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spirit_n ghost_n holy_a scripture_n 19,615 5 6.1818 4 true
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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A39303 An epistle to friedns [sic] by Thomas Ellwood. Ellwood, Thomas, 1639-1713. 1681 (1681) Wing E619; ESTC R37790 10,254 11

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which is a part of the Persecution inflicted on Friends by the World and at length also setting up separate Meetings in Opposition to the Meetings of God's People Although I say these Fruits are sufficient of themselves to discover and manifest to an Vnclouded mind what Spirit that is and must needs be that hath brought them forth Yet inasmuch as some partly through weakness of Iudgment and partly through personal Affection to some of those leading Separatists are yet in danger to be betrayed by their fair words and fained speeches wherewith they ly in wait to deceive I feel a concern remain upon my Spirit in the love of God to warn all such that they joyn not with nor give Countenance unto that Spirit that hath thus wrought against the Lord and against his People For Friends In the holy fear of the living God and in the Openings of the Spring of his pure life in my Soul at this time and from the certain knowledge and clear demonstration which I have received from him therein I testifie and declare unto you that this Spirit which in this day hath run out and hath drawn out some into Opposition against the way and work of the Lord into Division and Separation from the People of the Lord and from the holy Assemblies which the Lord hath gathered and by his powerful presence hath owned and daily doth own this Spirit I say is the same with that which hath formerly wrought in other appearances against the Truth in our time and is the same with that Spirit that wrought against the work of the Lord in the dayes of the holy Apostles This Mistery of Iniquity then wrought and caused many to turn aside and to leave the right way of the Lord and to forsake the Assemblies of Gods People Heb. 10.25 yea and to run into Separation too Jude 19. Upon whom the Holy Ghost hath set this Brand That they were Sensual having not the Spirit And many close and sharp Testimonies did the Lord give forth through his Servants in that day against this Spirit and against those that were joyned to it and acted by it as may be seen in the holy Scriptures Yea Friends this Spirit that hath led some now to set up their Separate Meetings is the same that led Ieroboam the Son of Nebat to set up his Separate Altar at Be●hel of which you may read 1 Kings 12 13 Chapters He was afraid that if the people should continue to go up to the House of the Lord to do Sacrifice there as they had been accustomed to do and as the Lord had required they would then forsake him and return to the Lord again And this Spirit now is afraid that if they whom he hath seduced and drawn aside should still frequent the Assemblies of God's People and continue to meet with Friends as before that heavenly Power which is eminently manifest in the Meetings of God's People might at one time or other reach unto them touch their Hearts open the right Eye in them and give them to see the Mischief and Misery he is leading them into And therefore to prevent this and to keep his Captives close unto him he hath contrived to set up separate Meeetings in Opposition to the Meetings of God's appointment as Ieroboam set up his separate Altar in Opposition to the Altar which God had commanded to be set up and to keep the People from going thereto And so subtill● did this Spirit work then as well as now that Ieroboam contrived to have his false Worship bear some resemblance to the true that he might he more easily beguil the people For he ordained a Feast like unto the Feast that was in Judah 1 Kings 12.32 but it was in the Month which he had devised of his own heart vers 33. Mark that there is a Blot upon it how fair or specious soever the Worship he set up appeared or seemed to be yet it was but the device of his own heart it was neither appointed by God nor accepted of God For you may read in the 13th Chapter that the Lord sent a Prophet a Man of God out of Iudah to Bethel And he cried against the Altar in the Word of the Lord and prophesied the Destruction thereof by Iosiah which was afterwards outwardly fulfilled as you may read 2 Kings 23 15 c. Now Iosiah signifies The fire or burning of the Lord. And in the holy dread of the living eternal God I declare The fire of the Lord is kindled and kindling against this accursed separating Spirit and against its work and against all that joyn with it therein Therefore all fear before the mighty God and stand still and consider your wayes and let none resist or reject the warning of the Lord lest such be hardened to destruction For Ieroboam you may read stood by his separate Altar vers 1. And when he heard the saying of the man of God which he cryed against the Altar in Bethel he put forth his hand saying Lay hold on him But his hand which he put forth against him dryed up so that he could not pull it in again to him ver 4. O Friends consider How hath driness and withering come upon many a great and stout One in this day who have lifted up themselves against the Lord and have sought by the devices of their own Hearts to establish themselves in their own way against the way of the Lord so that the hand they have put forth in that work they could not pull in again Now mind I pray you Friends and observe the way of the working of this Spirit in that day Here was the Enmity the rough nature of Cain and Esau the Spirit of Persecution got up first in Ieroboam to dismay the man of God Lay hold of him says he But when he saw that would not do then the Subtle Serpent the Crafty Fox the Fair Speeches the Smooth Words the Seeming Friendship and Shew of kindness to Betray him Come home with me says he to the man of God and refresh thy self and I will give thee a Reward ver 7. O Friends stand in the Fear and Counsel of the Lord and in the Dominion of his Power over this wicked Spirit in all its Twistings and Twinings Let neither the Frowns nor the Fawnings the Threats nor the Flatteries the hard Speeches nor the Oyly Words the Pharisaical Friendship the dissembling Love the seeming Kindness the familiar Carriage the free Entertainment the fine Bit the Offer of Advantages c. have any Influence upon you to draw you in the least measure to joyn or touch with God's Enemy with him that sets up a separate Altar a Separate Meeting in Opposition to and to draw or keep from the right way of the Lord mind well the Answer which the man of God gave to Ierobam's tempting invitation If said he thou wilt give me half thine house I will not go in with thee neither will I eat