Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A54267
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Some of the letters which were writ to George Fox, and others of the Quakers teachers are here presented to the rest of their fraternity ... / J.P.
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Pennyman, John, 1628-1706.
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1680
(1680)
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Wing P1416; ESTC R33367
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7,786
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10
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the pulling down and dashing to pieces all Images and tho some of them might be set up by His appointment as the brazen Serpent was yet by reason of the Iniquity and Idolatry of the People they must be trampled under foot of the Upright and ground to Pouder and testified against by the Righteous whose Hearts and Souls will truly and greatly rejoice thereat when the Hypocrite the double-minded and all that love the esteem and praise of Men will be troubled These are true Sayings if thou hast an Ear to hear thou mayest hear I know you are full and think you are rich but it were better for you that you were poor low and hungry then were there some hopes you would have an Ear to hear what the Spirit saith which saith expresly in this our day That the Children of the LORD shall be taught of Him who shall not need yours nor no Man's teaching in that Worship which is Spiritual and which is only accepted of the Father in this Day and Hour To which Worship many of you that talk of it are as great Strangers and as far from the Life and Power thereof as the very Heathen or Publicans you so much condemn Reject not this Testimony for it is Truth and must stand Happy might it be for thee if thou couldst receive it however it is in love that I am made thus to write and to subscribe my self a Friend to thee and all Men without respect to Persons Parties or Sects J. P. A Letter to W. L. 15th Month called May 1680. Mr. Lollington SEveral of the Inclosed * A Bright shining Light c. being sent me I was willing to send you one of them they treating somewhat of those Matters mention'd in yours of the 3d Instant whereby you may partly perceive the Dispensation of God in our Day of which many are ignorant and who they are that do imbrace and are in unity with it and who they are that are the Resisters Opposers and Gainsayers of it so that I need not say much more of it at present but mind you of that of the Prophet Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord or being his Counsellor hath taught Him Which saying might serve as a Caution to all that in their wisdoms would meddle with or seek to comprehend the way of the Highest It is not for Man to circumscribe or limit the Holy One but to be in continual subjection to his Leadings who may lead into or out of Gestures Postures c. as He pleaseth and who may say unto Him What dost thou So that I am not to heed any such thing farther than I find and feel His Presence with me in them for therein alone stands my true peace and satisfaction and not in any visible thing whatsoever This is Truth 's Testimony if you can receive it you may but withal I may tell you That the Vnregenerate and Vnsanctified know little of the Spirit 's Guidance notwithstanding their great talk of the same thereof It is only the lowly the meek the poor in Spirit that are the Inheritors and Possessors of that Blessing and Pearl of greatest price happy are they that have found or that yet shall find It Yea it is of that price and true value that the wise Merchant-man hath parted with all for its sake and counted nothing of this World to be compared to it or valuable in comparison of it But who will who can believe this Report The Eye that 's abroad cannot see it the lofty and exalted Mind cannot receive it the uncircumcised in Heart and Ears can neither receive nor comprehend it for as the Work of it is invisible so the Way of it is this day hid from all Flesh I had thoughts I might have had liberty to have answer'd more particularly to what you have writ but find it not safe to meddle much in such Matters and therefore may not at present my desire being that my Life harmless and blameless Conversation may preach and speak for me rather than my Words for who is there in this Age that have not got a multitude of fine words justifying and magnifying themselves and condemning all others which often put me in mind of that saying of Solomon Most Men will proclaim their own Glory but a faithful Man who can find And also that of Mr. Pen's speaking of Christ's telling us at the last Day It shall not be well Talkt or well Said but well Done good and faithful Servant Now that you and I may be of that number that can approve our selves in the very secret of our hearts before the All-seeing Eye is more to be desired than all outward Fellowships or any visible Gathering whatsoever for I am of his mind that said A thousand Reproaches I take up as a Crown on my Head and go on in the Name of the Lord with love to Truth and Peace and tho I am not so much in the observation of some outward Forms of Religion as formerly I have been and as some apprehend it their duty to be yet I desire to be more in the Truth and Power of Godliness and in Works of Righteousness Judgment and Mercy among Men And if this be Apostacy or down-right Complyance I shall be content to be accounted so and to be yet more vile than thus But this Cross is too great for the Man of Form to take up This Path is too narrow for the Double-minded or for those that seek the praise of Men to walk in Yet some there are that have chosen it before all the Riches Glory and Esteem of this World of which number I desire always to be found who am your real Friend J. P. A Letter to G. F. 27th month call'd May 1680. George Fox I Had thought that after the Book Intituled The Quakers Vnmaskt c. was sent you thou wouldst not dared to have appear'd as a Messenger or Minister of Christ as yesterday by thy words thou seemedst to be which tho I was not made publickly to oppose thee and to discover thy hypocrisy falseness and temporising of which thou art deeply guilty as is apparent in the said Book yet thou art to know that thine Iniquity is not at all hid nor thy Sin the less nor at all cover'd from the All-seeing Eye and tho thou hast many Proselytes and many Hypocrites to support and uphold thee yet know that for all this thou must come to Judgment and receive thy Reward for all thy Works of Wickedness and Deeds of Darkness and for thy Babylonish Worship which thou in thine own Inventions and Imaginations hast set up as the Spiritual Worship of the most High thou must certainly give an account not only for thine own Soul but also for the Souls of many simple and innocent Hearts who have been deceived betrayed and beguiled by thee This this thou art deeply to weigh and consider before thou goest on or proceedest deluding and deceiving the People with thy guilded