unvisited with this glory but all who shut their Eyes from this glorious Sun shall have no benefit by his appearance but shall stumble and fall and rise no more unto Life Peace and Salvation and shall dye in their Sins perish in their Unrighteousness for none can have the benefit either of the Death Passion or Resurrection of Jesus purposed of God for all mankind but who doth believe receive and follow him who went before and trod the Wine-press alone And as the rejecting of him in his outward appearance was the ruin of the outward Jews even so the dispising of him in his inward and spiritual appearance will be the ruin and downfall of the outward Christians this Testimony I must leave to the world and it shall live be fulfilled when Iam gone hence no more to be seen But you my dearly beloved Friends and Brethren who have accepted of this day and have opened your Eyes to â—ehold the glorious Son of Righteousness which is now risen wiâ—h healing in his Wings let your moderation appear to all men and walk honestly as in the day and keep on your Breast-plate of Faith that the Enemy wound â—ou not for your Sincerity is within your Spiritual Armour in your holy Mountain where no devourer can come And though the Lord hath taken Peace from the Earth where Righteousness dwells not and one Mountain rises against another and beat one another to dust be not troubled at these things for they must be and also Famines Pestilences and Earthquakes in divers places they are but the beginning of Sorrows to them who have despised the Mercy and Long-sufferings of the Lord and hath sleighted and neglected the day of their Visitation which hath been for many years in which he hath strove with them by his Spirit and hath waited to be good and gratious to the worst of men but they have not known nor considered in this their day the things which belong to their peace I pray God it be not hid from their Eyes but we are commanded to say whatever befalls the world it shall go well with the Righteous in it therefore stand still in your Tent doors and quietly wait to see the Salvation of God thorow all these Overturnings which he suffers to be in the Earth Often would the Lord have gathered ENGLAND under the shadow of his Wing and Power but they I mean the greater part have refused to be gathered and hate to be reformed of this I am a living Witness they were invited to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb but they have made several Excuses yea wilful and obstinate refusals to come which hath kindled the wrath of the Master of the Feast to say they shall not taste at my Table And he will invite other Guests more hungry and willing to come who shall fill his House Of this we have and may yet be more Eye-witnesses for â—e is shaking the Earth and Heavens that that which is to be shaken may be removed that the Foundation which cannot be shaken may remain sure forever And he will gather his Sheep out of all Kingdoms and from all barren Mountains where they have been scattered in this cloudy
and dark night which hath continued for Ages and Generations before us Therefore dear Friends lift up your Heads in the dominion of Gods power of which you are made partakers for your deliverance by it if you continue in it to the end is determined of God let none expect deliverance by outward might nor power that is by the Arm of flesh for that will fail and wither as the Grasâ— But in Mount Zion is deliverance according to the Word of the Lord and in the Remnant whom he hath chosen So mind not the Busles and Hurryings in the world nor the Overturnings among men for through all these things will the Lord set up the Kingdom of his beloved Son which is a Spiritual Kingdom of Peace and Righteousness The Earth was filled with Violence before the Flood and as it was in the days of Noah so it is at the coming of the Son of man and had Noah joyned with the violence of the Old World he had been drowned with them but he loved Righteousness and walked in it before the Lord in that Generation and therefore the Lord â—ad mercy upon him and delivered him from that general destruction which drowned the World of ungodly men The Earth is now filled with Violence and corrupted through Iniquity and the Lord hath begun to visit the Nation with his sore displeasure therefore to your Habitation in the Lord Oh! ye his Israel And power is given to the Devourer who is without to destroy much flesh The unbaptized in heart shall fall by the Sword of the Lord who hath resisted his holy Spirit as did the uncircumcised in the days of Old this was is and will be the Ruin of all empty Professions upon the Earth for he is not a Christian that is one outward neither is that Baptism that is outward in the Flesh but he is a Christian who is one inward and Baptism is that of the Heart in the Spirit whose praise is not of men but of God And the saving knowledge of Christ is not after the flesh 2 Cor. 5 16. For henceforth know wâ— him so no more that is after the flesh and nâ— man knows the things of God but the Spirit of God it must be received and knowledge waiâ—ed fâ—r by and through it which â—lone is ordained of God to give to all mankind knowledge and understanding in things relating to his Kingdom it is the Root and Foundation of all true Religion and without it there is none true in the Earth the true Worship stands in it now as in times past which shall end the Temple worship that stands in bodily exercise it will be left to be trodden down of the Gentiles for it is the outward Court where the glory of God shines not but the inward Court are the Spiritual Worshippers before the Alâ—ar where the presence of God opens Life and the treasury of it to the Soul which they pertake of who wait to be renewed in Spirit before the Lord. And now my beloved Friends and Brethren as we are made a compleat Body in him our heavenly Head let an holy and heavenly Harmony he continued amongst us for Unity is our strength therefore labour to retain and keep it every where that every Member of the Body may be nouriâ—hed and kept alive by vertue of the Life within and have a tender care of disjoynting any living Member but let all be edified together in Love and every Member act in its place to the honour of the Head and above all keep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace for so is the Will of God concerning us that our Sons may be as Plants growing up in their Youth walking the Steps of their Fathers and our Daughters as Virgins with their Lamps trimed and burning waiting for the Bridegroom and be stedfast in him and in the Word of his Grace and keep the holy order of the Gospel without wavering and let every wholsom Order that is established among you which is Comly and of good Report be kept up and practised keep the Reign of Truth and Power of God over every Evil-doer without partiality so will the Lord crown you with dominion over the power of darkness every where for the true Light of which we have born testimony is the Seed of the Kingdom of God which must increase till by it the knowledge of the glory of God again cover the Earth as the Waters cover the Sea therefore cherish this Seed every where in whomsoever it is arising for it is the Life and Power of Godliness not the form that must in rich the World with Righteousness and fill the Earth with Blessings And if we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel or proclaim any other Name then that which you have received and in which you have believed and found Salvation and deliverance receive us not into your Houses for God is one and his Name one and there is not another by which any man can be saved this name is Jesus the Anointed of God the Father who is now come to save his People from not in there Sin mark that for so he was Gods Salvation in the true Gospel Day and so we have proclaimed him in our day and many have so received him to whm he hath given Power to become his Sons and Daughters Servants and Handmaids in his House who are his Flock and Family and hath Bread enough and living Water in their own Vessels and none need go no more forth all holy Praises be given to the Lord and to the Lamb forever and ever Finally dear Friends and Brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might and the God of Peace be with you all strengthen stablish settle you upon the Rock of Ages in full and perfect unity with God and one with another in which I bid you all Farewell and remain Reigate in Surrey the 2d of 9th Month 1693. Your true Friend and Brother in the Bond of Love and Peace AMBROSE RIGGE