Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	law_n	life_n	sin_n	22,698	5	5.7840	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41067	A touch-stone, or, A perfect tryal by the Scriptures, of all the priests, bishops, and ministers, who have called themselves, the ministers of the Gospel whose time and day hath been in the last ages past, or rather in the night of apostacy : they are tried and weighed by the Scriptures of truth, and are found out of the life and power of the scriptures, and out of the spirit and doctrine of them that gave them forth, and quite contrary to their principle and practice, both Papists and Protestants : unto which is annexed, Womens speaking justified, &c.	Fox, Margaret Askew Fell, 1614-1702.	1667 (1667)	Wing F639; ESTC R7178	82,431	96

the face of Jesus Christ For we have this Treasury in earthen Vessels that the excellency of the Power may be of God and not of us For we are troubled on every side yet not distressed we are perplexed but not in despair persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed always bearing about in our body the dying of our Lord Jesus Christ that the Life of Christ might be manifested in our body for we who live are alwayes delivered unto death for Jesus sake that the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh so that death worketh in us but life in you Thus the Apostles laboured in the work of the Ministry even under cruel sufferings which Gospel it may well be said hath been hid for the Gospel that hath been preached since the Apostacy hath laid Oppressions and Sufferings upon others and they themselves have Ruled and Lorded over Peoples Consciences but the Apostle Paul said I Paul am made a Minister of the Gospel that is preached to every Creature under heaven now rejoyce in my sufferings for you and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his Bodies sake which is the Church whereof I am made a Minister according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you to fulfil the Word of God Col. 1. But this Ministry and Ministration hath been lost and the Church for which the Apostle suffered hath been in the Wilderness and if there was any small Appearance or Testimony of Jesus Christ in any such have suffered Oppressions and Hardships and much Detriment from such as were the Professed Ministry So these Scriptures with many more which might be mentioned shew the contrariety between the Ministers of the Gospel in the Apostles Dayes and the Professed Ministry that hath been since the Apostles Dayes in the Apostacy And as the Supremacy and Superiority hath been contrary to the Apostles Way and Manner and Order in laying Oppressions and Burthens upon the People so also they have been contrary and opposite to Christ and the Apostles Doctrine Practice and Example in not preaching Liberty and Freedom to the Spirits in Prison for Christ Jesus who is the Anointing of God Preacheth Glad Tidings to the Poor Liberty to Captives his Commission that he gave to his Disciples was to Preach the Gospel to all Nations to every Creature And he said to those that believed in him If ye continue in the Truth the Truth will make you free John 8. And the Apostle confesseth That the Law of the Spirit of Life had made him free from the Law of Sin and Death Rom. 8. And the Apostle saith when he was speaking of the Ministration of the Law and the Gospel When Moses is read the Vail is over the Heart Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord the Vail shall be taken away Now the Lord is that Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty 2 Cor. 3. And so this is that Substance the Apostle Preacheth from and Preached to the Spirit of the Lord that takes away the Vail and giveth Liberty and Redeemeth from under the Power of Darkness and from the Bondage of Corruption and therefore they did not set themselves to Rule over mens Faith or to lord over their Consciences but they endeavour still to be made manifest unto every ones Conscience in the sight of God But we have saith the Apostle Renounced the hidden things of Dishonesty not walking in Craftiness nor handling the Word of God deceitfully but by Manifestation of the Truth commending our selves to every mans Conscience in the sight of God 2 Cor. 4. Knowing therefore the Terrours of the Lord we perswade men but we are made manifest unto God and I trust also are made manifest in your Consciences So here the Apostle preached to Gods Witness in Peoples Consciences and that answered to them again and they were made manifest to that and therefore did the Apostle John say That they needed not any man to Teach them but as the same Anointing teacheth them which is Truth and is no Lye And so this is unlimited neither doth the Apostle limit this when they were gathered into the Eternal Spirit and all drank into one Spirit and all baptized into one Body by one Spirit he told them they might all prophesie one by one and that though they were many Members yet they were one Bread and one Body and every Member of the Body had its several Office the Head did not say to the Feet I have no need of you Now concerning Spiritual Gifts Brethren I would not have you ignorant there are diversity of Gifts but the same Spirit and there are differences of Administrations but the same Lord and there are diversities of Operations but the same God which worketh all in all but the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal For to one is given by the same Spirit the Word of Wisdom to another the Word of Knowledge by the same Spirit to another Faith by the same Spirit to another the Gift of Healing by the same Spirit to another the working of Miracles by the same Spirit to another Prophesie to another Discerning of Spirits to another divers kinds of Tongues to another interpretation of Tongues But all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit dividing to every man severally as he will For as the Body is one and hath many Members and all the Members of that one Body being many are one Body so also is Christ For by one Spirit we are all Baptised into one Body whether we be Jews or Gentiles whether we be Bond or Free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit for the Body is not one Member but many 1 Cor. 12. And so the Apostle goes on to the end of the Chapter discoursing of the several Gifts all given by one Spirit So here is no binding nor limiting nor Supremacy one over another not to sit Judges one of another but every one to wait in their several Gifts of the Spirit given unto them to profit withal For I say saith the Apostle through the Grace of God given unto me to every man that is among you not to think of himself more highly then he ought to think but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of Faith For as we are many Members in one Body and all Members have not the same Office so we being mary are one Body in Christ and every one Members one of another Having then Gifts differing according to the Grace that is given us whether Prophesie let us prophesie according to the proportion of Faith or Ministy let us wait in our ministring or he that teacheth on Teaching or he that exhorteth on Exhortation he that giveth let him do it with simplicity he that ruleth with diligence he that sheweth Mercy with chearfulness let Love be be

his bait and it is much if they cast not themselves down for it is contrary to the Doctrine of Christ for his Exhortation was That they should take the low●st Seat that it might be said unto them Friend Go up higher but they have not taken that way But they have several Objections or Colours for what they do with which they do a little blind some ignorant people which is an easie matter to do While the Blind lead the Blind saith Christ they both go into the Ditch One thing they alledge for Tythes is That Melchisedec took Tythes when Abraham paid them Gen. 14. when Abraham returned from the slaughter of the Kings and this the Apostle cleareth himself in Heb. 7. and taketh away the objection of all that can be said for Tythes For first of all as for Melchisedec King of Salem Priest of the Most High God who met Abraham in his return from the slaughter of the Kings and blessed him to whom also Abraham gave the tenth part of all c. Here the Apostle describes Melchisedec being without descent having neither beginning of dayes nor end of life So that our Tythe-Takers in these last days cannot claim them by this Order for they are not without descent for the furthest they can claim was Levi and hundreds of them have ended their dayes and their dayes are come to an end Besides the Apostle saith that this Melchisedec was greater then Abraham and Abraham had the Promise of God and the Oath of God passed unto him and unto his Seed which the Apostle saith is Christ Gal. 3. But the Apostle saith He was made like unto the Son of God and remaineth a Priest continually Now consider saith he how great this man was unto whom even the Patriarch Abraham gave the Tythe of the Spoils and verily they who are of the Sons of Levi who receive the Office of the Priesthood have a Commandment to take Tythes of the People that are of their Brethren though they came out of the Loins of Abraham but he whose descent is not counted from them received Tythes of Abraham and blessed him that had the Promises and without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better So if our Tythe-Takers can say they are better then Abraham then they may claim Tythes from Melchisedec but if they say nay but they will claim them from the Tribe of Levi then they must own themselves to be of the Levitical Priesthood and they must take Tythes of none but their Brethren the Jews For so the Apostle saith That the Priesthood had a Commandment to take Tythes according to the Law that is of their Brethren Hebr. 7. 5. And he saith further If therefore perfection were by the Levitical Priesthood for ●●der it the people received the Law what further need was there that another Priest should arise after the order of Melchisedec and not after the order of Aaron But the Priesthood being changed there is made of necessity a change also of the Law For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another Tribe of which no man gave attendance at the Altar For it is evident our Lord sprang of Judah of which Tribe Moses spake nothing coucerning the Priesthood And it is more evident that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another Priest who is not made after the Law of a carnal Commandment but after the power of an Endless Life For he testifieth Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec For there is verily a disanulling of the Commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof For the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better Hope did by which we draw nigh unto God Hebr. 7. Here the Apostle testifieth clearly of the overturning and changing of the Priesthood of Levi and the disanulling of the Law by which they took Tythes because that made nothing perfect And for this other Priest that remaineth for ever Who purgeth and purifieth the Conscience from dead Works to serve the Living God for the witnessing of this Everlasting High-Priest being come hath many suffered and do suffer by this Generation of Tythe-taking Priests who are neither according to Law nor Gospel and though they take the Apostles words here and it may be may read them to the people yet do they act quite contrary to the Apostles Testimony here and to all his practices that he practised while he was upon Earth And so we that have a Testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ our Everlasting High-Priest that he is come we cannot deny his Testimony in paying Priests Tythes which was paid under the Levitical Priesthood before he came now we have another Priest that remaineth continually who is not made by a Law of a Carnal Commandment as they all are but by another Law Even the Law of the Spirit of Life which maketh us free from the Law of Sin and Death Rom. 8. But they set up Laws against us and make us suffer by their Laws and by their Courts and when we cannot Swear cast us into Prison But the Apostle taught his Son Timothy otherwise when He besought him to abide still at Ephesus that he might charge some of them that they preach no other Doctrine neither give head to Fables and endless Genealogies which minister Questions rather then Godly Edifying which is in Faith Now the end of the Commandment is Charity out of a pure Heart and of a good Conscience and Faith unfained from which some having swerved have turned again aside into Jangling desiring to be Teachers of the Law understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm But we know that the Law is good if a man use it lawfully Knowing this that the Law is not made for a Righteous man but for the Lawless and Disobedient for the Ungodly and for Sinners for Unholy and Prophane for Murtherers of Fathers and Murtherers of Mothers for Man-slayers for Whoremongers for them that defile themselves with mankind for Men-stealers for Lyars for Perjured Persons and if there be any thing further that is contrary to Sound Doctrine 1 Tim. 1. Surely these late Bishops have learned another Lesson then this Bishop Timothy did for they execute their Law against the Harmless and the Innocent and such as abide in Sound Doctrine and those that bring forth the Fruits of the Spirit which is Love Peace Long suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance against such the Apostle saith there is no Law Gal. 5. And yet these are they that are made the object of their Laws and are kept under the Scourge of the Laws in these dayes and this disorder is because our Leaders and Teachers have caused the people to err from the Faith and from the Truth But to come to the particular which is concerning Ministers Maintenance where they object and say The Apostle alloweth them a maintenance by what he holds forth 1 Cor. 9. where he saith Have not we

it from you and judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life loe we turn unto the Gentiles for so hath the Lord commanded us I have set thee to be a light to the Gentiles that thou shouldest be for salvation to the ends of the earth And when the Gentiles heard this they were glad Acts 13. Thus ye see how the Apostles opened unto them the mystery of the Resurrection of Christ as also Christ himself when he met with the Disciples after his Resurrection and they not knowing him told him what things had happened concerning Christ He said unto them O fools and slow of heart ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself Luke 24. And this is the matter and manner and method of all Christ's Ministers to preach the Resurrection of Christ Jesus in his Light and Spirit which is a mystery to all carnal men and carnal minds and this is not a deal of Imaginations and divinations of the brain and studyings of men who take one Verse of Scripture and add unto it what they please out of other old Authors Writings Heathen Philosophers or any thing that will make up an hours talk till their Glass be run which is quite contrary to the Apostles practice and that which they witnessed and exhorted against For he saith unto the Colossians As ye have received Christ Jesus so walk ye in him rooted and built in him established in the Faith as ye have been taught Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit after the Traditions of men after the Rudiments of the world and not after Christ Col. 2. Here is an express command laid upon them that they should not be deceived by the teachings of men who taught not after Christ And the Apostle saith also that Christ sent him not to preach the Gospel with wisdom of words For saith he It is written I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent Where is the Wise Where is the Scribe Where is the Disputer of this world Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe For the Jews require a sign and the Greeks seek after wisdom but we preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a stumbling-block and unto the Greeks foolishness but unto them that are called both Jews and Greeks Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God Because the foolishness of God is wiser then men and the weakness of God stronger then men For ye see your calling Brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty and base-things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought things which are that no flesh should glory in his presence but those that glory should glory in the Lord 1 Cor. 1. And the Apostle saith further And my speech and preaching was not with enticing words of mans wisdom but in the demonstration of the Spirit and of Power that your Faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect yet not the wisdom of this world nor of the Princes of this world that come to nought but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world For we have not received the Spirit of the world but that Spirit that is of God that we might know the things that are freely given us of God which things we speak not in the words which mans wisdom teacheth but which the holy Ghost teacheth comparing spiritual things with spiritual Here the Apostle testifies clearly against the wisdom of mens teaching which is a clear testimony against the teachings that have been in these last Ages for that is all that hath been taught for many generations of Teachers since the Apostles dayes the wisdom of men and traditions of men and inventions and imaginations of men one quoting and rehearsing what another saith quite contrary to the Apostles practice We do not make our selves of the number or compare our selves with some that commend themselves and measuring themselves by themselves are not wise But we will not boast our selves above our measure but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us for we come as far as you also in preaching the Gospel of Christ not boasting of things without our measure of other mens labours nor to boast of another mans line made ready to our hands 2 Cor. 10. Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God who hath also made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth Life 2 Cor. 3. 6. In this Chapter the Apostle gives his Testimony that the Life of the Ministry is in the ministration of the Spirit As also in Rom. 7. But now we are delivered from the Law that being dead wherein we were held that we should serve in newness of Spirit and not in the oldness of the Leter which he calls the Ministration of Death in the afore-mentioned Chapter And when he writes to his Son Timothy who was a Bishop he saith thus I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom Preach the Word be instant in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but after their own hearts lusts shall heap to themselves teachers having itching ears and they shall turn away their ears from the Truth and shall be turned unto Fables 2 Tim. 4. Here the Apostle was a true Prophet and saw the Apostacy coming on and therefore he laid a hard charge upon Timothy For saith he watch thou in all things endure afflictions do the work of an Evangelist make full proof of thy Ministry for I am ready to be offered and the time of my departure draweth nigh 2 Tim. 4. As also when he writes to the Thessalonians of the Day of the Lord and of the Man of Sin the Son of Perdition and thanks God for them who had chosen them to Salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth whereunto he called you saith he by our Gospel to the

little further thence he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother who also were in a ship mending their nets and straightway he called them And they left their Father in the ship with the servants and went after him Matthew was a Publican Simon a Canaanite Also when Christ sent forth the seventy Luke 10. there were no Universities provided for them nor had they Ordinations or Degrees from thence but ye may read they had their Command and Commission from him And again when he had wrought the Miracle on the man that was sick of the Palsie As he passed from thence he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the Receipt of Custom and he said unto him Follow me and he arose and followed him Matth. 9. 9. Also Jesus when he was going forth into Galilee findeth Philip and saith unto him Follow me Philip findeth Nathaniel and saith unto him We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and in the Prophets did write Jesus of Nazareth the Son of Joseph John 1. Also two of Johns Disciples when they had heard him speak and looked upon him followed Jesus and one of them which followed him was Andrew Simon Peters brother and he saith unto his brother We have found the Messiah which by interpretation is Christ John 1. And thus they had the testimony of Christ Jesus in their Consciences through which they gave up all and forsook all and followed him and he having all Power in Heaven and in Earth given unto him gave them power and authority over all Spirits insomuch that they said the Devils were subject unto them And when they came unto him and told him he said unto them Rejoyce not that the Devils are subject unto you but rather rejoyce that your Names are written in Heaven and this was their Power and the matter of their Joy that they had their Testimony and Commission from him their Lord and Master So here was no Ordinations of men nor Degrees taken from Universities nor no Nurturing up in Schools of Learning as hath been in these latter dayes for this hath all been since this Power and Spirit of the Lord Jesus hath been lost and gone from and rebelled against in this Night of Apostacy Also after this when the Apostle Paul was called to be a Minister he was called by Vision and by the Voice of God and sent forth by the Command of his Word and Power Acts 26. 16. and yet he confessed himself that he was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel and taught according to the perfect Law of the Fathers Acts 22. 3. Yet he desires his brethren to beware of Dogs beware of evil-workers beware of the Concision for we are the Circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh though I might also have a confidence in the flesh If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh I more Circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel c. But what things were gain to me those I counted loss for Christ Yea doubtless I count all things but dross for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him Phil. 3. Here the Apostle clears himself concerning his choice and sees the Vanity of all transitory Things and this was a fit Minister of the Eternal Gospel of Christ who forsook and laid away all his humane Knowledge and Learning and filthy Wisdom and only chose the holy Spirit of the Lord God the Cross of Christ whereby he said he was crucified to the world and the world to him and this is quite contrary to the ministration of mens wisdom before mentioned And so this may suffice for the first particular of the Fifth Head which is their Practice to wit their way and means to attain to the Ministry The second particular of the Practice is the limiting and binding of People unto their way and worship by their Laws and Courts which they call Ecclesiastical with the several Degrees of Offices to get money from people and to bring them into bondage and keep them in awe and continual trouble in tying of them up to their Inventions and Laws which they make for their own gain and advantage not leaving poor people to the liberty of their Consciences and to the freedom of their Spirits but binde them to such things as pertain to their own advantage and superiority and in this lord it over poor peoples Estates Persons and Consciences and yet they call themselves Gospel-Ministers and in words profess Christ and Christianity but this is quite contrary to the practice and example of Christ and his Apostles and Ministers for those that he sent forth into whatsoever City they went they were to enquire who was worthy and there to abide till they went thence And when you come into one house salute it and if the house be worthy let your peace come upon it but if it be not worthy let your peace return to you and whosoever shall not receive you nor hear your words when ye depart out of that House or City shake off the dust of your feet Matth. 10. Mark saith thus And whosoever shall not receive you nor hear you shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them verily I say unto you it shall be more tollerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of Judgment then for that City Mark 6. And again when he sent out the Seventy he said unto them Into whatsoever house ye enter first say Peace be to this house and if the Son of Peace be there your peace shall rest upon it if not it shall return to you again But into whatsoever City ye enter and they receive you not go your way into the streets of the same and say Even the dust of your City which cleaveth on us we do wipe off against you notwithstanding be sure of this that the Kingdom of God is come nigh unto you but I say unto you it shall be more tollerable in the day of Judgment c. Luke 10. And according to this Command of Christ Paul and Barnabas who were separated by the Holy Ghost for the work of the Ministry when they had preached the Gospel among the Jews and witnessed forth Christ Jesus and his Sufferings among the Jews who had Crucified him and also preached him unto the Gentiles and the Jews contradicting Pauls Ministry Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold and said they would turn to the Gentiles for say they so hath the Lood commanded us saying I will set thee for a Light unto the Gentiles that thou shouldest be my Salvation to the ends of the Earth but when the Jews heard this they stirred up the devout and honorable women and chief men of the City and raised