Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A56017
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A general epistle to friends everywhere who have received, believe and know the truth of God as it is in Jesus.; General epistle to friends every where.
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Parke, James, 1636-1696.
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1687
(1687)
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Wing P370; ESTC R216935
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12,984
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17
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roots how can any good Fruit be expected from such Trees but an utter withering But my dear Friends in this time of freedom and outward liberty feel the just and holy One at liberty and to have freedom in all your hearts that there the just may not suffer by the unjust for that vexeth and grieveth the Holy Spirit when any go into that which is evil and commit iniquity in the sight of the Lord that quencheth the Spirit of God 't is all out of the Truth and judged by it and still all is to keep down to that which judgeth down the evil in its first motion in the heart or appearance there then it will not get place to have dominion but you will all in the Name and Power of the Lord have dominion over and Reign over that which is evil which formerly Ruled in your mortal Bodies to the dishonour of God. And Friends Let all beware of Covetousness which is Idolatry Let not any of you covet an evil Coveteousness to your House or to set your Nests on High and keep out of all defrauding cunning over reaching of one another or any which you are concern'd in Trade or otherwise with Oppress not the Poor wrong no man but give unto all that which is their due without grudging Avoid dishonest Gain or making crasty advantages of any person to make your Families Great or Rich in the World. Neither let your hearts be lifted up when you obtain the World in abundance consider you are but as Stewards of it for a little time and must give an Account to the creator of all things how you use it or what good or hurt you have done with it or by it daily take a view of the uncertainty of all visible things and why somtime they are given to the owners thereof to their hurt for it s not that in themselves they are hurtful but because many times they are ill used or abused but at the best not to be trusted in therefore 't is better to be Rich in saith and rich in good Works whilst we abide here in this earthly Tabernacle for every good Tree brings forth good Fruit although the evil Tree bring forth the corrupt evil Fruit therefore all that profess Repentance towards God and Faith in Christ Jesus ought to bring forth good Fruit even Fruit meet for Repentance whereby our heavenly Father may be Glorified and we may be Recorded in the Book of Life as those that are preserved good and faithful Servants to God in our Generation that have pass'd the time of our Sojourning here in the fear of God and finished our course with Joy unto whom an everlasting Crown and Kingdom is prepared and will be given to possess and inherit unto all Eternity O what will a profession of God and knowledg of his Will avail any that are not faithful to God in what he hath shewed them to be his Will Will it not tend to their greater Condemnation Will it not add to their wo and misery in the day of Judgment or when Christ shall enter into Judgment with them and not only Judge Peoples words and works but as Paul said He shall Judge the secrets of all mens Hearts He searcheth the Heart and trieth the Reins 'T will be in vain to seek to hide or cover any sin and evil from him that will search and find out all the hidden works of darkness and dishonesty which any would hide or cover from the Lord who seeth all and will assuredly reward every man according to his works such as every one soweth such must they Reap He that soweth to the Flesh of the Flesh shall Reap corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit of the Spirit shall reap Life Everlasting it is certainly a fearful and dangerous thing to fall into the hands of the living God for disobedience to his Will and holding the Truth in Vnrighteousness for to know God and not to glorifie him as God nor to walk in obedience and thankfulness to him for his benefits this displeaseth the Lord and indeed this is the cause why some convinced among us and know the Truth become vain in their Imaginations whose foolish hearts is darkned and are not obedient to what was manifest in them neither are they Righteous nor walk as becomes the precious Truth of God but through Disobedience and Unrighteousness dishonour God and his Truth which they profess causing the Holy and Righteous way of God to be evil spoken of also causing some to stumble and take offence at the way of God by their unfaithfulness and disorderly walking for whosoever looks out at them were not like to be drawn nearer to Truth but rather driven further from it by the evil Conversation of them that obey not the Truth but do that which is contrary And dear Friends you that have Families of Children or Servants and are set of God over them walk wisely towards them instructing them to fear the Lord to hate evil and love that which is good Teach your Children and Servants the way of God wherein you have found peace and safety that they may come to enjoy the same that you and your Families may serve the Lord and walk together in his way in which is no evil not any thing that can corrupt any Family People or Nation In this way of the Lord his Blessing is felt and experienced to the great satisfaction of all the undefiled in the way Let not any Corruption or Sin have liberty and go unreproved in your Families by a foolish pitty or indulgence towards your Children or negligence of them and your Servants Eternal Good and Happiness but keep a watchful eye and care over all in vour Families that none get up into Pride or run out into Evil and corrupt Words neither any evil way fashion or work which may displease the Lord wound their own Souls and be your grief and sorrow for it will be so if any in your Families especially under a profession of the Truth do that which is evil And you that are Parents or Masters of Families and have not endeavoured to restrain them how will you then be clear of them if they perish in their Iniquity Therefore I beseech you who are Governours of Families Professing the Truth fail not to discharge your duty to all in your Families unto whom you may be instruments of good be of a ready mind to warn and correct them in the love of God when they speak or do evil then there is need for it whether they will hear or forbear do what you can in the Light and Spirit of God to reclaim them from the evil of their waies and doings that they together with you may say and do that which is good and right in the sight of the Lord our God who knoweth but as you are found faithful in this needful work of Teaching your Families the way of the Lord but that you may save many Souls from Death in
your respective Families And thus indeed and in truth you become even Saviours upon Mount Sion through Christ Jesus who was to turn Ungodliness from Jacob and who saves his People who look unto him work together with him and put their confidence in him so we receive power from him to deny our selves and take up our daily Cross and follow the Lord fully in humility and lowliness of mind and by this power of the Lord so dwelling in it all will be inabled to keep in subjection that which would exalt it self against the appearance of the Lord in you It will bring down every high thought and vain imagination it will make self of no reputation in every particular and Friends never had more need to mind the Light and bring their deeds to it believe in it and walk in it than now when even Satan transforms himself into the likeness of an Angel of Light and Truth and his Ministers also as Ministers of Christ and as in the Light of the Lamb Christ Jesus all keep and abide walking you will see and be able to put a difference betwixt the Divine Light and Truth and the likeness of it howsoever transformed by the prince of Darkness for by the Light of the Lord you will all see Light to comprehend all the transformations of the Devil and Satan in all his appearances with what fair shews or under what specious pretences soever he may appear unto you or amongst you the cunning Serpent is at work with his transformed likenesses of the heavenly things of God let none look out at that nor think any worse of the Light and Truth of God because that even Satan transforms himself into the likeness of an Angel of Light and his Angels profess Gods precious Truth and talk of it with enticing words that mans wisdom teacheth all this God permits that they who are approved may be made manifest that all Friends may search and try their waies and works and be more confirmed upon the tried Stone elect and precious which God hath laid in Sion for a Foundation and another Foundation can no man lay than that which is already laid which not any thing can move or overthrow but it stands and remains the same firm Rock of Ages still upon this dear Friends do but keep and abide and then none of these things which only is suffered of the Lord to come to try us shall be able to move any of us from our stability in the Truth Light Life and Power of the Lord God The Gates of Hell shall never prevail against this invincable Rock of Ages Christ Jesus upon whom the faithful are built a Spiritual Houshold unto God and are become to him a chosen Generation and a Royal Priest-hood to offer up to him the Spiritual Sacrifice of Praise and of a broken Heart which is accepted of the Lord and surely we who are the Children of God and his day had never more need to be continually with God and see him in the mount than now when there is so much declining from God and departure from the Faith and I believe many of you are very sensible that the mistery of Iniquity now worketh whereby Satan sets himself and Agents at work to let and hinder the work of the Lord and yet they cry Lord Lord have not we prophesied in thy Name c. But are workers of Iniquity which coming to be seen and discovered by the Light of the Lord by that also is condemned which lets the Saints in Light see over it and the mischievous intent of such workers where they come that are workers of Iniquity their works manisest what workmen they are unto whom the Lord will say I know you not depart from me Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so do these resist the Truth professed by them being men of corrupt minds and sensual altho they may still return good Words and fair Speeches and so deceive the Hearts of the simple with their seducing Spirit and sowing Discord Division and corrupt Seed which I do entreat you all in the love of God and care for your Souls good to beware of and not to believe every Spirit but try them with the Light and Spirit of God which he hath given you whereby you may see and discern clearly betwixt Spirit and Spirit the true from the false and the things of God from those things that are contrary which he never wrought nor ever delighted in all which is to be denyed and shut out for by the Spirit of the Lord God none can own or joyn with that which works against the truth scatters from it instead of gathering to it or that which under pretence of most Christian would lay waste the Heritage of God and set up fleshly Liberty instead of true Christianity In the Name of the Lord and with his Light and Truth see and fathom over all that which is not of God which shall not stand And Friends feel the Ear open that trieth words as the Pallat tasteth Meats that you all the Spiritual Meat may feed upon and not upon that which perisheth or dieth of it self but that which endures to everlasting Life at the Lord's Table all feed upon and be filled with that and a living Hunger will be encreased in you all after that which is pure more and more to the renouncing of that which is dirty defiled and impure under what pretence or colour soever it may appear or what fine dress or gloss soever it may be presented to you in by such as may presume to speak in the Name of the Lord amongst you that are not really of us but are gon out into a self-separation from us and impose their disunion and disorder in the Church of God in opposition to that wholsom Union and Order which that Church maintains and is in the practice of which tends to present it to God holy and without blame before him without spot or wrinkle or any thing that defiles works abomination or loves and makes a Lye all which shall in no wise enter into the Holy City which comes down from God out of Heaven the seducing Spirit is of the Enemy the Father of Lies and leadeth from the Truth into Lies and Error falshood and deceit and who are led by this Spirit they forge Lies and speak Lies in Hypocrisie having their Consciences seared they grow self-will'd stubborn and hard-hearted and appear hard through the deceitfulness of sin that dwelleth in them losing the true tenderness and brokenness of heart that for a time appeared in some of them before they let in this pernicious Spirit and gave heed to it that liberty which now they are in and wrangle for it was hateful to some of them whereby they corrupt one another so they raise their mountain and set their unholy mountain against and in opposition to the Lord 's Holy Mountain or the Mountain of the Lord's House which is to be established a top