Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	heart_n	law_n	sin_n	7,752	5	4.9628	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86486	The true guide: or, A short treatise wherein is shewed how the weakest Christian may be able to discerne the true way of the spirit of God, from all false and erroneous ways. Very usefull and necessary for weake Christians, that are willing to know and be led in the truth, in these distracted times, wherein so many errours and divisions abound. / By a lover of the truth, R.H. Viewed and approved by diverse worthy ministers of the city of London. Printed according to order.	Hollingworth, Richard, 1607-1656.	1646 (1646)	Wing H2499; Thomason E344_8; Thomason E375_2; ESTC R200956	13,028	21

remembrance of him So if any shall perswade you from praying telling you God hath decreed what he will do and you cannot change the mind of God not alter his decree by your prayers and so from craving a blessing on the creatures or from giving thanks after meat know this is not Gods spirit but from Satan Therefore say to such as Christ to Peter Get thee behinde me Satan thou art an offence to me for these motions are contrary to these Scriptures 1 Thess 5.17 James 1.5 Matth. 7.7 to 12. 1 Tim 4.4 5. Deut. 8.10 When thou hast eaten and filled thyself thou shalt blesse the Lord thy God c. Q. 3. Then may I be led with every one that brings Scripture A. No not always for none are readier to produce Scriptures then seducers Q. How then shall I know the difference A. Observe these two rules to know deceivers by First those that are deceivers they wil practise many things they have no rule from Scripture for as the old Prophet 1 Kings 13. had no rule from Scripture to cause the young Prophet to eat and drink but a pretended revelation So what warrant out of Scripture have some to deny the children of believers Baptisme So what Scripture have any for crying down the publike Ministery of the Word of God to cry down praying and singing of Psalms in the publick what Scripture have any to raile against the Parliament and Synod whereas Michael the Archangell durst not raile against the Devill but said The Lord rebuke thee Jude 9. What Scripture have any to cry downe Superiority and Inferiority that neither Magistrates Masters nor Fathers shall command those that are under them to serve the Lord contrary to these Scriptures 2 Chron. 33.16 Manusses commanded all Judah to serve the Lord God of Israell so did Josiah 2 Chron. 34.33 He made all Israell to serve the Lord their God So Gen. 18.19 I know Abraham that he will command his children and his houshold after him that they shall keep the ways of the Lord Josh 24.15 Luke 14.25 But secondly if they seem to bring Scripture try whether that sence they give of the Scripture they bring do not contradict other Scriptures if it do reject it it comes from the spirit of errour The Devill when hee tempted Christ brought Scripture out of Psal 91.12 but it was directly against another Scripture as hee applyed it as you may see Deut. 6.16 which was cited by our Saviour Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God as some would have us tempt God in neglecting the means as heating praying the Sacraments but it comes from the same spirit as tempted Christ So some that are contentious will bring Jude 3. and Matth. 11.12 Contend for the faith The violent take it by force But as they apply them they plainly contradict other Scriptures as Philip. 2.3 Let nothing be d●ne through contention or vain-glory 2 Tim. 2.23 The holy Ghost bids us to avoid such questions as ingender strife For the servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men apt to teach patient c. so Titus 3.9 1 Cor. 11.16 If any man be contentious we have no such custome neither the Churches of God Chap. 14.33 God is not the author of tumult or unqu●etnesse but of peace in all the Churches of the Saints therefore contentious spirits are not from God but are earthly sensuall and devillish James 3.14 15. Therefore if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts rejoyce not neither be lyers against the truth saith the spirit of God But as many as are led by the spirit and Word of God they are the sonnes of God 2 Another way to try the Spirits may be this Those motions or perswasions that are pleasing to the flesh and take most with naturall men are not from the spirit of God but from Satan for the spirit lusteth against the flesh and the flesh lusteth against the Spirit for these are contrary the one to the other Gal 5.17 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man cannot receive the things that are of God Observe then from whence these motions come that tend to the neglect of the Sabboth and of the means of grace and casting off the Law as no rule to walke by and would not be under command of superiours but would have the liberty of their conscience to doe or hold what they list These are pleasing to the flesh and are received and imbraced by meer naturall men and therefore cannot be of the spirit of God and to be rejected as erronious and devillish What spirit think you were they led by in Mal. 3.13 14. who said It was in vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances and that we have walked mournfully before him and is not this spirit among us still that dare thus to speak against God for so God chargeth them and what is it but to charge the onely wise God who is wisdome itselfe with folly in ordaining and setting up Ordinances in his Church that are of no profit therefore consider it well and be not led by such spirits least you be found fighters against God But those motions that moves you to use and reverence all Gods Ordinances and to watch over your hearts and wayes to sanctifie the Sabboth to mortifie sin to fast and pray and give thanks for every mercy to walk according to the law and word of God in all things that moves to love and peace and holinesse and such like Quench not these motions but entertain obey and follow and be led by them for they are the motions of the Spirit of God and as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God Now the Spirit bids you to stand fast in the truth you have been taught and be not like children tossed to and fro with every winde of Doctrine by the cunning craftinesse of men whereby they ly in wait to deceive Ephes 4.14 But hold fast the form of words yee have been taught 2 Tim. 1.13 So if any shall say Lo here is Christ in the desart believe it not if they say he is in the secret chambers goe not after them Mat. 24.26 Nay the Spirit of God bids you to marke them that cause divisions and offences among you contrary to the Doctrine that yee have learned and avoid them Rom. 16.17 Now if you obey these and be led by them the same spirit will witnesse with you that you are the sonnes of God Rom. 8.16 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God but if you will not obey and be led by these motions and directions of the Spirit of God then you resist the Spirit of God as those in Act. 7.57 Take heed of sinning against the Spirit of Ood consider the words of our Saviour Mar. 3.28 All manner of sins and blasphemies shall be forgiven to the sonnes of men

THE TRUE GUIDE OR A short Treatise wherein is shewed how the weakest Christian may be able to discerne the true way of the Spirit of God from all false and erroneous ways Very usefull and necessary for weake Christians that are willing to know and be led in the truth in these distracted times wherein so many Errours and Divisions abound By a lover of the Truth R.H. Viewed and approved by diverse worthy Ministers of the City of LONDON Psal 119.128 I esteemed thy precepts concerning all things to be right and I hate every false way Printed according to Order LONDON Printed for Henry Shephard at the signe of the Bible in Tower-Street 1646. To THE READER Christian Reader THe causes of errour in Religion are many and various some there are who being possessed with a giddinesse of spirit will not rest satisfied with necessary and saving truths others are misled by Enthusiasms and their own private spirits Some erre by reason of the weaknesse of their judgements and not attending to them that can better informe them but above all what Christ once said to the Jews was and ever will be true Men erre not knowing the Scripture Never was there better opportunity never more plentiful powerfull means then at this day in many places to acquire saving knowledge and never did private opinion or strange Heterodoxie more prevail The custome is every where now to contend and quarrel about every part of Divinity and he is no body that cannot carp at wrangle against almost every truth So that all our Practicall Divinity is turnd into Polemicall the power of godlines runs out into disputes and those truths which formerly seemed most Orthodox plain and unquestionable are now by the crotchets of mens brains spun but into such divisions and become so knotty and prickly that a man knows not where to fasten on them or how to hold them but he is in danger to prick his fingers with one thorny objection other It is therefore high time for all that are the sincere lovers of peace and truth and that have any ability to manage Gods Cause to gird up their loines to put on their Arms and to appear in the defence of truth by word or writing by conference or calling on the name of God by one means or other according as occasions and opportunities invite least Satans vigilancie rest in judgement against us for our negligence There must be Heresies saith the Apostle that those which are approved may be made manifest among you 1 Cor. 11.19 Hence Christs caveat Mat. 7.15 16. Beware of false Prophets c. And St. John saith believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God because many false Prophets are gone out into the world 1 Joh. 4.1 For the Devill is Gods ape and will counterfeit very cunningly and therefore where God hath his Church the Devill hath his Chappel as saith the Proverb Now amongst all other Heresies and errors those seem to be most dangerous which are most plausible and pleasing to flesh and bloud if withall they have some neer allyance or sem●lance with saving truth and passe under specious titles for they are like unto sweet poysons which are easily taken down or Anodynes which bring men asleep and keep them from feeling their misery but cannot heal they remove the pain but not the disease such ●●…e the errours that are here encountered in this small Treatise vented and broach'd under pretence of greater light and opposing the ways of Anti-Christ and crying down his limbs advancing Free-grace setting up Christ alone c. specious pretences Wheras upon due enquiry it will be found that the authors and abetters of these Novall opinions have not received a clearer light but having forsaken the true light of Gods Word are miserably misled by the Ignis fatuus of their own brain And whilst they would seem to exalt Christ alone and magnifie Free-grace they shew themselves enemies unto grace and strong abetters of carnall liberty and so whilst they would seem to be the onely Gospellers they are indeed apparant Gospel-spillers And under a pretence of crying down Anti-Christ and eradicating his limbs they disable disgrace and as much as in them lies labour to root out the most faithfull and powerfull Ministers of the Gospel whose labours and lives have always advanced the Kingdom of Christ and as so many valiant Davids laid the Goliah of Rome groveling on the ground and now ready to expire The truth of this this small Enchiridion will in part manifest to those that contend for truth not victory who are wise to sobriety not ambitious of contention All that I crave of thee Good Reader is this Read without prejudice examine each matter throughly and judge impartially I say no more but prove and approve and the Lord direct all our hearts into the knowledge and love of the truth So prayes he that is an unfained lover of peace and truth G. D. ROM 8.14 For as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sons of God FOr explanation of these words we will shew 1 What is meant by the Sons of God 2 What is meant by the Spirit of God 3 What it is to be lead by the Spirit of God First By sons are meant sons of grace that have received Christ by faith John 1.12 Gal. 3.26 Yet are all the children of God by faith in Christ Secondly by the Spirit of God is meant the Holy Ghost the third person in Trinity that spirit of truth that leads into-all truth John 16.13 That Spirit that enlightneth that sanctifieth that enableth us in all duties Thirdly to be led by the Spirit is to yield to the motions rules directions and persuasions of the spirit either inward or outward and ministeriall Now the observations from those words might be many First that we are naturally blind and cannot see much lesse are we able to walk in the ways of God without a Guide o● Leader Secondly that there be many false guides or leaders as sence and carnall reason and nor these only but there are erroneous false and seducing spirits they have been and now are especially in this last age of the World as is manifest in Scripture as in Mat. 24.5 Christ saith Many shal come in my name saying I am Christ and shall deceive many V. 11.23 24. Then if any shall say unto you Lo here is Christ or there Believe it not For there shall arise false christs and false prophets and shall shew great signes and wonders insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect Behold I have told you before Wherefore if they shall say unto you Behold he is in the Desert go not forth Behold he is in the secret chambers believe it not Ver. 25 26. So in 2 Pet. 1 2. As there were false teachers among them So there shall be false teachers among you which shall bring in damnable heresies c.

but he that sins against the Holy Ghost shall never be forgiven Therefore I say again take heed of resisting the motions of the spirit of God Ob. The Apostle bids us try all things and keep that which is good 1 Thes 3.21 Ans But he bids you in the next words to avoid all appearance of evill ver 22. so you see those things that have but an appearance of evill and wherein is any danger we must avoid Ob. But they teach many sweet truths An. Therein lies the more danger So did the false Prophets come in the name of the Lord saying Thus saith the Lord as you may see Jer. 23.17 28 31. but with that they mixed their own dreams so the false Apostles transforme themselves into the Ministers of righteousnesse so the Devill when hee tempted Christ brings a sweet and comfortable truth but under it there was hid poyson which Christ discerned and therefore rejected it so you shall have some now will teach Hee that exalts Christ highest and lays man lowest is in the right and this we doe say they now this is a sweet truth who dares deny-it but there is a Colloquintida hid under it there is death in the p●t for when they explain it it is this Christ hath done that is needfull for our salvation it's truth then where 's the danger why here then we need do nothing true not in way of justification but in way of sanctification and obedience and out of love we must heare and pray confesse our sins watch over our hearts and ways c. you see there may be danger hid under the best Doctrines if they be not explained Now if you were to buy some sugar and one should tell you there 's a dainty sweet sugar at such a place but they that sell it many times mix some rats bain with it and it can hardly be discerned either by sight or taste being both white and sweet but they that eat it are poysoned by it would you buy there to try it or would you not rather goe buy at some other place where you heare a better report and where hath been no such danger I suppose you would And would you be more carefull to preserve your body from poysoning then your soule therefore take heed how you heare saith Christ Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees that is their Doctrine for a little leaven leavens the whole lump Ob. Another main allegation is They tell us we have been led in an ignorant and blinde way but if God open our eyes as hee hath done theirs and we saw that as they now see we would be of another minde and doe as they doe and the way to have our eyes opened is to forsake our Antichristian Ministers and come and join with them in their meetings Ans I confesse this must needs take with people for who would willingly be led in a blinde way but desires to see and know as much as may be therefore the Devill that old serpent knowing this makes it his main argument to prevaile with Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit telling her if shee would eat of that fruit which God had forbidden then her eyes should be opened and shee should be as God knowing good and evill this did so take with her that shee lookt upon the fruit and saw it was pleasant and much to be desired being it would be a means to open her eyes and bring her to that knowledge shee did eat of it but it brought death upon her and all her posterity so the devill seeing this argument prevailed then makes use of it still So he did in the old Prophet 1 Kings 11 so in Zedekiab so in the Pharisees who accused Christs Disciples of ignorance John 7.49 yet boasting themselves of their own light as the false Apostles did but saith Paul 1 Cor. 8.12 He that thinks he knows any thing knows nothing as he ought to know 2 Cor 10.18 He that commendeth himselfe is not approved but he whom the Lord approveth therefore avoid such you heare this is no new thing but an old bait therefore be not troudled at it Ob. But I cannot answer their Arguments they are so deep must not I then be fain to yield to them A. By no means if you will be led by the spirit of God which bids you avoid them go not after them believe them not Mat. 24.26 Again the spirit of God bids you Remember how thou hast received and heard and hold fast and repent c. Revel 3.3 and hold fast the form of wholsome words that you have bin taught 2 Tim. 1.3 And if any man if an Apostle or an Angell from heaven teach any other Gospell then you have bin taught let him be accursed Gal. 1.8 9. The Church of Thyatira had a seducing Prophetesse among them that was so deep in her doctrine that many could not understand her much lesse answer her arguments but mark what counsell the spirit of God gives them and as Revel 2.24 25. But unto you I say As many as have not known this doctrine neither the depth of Satan as they speak I will put upon you no other burthen But that which you have already Hold fast till I come Let him that hath an eare heare what the spirit saith unto the Churches Verse 29. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God In Psal 27.8 saith David When thou saydst Seek my face my heart answered Lord thy face will I seek Now if the Lord hath given us such hearts that when his spirit in his word shall bid us do this but doe not that goe this way but go not that way I say if our hearts answer Lord I will doe what thou biddest me doe and go that way thou wilt lead me then wee shall not only have the spirit of God to witnesse with our spirits that we are the children of God Rom 8.16 But the spirit will seal unto us our assurance of the love of God Ephes 4.39 which is the firmest and strongest assurance that possible can be made c. Therefore I beseech you brethren by the comming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assurance in him that ye be not shaken in minde nor be troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter as from us 2 Thess 2.2 But I have met with an allegation or two of theirs whereby they deceive and draw many to their meetings which I will set down and answer very briefly The first is this they perswade people that the word delivered in private and by private men of their way is more sweet and they can profit more by it then by that which is taught in the publike Ministery to which I give a twofold answer Ans Though it be as truly and as profitably taught in publike in publike nay more truly and profitably yet it seems more sweet to you in your private way and manner because you have it not