Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	form_n	prayer_n	use_v	5,241	5	6.1492	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A46888	The strong man armed cast out and his goods spoiled, or, The poor man sitting at Jesus's feet clothed and in his right mind being a true convert's testimony of the power of the Lord in turning the soul from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God ... / formerly given forth in writing unto my relations and acquaintance the professors called Independents in Nottinghamshire, declaring the cause of my leaving their assemblies ... by James Jackson, formerly a parish priest and a teacher amongst the Independents and now ... made willing to take up the daily cross and walk with the despised followers of the Lamb in scorn called Quakers.	Jackson, James, fl. 1674-1708.	1674 (1674)	Wing J75; ESTC R34953	24,289	34

not ashamed to deny that Christ is come in the Flesh indeed both they and their Grandmother the Church of Rome are willing to confess that Christ was come but the Scripture is plain That every Soul that confesseth not that Christ is come in the Flesh the same is Antichrist 3. They fear not daily to Blaspheme the Holy Spirit of God but call it A Spirit of Delusion and A Spirit of Error and most presumptuously say of them that are sanctified guided taught and anointed by the Holy Ghost That they are led by the Spirit of the Devil 4. They trample under Foot the Blood of the Covenant counting it a Weak and Unholy Thing while they impudently affirm That the best of God's Saints yea if he had no purer Saints then they are cannot be free from sin whilst they breath upon Earth when the Scriptures witness that the Blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin 5. They preach another Gospel Now the Scripture is plain That if any man or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto us then what we have already received let him be accursed Gal. 1.9 Now how can ye believe that they are Ministers of the Gospel when they know not what the true Gospel is For saith Paul I certifie unto you Brethren that the Gospel which I preach is not after man for I neither received it neither was I taught it of man but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ But your Teachers deny any such Revelation in these dayes wherefore it is hereby evident that they are Thieves crept in some other wayes and bring another Gospel then that whereof Paul was a Minister as he witnessed to the Collossians Chap. 1.23 saying Be not moved from the Hope of the Gospel which ye have heard and which was preached IN EVERY CREATURE under Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In universa creatura whereof I Paul am a Minister And this is the Word of Faith which we preach even Christ the Word who is in thy Heart and in thy Mouth saith Paul Rom. 10. which all have heard and the Sound thereof is gone through the whole World But these men labour to pervert the Gospel and turn men from it saying That the Light of Christ in every man's Conscience is not the Substance of the Gospel nor the Power of God to Salvation 6. They have indeed a Form of Godliness but want the Power and well for them if that was the worst But they magnifie and cry up a Form and utterly reject despise and deny the Power which is the immortal Seed Christ Jesus the Light within and from such we are commanded to turn away Their Prayers and Sermons are made contrived studied and composed in their own Time Wills and Wisdom but are Strangers to the Life Power and Spirit of Prayer and deny that Christ speaks in any which is evident that he doth not speak in them They cry up and plead earnestly for Water-Baptism which Christ never Administred Instituted or Commanded to be Administred and yet they call it Christ's Ordinance Some saying Without this no Salvation and the rest say With such as wilfully neglect this have no Communion But if they had ever undergone and felt the Powerful Lively Purifying and throughly cleansing Efficacy of the Spirit 's Baptism they would know it sufficient without the Help of their Dead Cold Idolized Water-Works They are greatly affected with that Bread and Wine which after breathing upon by the Pastor is not Common but Be-sainted and so comes to be called the Lord's Supper It is evident hereby that they never did eat of that Flesh which is Bread indeed nor drink of that Blood which is Drink indeed Now it is certain that all Pictures Images Shadows Resemblances Figures and Representations which any people live in and plead for do clearly argue That they are destitute of the Power Life and Substance yea who●ely ignorant of his Living Presence in whom is hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge And as they believe in one at a great Distance from them out of their View and Knowledge so is it very convenient they think to necessitate these Carnal Ordinances to reduce their unmindful and forgetful Thoughts into more serious Remembrance till he come And yet these men will condemn the Papists though they be far short of their Devotion in this very Thing And so are they seen in the Light to be Wolves in Sheep's Cloathing ravened from the Life and Power of those Saints whom they are imitating upon the Stage of their Formal Profession Wherefore my dear Frieds Come out from amongst them and be ye separate lest ye be drunk with the Wine of their Fornication For verily the Lord is risen to plead his own Cause and be a swift Witness against these Sorcerers who are sporting themselves in the day time And as those Souldiers regarded not a Crucified Jesus so near them but their Minds were taken up in parting casting Lots for his Raiment so these men are so exercised in the Out-sides of Religion Ordinances so called and Worship that they are not at all concerned with the In-side which is the Life and Power of Godliness even Christ within the Hope of Glory Answ 5. And Lastly As I have plainly declared the Reasons of my departing from your Assemblies so shall I witness faithfully to the Truth as it is known and practised by the Holy People of God called Quakers with whom I now walk and of whom I declare and testifie First That they are built and rooted in upon the Right Foundation even Christ Jesus the Lord who is their Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption in whom alone they are justified by Faith and saved That Root from whence they receive Life Nourishment Power and Growth is the only Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles the Rock of Ages the Stone which your Builders and thei● Brethren the Priests ever rejected disallowed and set at nought which is Christ in us the Hope of Glory Whereupon it is evident that we differ in the Root from all the People in the World though of several Forms and Perswasions For plainly the Papists Prelates Presbyters Baptists and Independents though they all differ in their Forms Appearances and Circumstantial Opinions yet do they all agree and meet in one and the same Faith Foundation and Root The Words Writings Declarations and Testimonies of the Saints recorded in Scripture are the Foundation and Ground of all the Professing People in the World and all of them being Strangers to that one Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures are run into several Sects and Opinions as they do carnally understand and conceive they have Rule and Teaching in the Bible But however they will own no other Light Law Gospel Rule Revelation and Word of God but their Bibles But now this peculiar People whom the Lord hath gathered from amongst all the Babylonish Confusions and Divisions under Heaven are built upon the Foundation

is Unchangeable Incorruptible and Eternal without Beginning of Dayes or End of Time and so are not the Scriptures Answ 2. Nevertheless we prefer the Holy Scriptures as they were given forth by the Holy Spirit of God and believe them to be a true Declaration of God and of his Word Answ 3. Yet do we prefer Christ Jesus the Light above the Scriptures for in all Things he must have the Preheminence therefore saith John the Baptist I prefer him before me for he is before me though in Appearance John was seemingly before Christ Before Abraham was I am said he Wherefore know that we build not upon the Holy Prophets and Blessed Apostles their Words Works Writings and Experiences but we are built upon the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ himself being the Foundation and the chief Corner-Stone so that we have not received our Light Life Peace Comfort Faith Hope and Assurance from the Writings of the Saints but from him that was their Light Life Hope Root and Foundation and have our Teaching from that Light whereby Abel Enoch Noah Abraham Isaac Jacob and Joseph walked with and pleased God long before any Scriptural Rules were manifested Answ 4. Neither are the Scriptures the only Rule to judge of Doctrines for we know the Scriptures are hard to be understood and therefore Men in their carnal Wisdom are putting their several Meanings upon one and the same Scripture wherefore we say the Spirit of God is the only Judge of Doctrines because he alone that gave forth knows the Meanings of Scriptures 1 Cor. 2.10 For the Spirit searcheth all Things yea the Deep Things of God Answ 5. Nor yet do I believe that the Scriptures were the only Means which Christ made Use of to overcome and repel the Tempter in the Wilderness for we observe Satan pleaded Scripture as well as Christ till he took indeed the Sword of the Spirit which is his Divine Power and commanded him saying Get thee behind me Satan then the Devil left him but not before he was thus expelled Object 3. But this Doctrine of the Light within is opposed by all the able learned Divines so call'd in the Nation yea the most eminent Preachers amongst the Presbyters Independents and Baptists do condemn it for Erroneous and Divelish Delusion Answ 1. It 's true this Doctrine hath been and is a Stone of Stumbling a Rock of Offence unto all Sorts Forms of Professors in the World especially the Priests Preachers are most inveterately incensed against it because the Craft by which they have gotten great Gain is hereby especially impared nevertheless the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against it the Truth is strong and will prevail yea it doth and will flourish in Despight of all the Scorns Injuries Opposition and Villany of the World Answ 2. The Scriptures are plain that God hath hid these Things from the Wise and Prudent in the World and hath revealed them unto Babes Behold therefore ye Despisers and wonder for this is the Work which God hath wrought in your Day which ye will not believe though it be declared unto you Answ 3. And as for those Preachers among the Presbyters c. who oppose this Doctrine this I affirm and testifie against them though they come in Sheeps Cloathing that is have gotten a more refined Way of Profession then others and cover themselves with the Words of the Prophets and Apostles yet inwardly are they Ravening Wolves they are inwardly Ravened from the Light and Life of those Saints whose Words they have taken up yea it is an easie Thing to prove against the best of them that they live in Sin and plead for it Answ 4. Whoever deny reproach and oppose this Doctrine are none of Christ's Ministers as will appear from a due Examination of their Call Doctrine and Practice Who sent them God or Man What do they preach the Word of God or the Words of Men Is their Life and Conversation Humble Meek Self-denying and Heavenly Or is it not Proud Fierce Self-seeking and Worldly Now our Lord Jesus hath left upon Record one Infallible Rule whereby we may know which are true Gospel-Ministers and which are not and as it is granted that Christ was a true Gospel-Minister so it is expected that all Gospel-Ministers be like him in their Measure for saith Christ to his Father As thou sent me into the World so have I sent them into the World Joh. 17. And when he sent forth his Disciples to them he saith As the Father sent me even so send I you Hereby then it will easily be discerned that these Preachers who so bitterly Rage and Rail against the Light within are never an one of them Christ's Ministers but Idol-Shepherds Lyars and False Prophets Qualification 1. Christ was the Son of God and known to be so before he undertook or exercised in the Ministry for the Lord foreseing what after came to pass by Peoples running into several Opinions and Doctrines of men gave this Charge and Testimony from Heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear him In like manner every true Believer is a Son of God generated of the immortal Seed born anew by the Operation of the Spirit made a real Partaker of the Divine Nature liveth in and hath Union with God through Faith in Christ for to as many as receive him he giveth Power to become the Sons of God Qualif 2. He was immeasurably anointed with the Spirit and was known to be so for saith John He that sent me to baptize the same said unto me On whomsoever thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining the same is he So may true Gospel-Ministers be known for they are as really anointed with the Holy Spirit of God as Christ was though not so equally yea every believing Soul is indued with this Spirit these are the Anointed ones of the Lord and whoever want this Spirit they are none of his And as Christ commanded his Disciples to abide at Jerusalem till they had received this Vnction so whoever undertake to preach before they have receiv'd this Power from the Lord they Run and he sent them not Qualif 2. He endured and conquered the Assaults and Temptations of Satan in the Wilderness by virtue of his Sonship and Unction before he was ever known to preach the Gospel in like manner all the true Children of God are taken into Fellowship with Christ in his Tryals Temptations and Sufferings but especially such as have been call'd unto more eminent publick Work have met with greatest Conflicts Wraftlings and Temptations that they might be kept humble before the Lord and also be fitly disposed to speak a Word in due season for the Relief of such as are brought under the same Trouble Qualif 4. In the Power Virtue and Strength of his Son-ship Unction and Conquest he went out and preached the Gospel that is proclaimed Glad Tidings of the Grace and