Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	holy_a	scripture_n	speak_v	14,888	5	5.2608	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65878	The popish informer reprehended for his false information against the Quakers meeting in reply to ... An answer to a seditious libel, as he most falsly terms the late innocent declaration from the people of God, called, Quakers, against all seditious conventicles, &c. (wherein their innocency is cleared, and herein vindicated) : unto which is annexed, a brief recital of some accusations cast upon the said people, by one H. Thorndike, one of the prebends of Westminster, in his book entituled, A discourse of the forbearance, or the penalties which a due reformation requires.	Whitehead, George, 1636?-1723.	1670 (1670)	Wing W1946; ESTC R20124	15,096	24

these the Houses which he saith God put into their heart to build him it appears they are and to them he would have all compelled but herein his Popish Spirit and Principle doth appear for did not the Papists build those Houses he pleads for for their Worship as he thinks God put it into their hearts to do but can he think that in every Country where the Gentiles are called in there must of necessity be such places or Mass-houses or must the poor Ministers of Christ forbear to go into those Nations to preach where there are no such consecrated by Pope or Bishop And then must the Gentiles in those Countries be unpreached to uncalled and unconverted till such Houses are built and dedicated I hope the Reader will easily see the obsurdity and ignorance of this malicious Informer herein who also adds that is Every place cannot be taken in the general sence for then it will take in Hell where Sacrifices shall never be c. Wherein he most absurdly reasons for the subjects of this Prophesie were neither in Hell nor to come there being the converted Gentiles as he confesseth And who is so ignorant of Scripture as to think that Christ and his Apostles were confined alwayes to meet in the Jews Temple and Synagogues for did they not meet on Mountains by the Sea-side and in Houses And did not many hundreds of the primitive Christians meet together and that at such places as were not dedicated or consecrated as the Mass-houses are And did not Christ set up the true Worship in Spirit and Truth above the worship at the Temple of Jerusalem where the Jews thought m●n ought to worship and was not that Temple a Figure and where i● there any Precept or Command in Scripture for the building such another and compelling people thereto to Worship answer by plain Scripture or else stop your Mouthes you Persecutors about Religion the true Christians who are Jews inward worship God in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the Letter they waited in the Spirit they prayed in the Spirit they sung in the Spirit they had the Spirit of Grace and Supplication powered upon them according to promise And this Worship was divine and not invented nor divised nor framed up nor yet performed in the will of man What and whence then was their Liturgie Let the holy Scriptures answer And doth not the Lyturgy of the Church of England allow of the Holy Scriptures of Truth and the Example of the primitive Christians therein recorded Let Truth and Reason answer And whereas this Accuser saith touching our Diffinitions in our Postscript viz upon the words Seditious Disloyal c. That they agree very well with our Practises and that we are guilty of all either in Posse or Esse and therefore ought to be prevented Reply As this most partial and prejudiced Informer hath all along set himself in his Pamphlet as both our false Accuser and unjust Judge so herein from his own groundless and evil surmise hath insinuated a most unjust Conclusion of guilt upon us as being Seditious and Disloyal that is loving Discord and Treachery wherein God and our Country knows he wrongs us but his proof of all against the Quakers amounts to nothing farther then an envious application of an old story of David George and John of Leyden c. and to an envious conclusion of being guilty either in Posse or Esse but whether this be any sufficient evidence either to convict or prevent us we leave to the just Witness of God in all Consciences and to the consideration of all unprejudiced impartial-minded men both Rulers and others London the 3d day of the 4th Moneth cal●●● June 1670. From some of the People of God called Quakers Here follows a Recital of some envious Information and Accusations against the Quakers by H. Thornedike Prebend of Westminster-Church so called in his Book called A Discourse of the forbearance or the Penalties which a due Reformation requires WHEREIN His unchristian and inhumane Spirit and Principle is discovered and hereby he hath shewed himself no better then the Jewish Priests Popish Prelates and other Merchants of Babylon PAge 177. Saith this Prebend But now as for the Quakers we are no more to reckon them among Christians then the Gnonosticks and Manichees of old then the Mahumetans at present Reply Here is no proof of any evil against the Quakers but ●eer railing misrepresenting them for they were never of the Principle of the Gnonosticks Manichees nor Mahumetans See what they held first concerning Gnonostici or Gnosticks they are recorded for Hereticks which swell●d in p●ide by some called Barbarites by reason of their beastly life Epiphanius saith the Valentines called themselves Gnostici and that all women among them were common c. Now how most unjustly this Prebend hath compared us called Quakers to such let all that know us and our Principle judge for all such Debauchery and ungodly Practises and Ran●isme we utterly deny and abhor they more suit the Spirit of many of his own Fraternity who are owned as Sons of the Church and more justly might be compared and applied unto them who are possest with the Spirit of Whoredom among whom Whoredom and Drunkenness encrease who for all that being capable to put into Priests mouthes remain unexcommunicated And as for the Manichees it s recorded they had their appellation from one M●●●s a Heretick who called himself Christ and who said that Christ was not truly born but fantastically and that he taught that there were many Gods and that the Sun was to be worshipped and that the Souls of men went from one Body to another c. But these things were never believed nor taught nor owned by the Quakers and therefore this prejudiced Prebend's instance and comparison herein together with that of the M●h●metans against us is most false and malicious and unjust and hereby he can never unchristian the Quakers for their Christianity both in Life and Principle stands over him and all such false Accusers Preb. For they do openly own the dictates of their own Spirit to be as much the Word of God as the Scriptures acknowledging the Scriptures so far as they please Reply This is also a false Accusation for it is not their own spirits but the Spirit of God which they follow the dictates of which agree with the holy Scriptures by which Spirit of God the Revelations of the Mystery of Life and Salvation in Christ is given unto us and we have received power not only to profess but to order our conversations according to the holy Scriptures Preb. Introduce the pretences of their own Revelation where they think fit Reply This is also an evil suggestion for it is not such pretences but the Revelation of Jesus Christ in reality that by his Spirit is introduced amongst us Preb. For when the private spirit is equalled with Gods Word the last dictate as in mens

last Wills must of necessity take place Reply This is also false as it is intended against us called Quakers and no less then a Popish Accusation cast upon us this being the very phrase of Papists against us as calling the Spirit of Christ by which we are led a private spirit whereas indeed it is the universal Spirit which convinceth the World of sin and leads the true Believers into all truth and in this universal Spirit we worship God and have good will to all men Preb. The Quakers follow everyone their own spirit therefore are the more contemptable Reply This also is a false and contemptable Accusation cast upon us the same with the former for we prefer the Spirit of God and its leadings and not our own Preb. Certainly did they see that they cannot be reconciled but as so many Runnagadoes they would bethink themselves before they went on in their madness Reply Envious men are blind and void of true Judgment and are ready to stumble at Noon-day and though they have eyes yet cannot see for we have received Grace by which we are reconciled and redeemed from folly and madness by which Grace we are taught to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present evil World Preb. This their Position is not reconcileable to civil trust alwayes oblieging them to the most desperate acts of Treason and violence to their Country that they can imagine their own spirits to dictate Rep. As this Position charged upon us of following our own private spirits is utterly false so are also these Consequences and they savour of a popish blood thirsty spirit that would bring Persecution and violence upon us therefore we challenge and charge this Prebend to prove if he can when and where we were perfidious either in matters of civil trust or ever brought forth acts of Treason or Violence to our Country we charge it upon him as a most malicious and envious instigation against us Preb. It cannot be beyond the merit of their madness that they are made Servi penae by Law as the Romans Law calls it That is That they are transported to work in the Plantations the Law is to provide for such People Rep. Here is still more Railing and Instigation to Cruelty and Persecution No doubt but this man if he had Power or Horns long enough he would be cruel enough we may expect the very mercies of such to be cruelty he would have us made Servi penae indeed but we desire more competent Judges then such as he who is not content with our ancient English Laws already made but would have crueller to bring us under servitude and vassalage in Forreign Plantations whereas many thousands of conscientious Dissenters both Quakers and others have estates already sufficient to live upon which they have honestly laboured for But if this cruel Prebend's counsel might take effect against us it appears we must have our Estates taken from us and then be exiled as Slaves and Drudges But doth he design that he and his Companions shall have our Estates or part of them to spend upon their lust Surely it is obvious what misery he and such as are of his Gang would bring upon this Nation a considerable part whereof doth conscientiously dissent from this Prebend's Way and Religion who hath thus shewn his inveterate proud imperious persecuting Spirit most repugnant to the equal Law of Christ which enjoyns him to do to all men as he would they should do to him Besides what pride and presumption is it in him to take upon him to prescribe the Magistrates such a way and manner of proceeding against Dissenters so contrary to the wholsom fundamental Laws Priviledges and Rights of English men Preb. They must fail of civil trust of Subjects that is that their Testimonies be not taken in Law That they be disabled to sue at Law That they be disabled to make Wills or to get by Wills or anything else within the effect of civil trust And this must also be the penal●● of the Leviathan and all that may follow him either into Apostacy or Atheism Repl. This envious Informer would have us excluded out of all our rights at once though without any just ground or reason Let but all that are unbyassed in this Nation see what ranchor cruelty and injustice resides in this mans spirit Leviathan crooked Serpent like thus ●o seek to deprive free-born English men of their rights and privileges and that without any proof or ground for his Accusations accusing us of failing of the civil trust of Subjects when as we have been found more trusty and faithful then many of his Coat who have temporized crept and changed with every Form and change of Government for Self-ends Gain and Preferment Preb. For they who declare themselves as freedom to forswear the Christian Faith can never be held by any Bond of civil Trust It must be also the Penalty of all Sects that may rel●ps It may be a Q●estion Why the Kingdom should be counted a Christian Kingdom if the Laws of it set not some Mark of Infamy upon the Enemies of Christianity which only the enforceing of Ex●ommunication by the La● can do Repl. Who are to be marked as Enemies to Christianity This man is no competent Judge for he hath already abused true Christians as such like seeking to instigate the Magistrates to do his and his Brethrens Druggery of Persecution against them And when and where did we ever declare our selves at freedom to forswear the Christian Faith Is not this an envious insinuation of thy own head and wicked heart to make us odious We hope we shall have a better tryal end more impartial Judges and more just Judgment than this mans before he gets us transported to work in forreign Plantations but it appears all this man aims at is the enforcing severity upon all that dissent from his Way And what doth he think will be the effect thereof And how will such cruel work compose the spirits of the People of this Nation doth he think to make up a good Church or a compleat Body by driving men with force and cruelty into his way and worship Surely this is not the way to make sound Members but to add to the number of Hypocrites nor is this the Way of Christianity And where did Peter Paul Timothy or Titus go about to instigate the Rulers to Persecution and to Transporting of men to be as Slaves and Vassals for their Religion and Conscience Or where did any of the true Ministers or Apostles endeavour to exclude either Jews or Gentiles from their outward civil Rights and Priviledges or from the benefit of the civil Law of their Nation or endeavour and seek to set such a Mark upon them meerly for their Principle or difference in Judgment and Opinions Let this Prebend shew us a President Precept or Example among the true Christians in all the Scriptures of Truth for this his work As for Apostacy and Athism it is not amongst us but among many professed and owned as Sons of that Church he is a Member of who are run into a spirit of Liberty and Debauchery whereby the Earth is corrupted and the beauty of much of the Nation stained and the profession of Christianity scandalized and made odious in the eyes of Mahumitans and other Nations but as for these things he and his Fraternity can connive at and overlook them while they can contribute to uphold them in their Pride Idleness and Fulness who notwithstanding cannot therein acquiess without envying the very Being of others more rational prudent and righteous then themselves Well you that appear in this cruel persecuting domineering Lordly spirit the Earth grows sick of you and will assuredly vomit you out and you will become a by-word and a hissing to the Nations except you lower your Top-sayls and bow down to the equal just Principle of God in you and so come into some lowliness tenderness and humility of spirit out of the nature of the Beasts of prey into the nature of Sheep and Lambs Otherwise God will greatly debase you and bring his Judgments upon you the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it in and through his Servants G. W. W. S. Some few Errors and Defects in Letters and Points have escaped the Press through the expedition hereof which the Reader may correct PAge 4. line 11. for Spirit read Scriptures p. 5. l. 31. r. Magistrates p. 6. l. 5. r. wives l. 33. r. humans p. 8. l. 14. for stife r. strife l. 29. for differently r. indifferently THE END * As in Ross his View * Whereby we call for Justice and Equity Ecc. Cron. 567. Ecc. Cron. f. 599.