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
A89826	An ansvver to some queries put out by one John Pendarves, in a book, called, Arrowes against Babylon, &c. For the people called, Quakers to answer.	Naylor, James, 1617?-1660.	1656 (1656)	Wing N260; Thomason E865_4; ESTC R207620	10,619	16

discover'd in his old Antichristian forms and in rude ranting now to come with power and seeming parity shewing-signs and wonders to seduce from the plain simplicity of the Gospell of Christ according to those descriptions of his coming and working 2 Thess 2.8 9. Mar. 13.22 2 Cor. 11.3.14 and if so ought not all men to take heed how they believe every spirit or powerful motion to be of God as also how they hear and follow every Prophet that comes in Sheeps cloathing and pretends to come with light And are not those in the way to be easily seduced who are so taken with the fair covering and outside-carriage of persons as to imbrace their principles without a serious spiritual Scripture tryall of them Whereas we are commanded if any man bring not this Doctrine receive him not 2 John 10. And Solomon saith The simple believeth every word but the prudent man looketh well to his goings Proverbs 14.15 Answ The Word of God in whom ever it is spoken is of equall authority to the end for which it goeth forth and he is the same that ever he was in whom he is according to their measures but that we esteem any of our sayings with equall authority with the sayings of God is false and it is thy self whose saying agreeth not with Scripture who art telling of a written Word and dost not thou shew thy envy against the authority of Christ and those that obey him who would slander travelling up and down far and near to the wearying of the flesh at the obedience of the voice of the Lord and this thou slanders with neglecting relations and to be contrary to the Scriptures hast thou not here sufficiently shewed thy blindness as touching both spirit and letter Is it contrary to the Scripture to leave all and follow Christ Or was there ever a Disciple of his that did not Or can such be his Disciples who doth not How hath thy imaginations blinded thee stop thy mouth for shame art thou talking of following the Lamb who wilt neither do it thy self nor suffer others Did not the Ministers of Christ make proof of themselves in wandering in necessities in distresses afflictions watchings fastings tumults and imprisonments Did they not wander to and fro in hunger and nakedness having no certain dwelling place Is this now become contrary to the Scriptures with thee And have not the Prophets of the Lord been caused to strip themselves naked as signes to the wicked genrations And dost thou now prefer the Papists before this And doest thou charge the Servants of the Lord to glory in this Couldst thou glory in it thy self to leave all and suffer these things for the name of Christ it is much easier with the flesh to sit still in thy habitation and accuse them that do the Papists and thee sute well in this in your wil-shorship but little knoweth either of you what it is to be guideded contrary to your wills by the Spirit of God you are none of those children who are for signs and wonders Is this the end of your pulling off your pride of Apparell thereby to take advantage to strike at the whole obedience to Christ in greater things and say they are contrary to the Scriptures which the Scriptures do witness against you Is not this the old Deceiver thou art telling of who is changing your shape and now dressing you without Ribbans who formerly was dressing you up with them in your rude ranting and is now coming in a seeming purity but with more mischief against the simplicitie of the Gospel all those are in the way to be easily seduced who are so soon taken with your fair covering and out-side-carriage but they that have the light in them and that spirit that tryeth all things will not own you the sooner for your feigned humility with all this poyson at the bottome but if you will be owned with the Children of Light who judgeth not according to the outward appearance then must you own that which washeth the inside that the old leaven and venome of the Serpent may be purged out that old Accuser of the Brethren who yet sits in the Temple of God pleading for his Kingdom of sin and imperfection and against the obedience to Christ in them that follow him yea against the living obedience of those from whom he hath taken up the imitation by which he makes a fair shew in the flesh glorying in appearance but not in the heart and therefore striketh at the Light within and the spirit of truth there that if by any means he may keep the heart though he loose the Ribbans and so make a boast of an outside And thou askest another question in thy book whether this People meaning the Quakers witnessing against pride standing up to plead for the Spirit and also for reforming in habit and some other good things at this time may not have in it a design of Satan to bring up an evil report upon those good things and the persons that practise and seek to promote them may we not sayest thou look at this as a stumbling block cast in the way to hinder this good work by the enemy of man who leaves no way unattempred to stir up the minds of men to prejudice against truth I say if pleading for the Spirit reforming in habit and other good things be good things as thou say'st they are which the Quakers plead for and practise at this time then out of thine owne mouth bee thou judged that thou art he that is in that design of Satan to bring up an evil report upon those good things and the persons that practise and seek to promote them and this is the way thou art attempting to stir up the mindes of men to prejudice against the truth may not all see that some of you who are called Anabaptists who of late have been provoked to cast off some of your pride outwardly by those you call Quakers being you could not maintain it with Scripture now are you preaching down pride of envy against their persons who have testified against it in you as well as in the rest of the World yet however we rejoyce that pride is preached down which though you had the Scriptures before yet could not bee provoked by them thereto but have been the Ring-leaders of Pride of all-seeming religious People in the Nation And this I say to thee and the rest of you who are making a fair show in the flesh and would glory in appearance thereby to despise the Quakers you have a great deal more to deny besides putting off your outward pride in apparel if you will either imitate the Quakers or answer the Scriptures and the practice of the Saints therein recorded Is there not the same ground in Scripture to deny respect of persons and cease worshipping one another and to hold fast the form of sound words without respect of persons not to give flattering titles to men whereby the proud is exalted and the poor despised doth not this arise from the same ground with pride in apparel and bring forth the same effects which they that have observed the command of Christ and his Apostles have ever avoided Is not the same that commanded his Ministers to go teach all Nations whereupon they went into the Synagogues and Idol-Temple to cry down their false worship and to call out of them And did not they preach the Gospel in streets and Markets Was not they beat in the Synagogues and halled before Rulers Was they not wanderers to and fro having no certain dwelling place Is there not the same command to sue no man at the Law but if any man take away thy Cloak let him have thy Coat also Take no thought for the morrow give to him that asketh and lend asking nothing again and much more such like plain commands in Scipture which might be mentioned were not the Cross too great for you to imitate which you ought to do and teach to others to observe till then cease your boasting and glorying in outward appearance And could you do all this and much more by imitation and not in obedience to the Light and by the power of the spirit in the day of account it will but be found self-righteousness when enquirie shall be made Who hath required these things at your hands So to the Light of Christ turn your mindes which will let you see the seat of presumption upon a feigned humilitie and will-worship which findes no acceptance with God neither wil it carry through the whole obedience but puffs up the minde for one thing in a self-exaltation and despising of others and as to the Light of Christ you keep your mindes you will come to see that that which condemns one sin condemns all and that which leadeth into one truth leads into all truth and gives power to walk therein So the Ministration of the spirit giveth life which keeps down the boaster but the litteral knowledge puffs up and so killeth so the Law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus makes free from the Law of sin and death to those that walk in Spirit If you can receive this you may and let the Light in all your consciences answer thereto which shal witness me when the book is opened a lover of your souls James Nayler FINIS

AN ANSWER TO SOME QVERIES Put out by one John Pendarves in a BOOK called Arrowes against Babylon c. For the People called QUAKERS To Answer LONDON Printed for Giles Calvert at the Black-spread-Eagle neer the West end of Pauls 1656. AN ANSWER TO SOME QVERIES Put out by one John Pendarves in a BOOK called Arrowes against Babilon c. Query 1. WHether are you willing that the depth of your perswasion or opinion touching Iesus Christ his being now contained in the Heavens the raising of our dead bodies after naturall death the tryall of our Spirits and Doctrines according to the Scriptures should be clearly and openly known and published Ans What we have revealed in us concerning Jesus Christ the death and resurrection tryals of Spirits and Doctrines we are willing should be clearly and openly known Therefore do we publish the same as we are commanded to all Nations and this is according to Scripture for which we are opposed by you that are in Opinions Imaginations and Perswasions by your carnall Wisdome from the Letter to which the Spiritual knowledge of Christ his Doctrine and resurrection according to the Sciptures is a mystery neither can your depths of falne Wisdome Perswasions or Opinions finde it out nor try that Spirit which revealeth it to the babes but hideth it from the prudent Qu. 2. VVhether do you not by many of your sayings which admit of a double construction craftily hide your perswasions in many things from the sight of some honest people who take you to hold the same truth with Believers in generall concerning Christ the Scriptures and the resurrection of the dead Do you not endeavour to make them believe you hold otherwise in some things then you do and is not this distimulation at the best or lying after the manner of Annanias and Saphirah Ans From honest people we would hide nothing therefore to the principle of honesty which is the Light of Christ in them we direct them that with the spirit of truth they may be led to know what to believe and be guided out of all your craftiness who under pretence of believers draw people from the spirit to things acted in the flesh as thou who in thy book calleth them saints who may be like the most vain men in their foolith fashions and found too light in the true ballance so much know'st thou of a saint what is his weight and likeness to and such is dssimulation at the best and knowest not a believers truth nor their Christ nor resurrection according to the scriptures who reckon your selves under the name of saints and believers but never came so far as Annanias and Saphirah who owned that Doctrine preached by them that left all and wandered up and down to and fro and left their carnall relations in obedience to the voice of Christ as is declared in the Scripture which thou couldst reproach and slander to be contrary to scripture as in thy fifteen query and this is worse than the manner of Annanias and Saphirah Qu. 3. VVhether your selves even all of you be not men and women of sinfull failings and imperfections as are those godly people you cry down Doth not the Light within you shew you this if not tell us who are the persons amongst you without their failings or imperfections and how came they so to be Answ The Light within us thy slanderous spirit full of confusion in saying that we cry down godly people as also thy signifying them to be God-like who are of sinful failings and imperfections so thou shewest what thou knowest of his likeness and thy self a child of darkness and by him who is no respector of persons come we to be set free from sinful failings as by the Light we behold him who is our perfection so are we changed from imperfection into the same image from glory to glory even by the spirit by which spirit we bear witness against sin and imperfection for which we are accused to cry down godly people by such as love their sin yet would have the name of godliness Qu. 4. Do you in passing your judgements of the Congregations of believers as well look after those things which are commendable as those things which are condemnable in their practises do you not over-look the example of Christ in this who in his message to the Church of Ephesus writes in praise of the godly things in them Rev. 2.2 and particularly that they hated the doctrine of the Nicholaitans though withall he reproveth them for leaving their first Love and Sardis Church being reproved some few names are accepted do not you on the contrary cry them down in the generall without any mercie Ans The judgement which we pass is not ours but his that sent us which is not passed upon Churches of believers but upon the Synagogues of Satan who say they are Jews and are not neither do we thereby judge that which is commendable but that which covereth the serpent under a pretence of religion and this is not contrary to the example of Christ And whereas thou tellest of Churches and hating the Doctrine of the Nicholaitans when we see you leave that Doctrine and go out to declare against it where it is practised as the Ministers of Christ ever did then is there some plea for your names to be excepted in the mean time be not angry that we cry them down in generall who are found in that doctrine and Babylonish worship though not without mercy to them that come out of it nor think you to hide your selves by crying out of the Priests and your selves not come out of the rest of the relicques a measure though of a first Love there was amongst you which you have lost above all forms in the Nation and are run into the abominations and have bowed and conformed to uphold and maintain the relicques of the Papal Priesthood And think not pulling off your Ribbans and Laces wil excuse you so long as you withdraw the shoulder from things of greater weight which must all down at Babylons fall though we rejoice to hear so much from you of reformation was it done in the power and obedience of the spirit of truth and not of envie thereby to reproach others whom the Lord hath led out to bear witness against the rest of the worlds vanities pride and false worships but seeing you pretend your reformation in this point from the Scriptures search them over again and let the Light of Christ in your consciences judge if they be not as large both in precept and example under the Gospel for the form of sound words without partiality to deny respect of persons to bear witness against the Idol-worship openly where it is performed as the manner of the Saints was and is to the suffering the spoyling of the goods yea the loss of life rather than to uphold the Image by bowing to it in the least measure or honouring the pride in another which you

know to be of the devill in your selves and much more you shal finde in the Scriptures left as an example wherein the cross is too heavie for the carnall minde and for shame cease to call your selves Churches of Christ further then you can rejoice in their cross Qu. 5. 6. VVhether your declaring against instrumental Teaching yet going about divers of you informing and instructing your selves and others who are free to hear you doth not discover a gross contradiction betwenen your professed principles and practise and plainly shew that you would have them hear none but you And whether this be right to set them against instrumental teaching to bring them to hear your declaring as some of you call your speaking altering only the name whether instrumental teaching be unsutable to the new Covenant if so why did Christ being ascended appoint Pastors and Teachers in the Church to continue till we all come into the unity of the Faith c. Thus ordaining Ministers for the work while work remaineth for the ministery did Christ burden his Saints with needless appointments An. 5. 6. Those that went about from place to place preaching the Gospel from house to house informing others instructing them to believe in the light to wait for the teachings of Christ c. such we do not declare against yet did these declare against such who was false Apostles who sate at home and crept into houses and led them from the spirit into carnal Ordinances thereby keeping them ever learning and laden with sin and such our practise plainly shews we would not have people to hear not do we hereby deny Instrumentall but Traditional Teaching And you that sit at home and reproach them that go about have little cause to boast as though you were out of Babylon who cannot own the form of the Ministrie of Christ much less do you know the Power And for those thou tellest of who received gifts for the perfecting of the Saints till they all came to the unity of the Faith Thou knowest them not nor their Gifts nor their Work who sits at home reproaching them and incensing the World against them pleading for sin and imperfection which none of them ever did and seeking occasion against them who have received gifts for the perfecting of the Saints and for the work of the Ministry which thou canst not endure to hear tel of shewing how little thou knowest of the end of that Ministry Qu. 7. VVhether the Scriptures you bring to oppose Gospel Ordinances do not serve only to make void Circumcision with other Ordinances of Moses Law and to witness against walking after the tradition of men with the carnal formal practise or Idolizing of true Gospel Ordinances all you say making not at all against a spiritual practise of Church-Ordinances as breaking bread and exhorting one another c. wherein the Saints have the foot-steps of the stock in the primitive times going before them and the appointment of Christ for the continuance of these till his coming which must be understood of his personal coming the second time be being come in the spirit with great glory when he gave those commands 1 Cor. 11.25 26. Revel 2.25 Heb. 1● 25 Ans In this Query thou hast sufficiently shewed thy folly and confusion First in charging us falsly to oppose Gospel Ordinances and then confessing that all we say maketh not at all against the spiritual practise of Church-Ordinances Art not thou ashamed to charge us with the opposing that which thou confessest we say not a word against Or dost thou accuse us for speaking against carnal performances thy bottle must be empted of this Darkness before thou knowest Christs appearance personal or spiritual though with the rest of the dark world thou art putting the day far off thee and his appearance whom the Saints waited for and received which thou with their words wouldst put a far off Qu. 8. VVhether it is not better to wait on God in his good old wayes recorded in his word expecting his work to be gradually carried on as the grouth of a building or of a Plant or Child so running with patience the spiritual race set before us Or as the manner of some is to forsake the principles of saith whereof the Saints have had so great experience in hope to start up suddenly from a low stature into perfection by embracing a new Doctrine An. The good old way thou knowest not by which he carried on his work neither dost thou know his word who would wrest the Letter to oppose it who art set in the seat of darkness condemning them who leave all to follow Christ to be contrary to the Scriptures so much knowest thou of the spiritual race or the principle of faith or the experience the Saints have of it who sheweth thy experience and knowledg of a saints life who calleth them saints who are found light and the most vain men in their foolish fashions and thy faith serveth thee to plead against a low estate to be brought into perfection reproaching that as new Doctrine for which end the ministry of Christ was given as thy self hath instanced in thy sixt Query and now calleth it a start-up shewing thy confusion and envy to perfection Qu. 9. Whether Jesus Christ hath not prayed for those who believe through the word of the Apostles according to Iohn 17.20 And if so Whether they are not in a good and safe way who believe accordingly And whether it be not better to credit their testimony so fully confirmed by the Lord and acknowledged by the Saints for many generations than to forgoe that to embrace and follow the sayings of some of your company Answ Yea Christ hath prayed for those that believe through the word and such are in a safe way but what is this to those that have not the word in them whose belief standeth only in the Letter if such be in a safe way then who is it that is not Many believes both Iohn and Iames Peter and Paul and the rest that what they said was true which never knew the prayers of Christ the Word nor that testimony by the Lord confirmed neither do we desire any who have it to forgoe it but such as never had it are in little danger to forgoe it and these are seen to be them whom thou art encouraging Qu. 10. What is that faith which the Spirit speaks expresly some shall depart from in the later days giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of Devills 1 Tim. 4.1 Qu. 11. Whether that Doctrine which in some is no more but look to the light within with a curse upon disobedience and a blessing upon obedience thereunto be that glorious Gospel preached by Christ and his Apostles holding forth good news to all people Or whether it be not a reviving of the old doctrine of Justification by works wherein the mysterie of iniquitie worketh to darken the grace of God in justifying the