Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	ghost_n	holy_a	scripture_n	19,615	5	6.1818	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29649	The way to the Sabbath of rest, or, The souls progress in the work of regeneration being a brief experimental discourse of the new-birth in which many of the serpents wiles are detected, the mysteries of the Cross unvailed, the death of the old man, the life of the new man, the angelical dispensation, with the entrance to the divine / clearly laid open and discovered by Mr. Thomas Bromley.	Bromley, Thomas, 1629-1691.	1692 (1692)	Wing B4888B; ESTC R35790	39,085	70

much upon Imagination sometimes taking advantage of the strong Influences of the external Heavens and if we are so strong as to reject Thoughts which tempt to speculative Delight in Objects which our corrupt Nature formerly imbraced but now being changed abhorreth we shall find the Evil One drawing us to close with and entertain thoughts not evil in themselves yet very evil to us because they present and feed the Soul with unprofitable Pictures which should be alone entertained with the sweet Meditation of Christs Love and the way to be compleated in it And I know many are exceedingly troubled with the working of their Imaginations on inconsiderable trifling Objects when as they dare not entertain any Thoughts grosly evil and where this State is grown into a long habit it will be difficult to come out of it though a Soul be very sensible of the Vanity of it and long to be freed from it as finding the Imagination in these workings to be like the Witch of Endor raising up the Old Prophet Samuel or the Inward Man from the sleep of Silence and innocent Stilness to be disquieted with vain Earthly things 1 Sam. 28.15 In this case therefore it concerns the Soul to stand continually upon its Watch lest it be sometimes snatcht away unawares and ingaged in Vanity before it sees where it is Here the continual Exercise of the Cross is very necessary that by it we may cast down imaginations and lead Captive every thought into the Obedience of Christ so that the chief work now is the reducing this moveable Sea into Subjection to the illuminated Understanding therefore the Soul prays and strives continually against the Power of Imagination and Activity of Thoughts which hinder the silent actings of the Intellect upon Eternity and supernatural Truths And here Faith and Perseverance are very needful We need Faith to believe that by the Power and strength of Christ we may overcome these Imaginations and Perseverance that we may not faint in the Way and give off the constant Exercise of the Cross in rejecting beating down and ceasing from these Motions of the imaginary faculty till we come to be conquerors and to Command them which is possible through Christ who is come into our World to destroy the Works of the Devil and to rule till he hath put all his Enemies under his Feet of which these idle Thoughts are a part And as the Soul here uses the Power it hath received from Christ in checking rejecting and beating down all idle thoughts as a means to overcome them so likewise it is oft Exercising of its Understanding upon the Eternal Love and free Grace of God and in considering the mystery of that Paradisical World in which the Angels and Spirits of the just are It much also reflects upon the Presence of its Saviour who hath promised to be with us to the end of the World filling all things in his Divine Nature for he continually stands at the Door and knocks so that the Soul waits every moment for the fulfilling of that Promise of his coming into it and supping with it Rev. 3.20 And this constant attending upon God with the Eye of the Understanding proves a very effectual mean to the destroying of those Imaginations which come to Entangle the Soul in unprofitable diversions In this practice the Understanding gets such power over the Imaginations that it enjoys almost a continual sight or apprehension of God's Presence and sees beyond the working of Imagination by the Eye of the Understanding enlightned and by little and little attains that strength that although we should have necessary occasion to take up our thoughts in some external Employment yet the Understanding pierceth thorough it and in the very time of exercising its reason on that particular it hath strong and clear Apprehensions of the Presence of God and the Spiritual World which clearly shews that Intellection or the true acting of the Understanding is somewhat beyond Reason which is not able to do two things at once and Act upon several Objects at the same instant And this constant Apprehension or Sense of the divine Presence is without any Fantasm it being in that Moment when the Phantasms are employed upon another Object and they having somewhat of materiality cannot afford that spiritual Sight and Apprehension such a Soul hath constantly of God which is without figure colour or similitude yet I must confess the usual Contemplations of the Soul in this state upon spiritual Objects whether of Paradise Angels supernatural Truths and Scripture Verities are not without the use of Phantasms which being ordered by Divine Light and Wisdom do in some measure according to their nature express spiritual Truth Though I confess this is far below the true Intellection of the Understanding informed with the presence of Divine Light in regard these Phantasms being generally drawn from Corporeal Objects cannot reach the essence of a Spirit And truly here the Soul plainly discovers its fall from the Divine Mind Image and Light in which it saw intuitively and could give Names according to the natures of things into the imaginary Spirit which belongs to this World and is too gross a Glass to express truly and essentially Spiritual Eternal Objects And here it appears how easily Man's Reason being the apt and methodical ordering of his Phantasms may misguide the Understanding in Spiritual things as in Comments upon Scriptures which were inspired by the Holy Ghost and wrote by Revelation and so require the help of that same Spirit to elevate the Understanding above Imagination in the true Interpretation of them especially in things which are out of the Road of those Moral V●●ities which the light of Nature impresseth upon Mens Consciences to steer them in their Lives and Conversations Then let us pray for that true Light Which gives a true and constant Sight Of God Christ Angels who do lie Much deeper than laps'd Reasons Eye Which in the Glass of Phantasie A lively Picture may espy But not the Essence of true Verity CHAP. IX THe Soul having arrived so far as to enjoy almost a continual apprehension of the Presence of God and Angels finds its self much freed from those vain thoughts which in former Dispensations were very troublesom But being Conquerour over these it must take heed lest the new Objects of Heaven Angels and spiritual Gifts set the Imagination too much a work in representing their Excellencies and picturing forth such a State of the Soul enriched with them which may yield too much imaginary Delight and draw the Spirit into the admiration of fine pleasant Pictures instead of the true Substance Therefore we are strictly to watch over the Phantasie which may easily err in this particular and not without great prejudices following upon it for first by such working of Imagination we come to slacken the Exercise of the Cross both upon Imagination its self which

Love as the second to Life and the first to Light corresponding with the threefold manifestation of Father Son and Holy Ghost But to speak much of the two last requires greater Experience than yet I have enjoyed Neither is it expedient to describe the first nor those Wonders which are in it in regard of that Blindness and general Enmity which is in Mens hearts against the deep Mysteries of God in Invisible Nature But after Ascension into the first the Soul becomes so much indued with the sense and apprehension of those Spiritual Mysteries it was there acquainted with and hath such a clear View of the outward World and of the Misery that most there lye in that it cannot but weep over the greatest part of Men as Christ did over Jerusalem as seeing them exceeding Ignorant of Eternity and so of their own Everlasting happiness and involved in the Spirit of the outward World where the Prince of the World holds them Captive and makes them Enemies to the Kingdom of Love in which there is no Enmity Covetousness Lust nor Deceit nor any such things as those are which in the World are most courted and admired After this also the Soul begins to discover the Evil Properties and Habits of Mens Spirits very much portrayed in their Faces discovering in their very Aspects and Signatures those Bestial and devillish Passions by which they are swayed and captivated within so that the Eye many times affects the Heart with grief in viewing the sad Estate of Souls estranged from the Life of Innocency and pure Virginity and imprisoned in the dark Chains of Corrupt flesh and blood Here likewise the Soul is exceeding Passive and much comprehended in deep abstract Silence by which it much enjoys unutterable Pleasures and Gusts from the inward ground of Eternity having much sense of the nearness of that Kingdom where the Angelical Thrones sing Hallelujahs and sport themselves in the Innocent delights of their Eternal Spheres and Luminous Mansions And as the Soul passeth from the first Mansion towards the second and third Jesus of Nazareth in his glorified Humanity begins to give great demonstrations of his Presence and to visit the inward Man with frequent and very great impressions so that it cannot doubt but that he is some times personally present infusing the Tincture of his glorified Body into the Heart which is sweeter than Hony and burns like Oil and fire mixed together And truly this Dispensation is exceeding comfortable and very weighty for the discovery of Christs presence sometimes swallows up the Soul into unspeakable Joy being transfused with the breath of his Mouth which is most Odoriferous and quickened by the touch of his Body which is most Delightful and pierced through with the Sound of his Voice which is most harmonious and powerful causing the Soul deeply to admire the Grace of God and to cry out with Thomas my Lord and my God In this dispensation Christ shews very powerfully the necessity of his Mediation as God-Man and that whatever we receive is through him who standing in the deepest Vnion with the Father conveys all Light Life and Love from himself into us who at the time of the Restitution of all things Act. 3.21 will again Breath the Holy Ghost on his chosen Vessels of which those in the Primitive time received but the first Fruits He also reveals in this state how the Mystery of Iniquity even the Spirit of Anti-Christ works in most Sects of Christians carrying them either to deny or slight the great Mystery of his Mediatory Office Or by misconceptions to cry up his Blood and Merits to the prejudice of Mortification Self-denyal and the Imitating of his most Innocent Life as our Pattern to walk by in this World Moreover in this Dispensation the Soul enjoys very great Openings of Eternity in the Heart which are different from Openings in the Head where the inward Senses of hearing and seeing are resident for whatever in a Divine Sight Eternity opening in the Head we clearly and distinctly view and behold the same in a Heart-opening we really feel and handle in a Spiritual way for in it we come experimentally to know and perceive the Motions and Administring Influences of Angels the Vertue and Efficacy of Christs universal and particular Body The Harmony Love and Enjoyments of the Spirits of Just Men made Perfect with much of the Glory and Majesty of that Kingdom prepared for us from the beginning of the World into which none can enter but those who have forsaken all for Christ and have devested themselves of all the Vestments of Corruption and have put on the Robe of Innocency which is the Garment of true Virginity in which they will not be ashamed to stand before the Son of Man in his Kingdom Then be ye wise Immortal Sparks of Fire And strive to get you Garments of pure Light In which you may from mortal Dregs retire Into that Glory where 's no Spot of Night O do but weigh how swiftly Time goes by And how all Earthly Pleasures rise and fall As soon as they a Being have they die And nothing can their hasty Joy recall But when the outward Garment is withdrawn Eternity presents its constant Face In which all Actions clearly will be shown Which ever have been wrought in Times short Race But such alone can there possessed be Of Happiness that have been born again Others will feel the Pangs of Misery Who in their Wills Corruption still retain Then die to Sin while on the Earth you live So after Death true Life you shall receive A Brief ESSAY In VERSE Upon the 13th Chapter of Corinthians the First 1. THo' I with Eloquence should vested be Above the Pitch of meer Humanity So as in Tongues with Angels for to Vie Yet all is Nothing without Charity Like Sounding Brass or the loud Cymbals Noise Without true Life I should but form a Voice 2. And tho' I have the Gift of Prophecy And hidden Wisdom be unvail'd to me So that in Knowledge equal I become To the great Soul of Mighty Salomon Yea tho' by Faith vast Hills I could remove Yet all is nothing without perfect Love 3. Tho' all my Goods on the Poor I bestow And so great Zeal for my Religion show As to consent my Flesh in Flames should burn Rather than from my Dear Opinion turn Yet thence no Profit to my Soul can rise Except to Love it's self 's a Sacrifice 4. This Love by its true Characters may be Distinguish'd from pretended Charity It perseveres in Patience and is kind Then when to try it all things seem combin'd Envies black Tincture it did never know Nor Ostentation in its great Deeds show 'T is not inflated but will kiss the Dust To help those Souls which in its Goodness trust 5. Comely to all it self it doth express Through Condescention seeking for to bless No Self-Love ever did its Actions stain It stoops to suffer to make others

the Harmony and agreement of Spirits and Natures as they were signatured in the first moment of Existency For Grace and the work of Regeneration do not destroy Our Natural signatures only rectifie them by that Heavenly Principle which reduceth all our Spirits into the highest perfection they are capable of by their primary Model and Frame Hence it appears that they are more Truly Brethren even according to Natural Nature who thus agree and correspond their Essences then they that are ordinarily called so who are many times very contrary signatur'd And the reason of this assertion is in that when our Natures come to their perfect rectitude and restauration by Union with God this secret propension and harmonious closing with those that are like-essenced remains whereas from meer natural Relation there nothing continues though in those who are related there may be this agreement too But meer Relation is not the cause of it but that secret Law of influence which God hath established to signature some one way some another some in much agreement and proportion others more differing tho' all representing something of that variety which is wrapt up in the Unity of the Eternal Nature I could not but give an hint of this because It may open some things concerning Relations which may lye dark to those who know not the deepest ground and Root of them But I shall proceed to the further opening of those Enjoyments which flow from Union with new Relations which come now to be very dear because the ground of their Relation is so pure and good being not of Man or the Will of Man but of God Here we shall experience the happy effects of our pure Union which produces that Divine Love that none can know but those that enjoy it But this will be strongest where there is most Harmony and Agreement in Spirits and Natures because the Eternal Tincture works upon and through every thing occording to its Nature and Capacity Hence we come to enjoy more from some than others and some from us receive more than others But that Brotherly-love and friendship which now come to be renewed in Spirit far transcend any enjoyments meerly Natural And whatsoever we parted with in dying to all Earthly affection and its Objects we regain in the Resurrection of our Spirits in this pure Love which is not Affection but something above it not consisting in sudden out-flowings and eruptions but in a constant sweet inclination and secret propension of the Spirit to those which are one with it in the pure Life And this good-willingness is so great that from it the Soul could give its Life or if there were any thing dearer than Life for its Brother and choose Sufferings to free others from them In this state there will be a sympathizing in Joy and Sorrow and where the Union is eminently great there may be some knowledge of each others Conditions at a distance which comes from their being essenced in each others Spirits and Tinctures which is the cause of this invisible Sympathy And they that are in this near Union feel a mutual in-dwelling in the pure Tincture and Life of each other and so the further we come out of the animal Nature the more universal we are and nearer both to Heaven and to one another in the Internal and the sitter Instrumentally to convey the pure streams of the Heavenly Life to each other which no external distance can hinder For the Divine Tincture being such a spiritual Virtue as Christ imprinted into the Heart of the Disciples with whom he talked after his Resurrection making their hearts to burn within them is able to pierce through all distance and reach those that are far absent because it is not Corporeal nor Subject to the Laws of place or time Now this is known to some by Experience who in absence enjoy such influences of Spirit and secret Insinuations of Spiritual Virtue from one another that they cannot but value this Spiritual Communion above all Enjoyments in the World which compared to it seem but like the basest Metal to the purest Gold Then quit that wretched state Immortal Soul Where poyson'd Ghosts in flesh together roul And take thy flight into that Mount of Love Where New-born Spirits in bright Bodies move And sport themselves in that Eternal Joy Which totally excludes Lusts base alloy Lust's left below for those that flesh desire Love dwells on High Love fills the Heavenly Quire CHAP. XI THE Love which in this Spiritual Union before described we come to enjoy is unexpressibly refreshing proving to be sweeter than the Hony or the Hony Comb and continually raiseth the Soul to the true Fountain of it who being the true cause of all pure Union both preserves and increaseth it But the Soul now having a View and Experience of the Beauty and Sweetness of the Spirits of other Christians and of the Excellency of that Love which may be enjoyed through them may if it be not prevented by much self-denyal and Watchfulness suffer very much Selfishness to spring up in a new Dress for here may arise Spiritual Covetousness or a desire of engrossing Spirits to ones self Here Spiritual Pride may also discover it self in desiring much esteem of such Envy likewise may start up against those we fear may draw them from us or enjoy more Love from them than our selves and so all other Selfish Affections may here croud in in a refined dress And as these Spiritual Evils may flow from the sight of the Excellency and suitableness of the Spirits of other Christians so also they may break in upon us from large and Eminent Gifts of the Spirit 2 Cor. 12.7 For we seeing the Amiableness and Worth of these may come immoderately to desire them may fear to have them Eclipsed may reflect too much upon our selves in the enjoying of them may look too much after Eminency in the use of them and in a word may take too much Complacency in the pleasant fruition of them even to an hindrance of our looking up to the Fountain as all in all If then the Soul be here entangled as it is hard totally to escape it must fly to the Cross and lay the Ax to the Root of the Tree of Self that so it may be hewn down and cast into the Fire And it must pray for the Sword of Power to circumcise and cut off this refined Selfishness as it did the grosser part And to take away this Propriety and Self-ownment of all Spirits Gifts and Graces Here we must come to offer up the very Good it self as Abraham did Isaac to God the Fountain and Bestower Here we must dye to the Coveting of any Spirit Grace Vision Revelation Rapture or sensible Comfort Here we must come to be nothing in all these to enjoy them as though we enjoyed them not and not to reflect upon our selves on any account to rejoyce to see others