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
A89845	A publike discovery, of the open blindness of Babels builders, and their confused language, who have been building without, till they deny faith, knowledge and the Gospel light within, the law of the new covenant, and matter of the new creature. Plainly laid open in an answer to a book intituled A publike discovery of a secret deceipt, subscribed John Deacon, in behalf of some who pretend a call to the ministry. Wherein their first queries their replyes; their answers to my queries, and their last queries is answered, and their whole work laid open, and the end thereof with queries sent back, by them to be answered, that their boasting spirit may be farther revealed, & its blindness. Here is also some of their confusions taken out of the heap, and set by themselves to be seen, how they will stand in the eye of truth, where but the least measure of God is known. / By an enemy to deceit, but a friend to the creation, called James Naylor.	Naylor, James, 1617?-1660.	1656 (1656)	Wing N305; Thomason E870_2; ESTC R204793	29,385	50

Gal. 1. 11 12. Reply answered In this I am called blind Sophister again and you say it would be absurd to imagine that any should preach the Gospel of Christ as from themselves though say you I dare presume to say you do so that though it be absurd so to say yet you dare presume to say it for your priviledge is to speak absurd things and to presume so to do yet not see your selves herein which did you mind the light you might see the blinde Sophister at home but this is not the first absurdity by many in your Book which you have presumed to cast upon me though you have not confessed to them all as to this Also this must not be without a lye more which is that I bring the means to testifie against it selfe but cannot instance wherein and when thou hast confessed that we preach the Gospel of Christ and saies you dare presume to say we do then say you but tell me hath that man any one spark of Grace or Truth in him that cannot see you are truthless So to preach the Gospel of Christ is a truthless thing amongst you and such blind stuff as this you cast out at random nor have I denied any means in my Answer that God is free to make use on as you would accuse for I have learned otherwise then to limit him to means or from means in what he hath not declared I am silent but this I say what means soever he uses the hireling is denied and they whose worship is not according to Scripture as your high-place worship is not neither in call maintenance nor manner of worship in any one particular And this I am ready to make appear when I shall be called thereto not withstanding ●●● the filthy venomous names you have called me in your replies which shews your inside and the fruits of your Ministrie and serve most for that end for me they touch not nor hath your Replies in the least shaken my answers though your unclean languaege have shewen your own foundation and confusion thereon builded Reply to the pretended Answers subscribed John Deacon unto fourteen Queries put forth by James Naylor Quere I. NOw seeing you so much oppose the light within and spirit and set up the Letter for the Light I say seeing it is plain all the Saints had a light in Spirit to guide them in wayes accepted in all ages before the Letter was if you be spiritual men give it in writing what that Light was where it was and how they came by it when they had no Letter or was it sufficient before the Letter is it the same now or when or how was it changed and the Letter set in its stead 1. Answer and Reply In the Answer to this Quere I am charged with a lye because I say you oppose the light within and spirit and sets up the Letter for the Light yet in the Answer your great work is to deny the Law written in the heart and place it now in the Letter and sayes the Gospel is not known by being within and sayes it is one of the most principal Controversies between us Christians and the Quakers and saies that which was once written in the heart and was sufficient is now become insufficient and now since the thing you have stated that the Controversie must be betwixt the Law that was received at mount Sinai which you call a lively Oracle and that which God hath written in the heart we will search the Scripture for whom it bears testimony and with whom they side in this controversie Jer. 31. God in ●es a promise of the new Covenant after they had broken that which you call a lively Oracle and saith God this shall be my Covenant I will make with the house of Israel I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and they shall teach no more every Man his Neighbour and every Man his Brother saying know the Lord for all shall know me from the least to the greatest And Paul Heb. 8. witnesseth the same words and sayes the first Covenant was faulty And in 2 Cor. 3. he calls that which was engraven in stones the ministration of death and said he he was not a Minister of it but of the spirit for said he the Letter killeth but the spirit giveth life and saith it is done away that is in the letter And David saith of a righteous man the Law of God is in his heart so that none of his steps shall slide Psal 37. 3● and Paul saith the Law of Spirit and life in Christ Jesus made me free from the Law of Sin and Death and this Law you say is become unsufficient and yet with the same shameless mouth am I accused for a lye saying you oppose the light within and set up the l●●ter behold your work and be ashamed you blind guides who know not the light in you your states you may read Eph. 4. 18 19. and this blind work you have in hand is suitable And further to manifest your blindness you say before that law their sins were no sins so by your doctrine it were no sin for Cain to kill his Brother and Sodom and the old world suffered without sin by your Doctrine and such dark muddy stuff as this you utter but leaves the Quere wholly unanswered Quer. 2. Reeing you say the Scripture is a Rule declare in plainness is the whole Scriptures a Rule to all men and women to take up the practise thereof or how much of it is and to how many people and to whom in particular seeing the Saints in all ages had their particular commands how may weak people know which of their commands they must take up and which they must not and when they have found the commands where they must have the power and whether that which gives the commands be not the power only accepted for performance deal plain herein that people may know what to do and what they have done that they be not always learning and never able to come to the end of their labours and rest of God 2. Answer and Reply In the Answer to this Quere after you have uttered a sort of frothy words you come to lay down an impudent lye saying private Saints had never particular and peculiar commands and ere you leave the Quere you contradict your lye your selves saying Noah had a particular command to build an Ark and John to Baptize and the Apostles to Preach c. But for Answer to the Quere which asks how people may know which of these commands they must follow you send us to Reverend Pens to seek but names not where and so steals away from it Que● 3. Seeing Christ preached the Kingdom of God within unbeleevers and the Apostle saith that which may be known of God is manifest in them and that they came to the knowledge of God and his glory by the light that shone

to learn the first principle of Religion that cannot discern between the temporat expressive word of God and the co-essential and co-eternal word with God for so is Christ Answ That Christ is the onely word is plain in Scripture Joh. 1. Rev. 19. 13. But what are you who have more words then you can express by Scripture language and whose word is that that is temporal seeing the word of the Lord endures for ever 1 Pet. 1. 25. Quer. 10. Your tonth Quere wherein you would deny the sufficiency of the Law written in the heart doth sufficiently manifest your selves heart-blind who would deny the new Covenant to be sufficient Jer 31. 31 32 33 34. Heb. 8. 8 9 10 11. was the Law written in the heart sufficient in Davids time Psal 37. 31. and was it sufficient in the Apostles time Rom. 8. 2. and is it now become insufficient with you that therefore you would turn us back again to the Letter to be made perfect who have begun in the spirit But this is suitable to your knowledge and your faith which you deny to be within And whereas you ask wherefore the Law in the Letter was given I say not to give life but to drive into the Law in Spirit of which it was a figure which Law of the spirit giveth life Rom. 8. 2. Quer. 11. What be those first principles of the Oracles of God made mention of by Paul as needful for believers to know what the Oracles be whether the Scriptures or what else be the Oracles or the Principles how learnt and after what manner and by what means or if the Scripture be the Oracle of God why not the Word of God also and what difference between the Oracles and the word and wherein consistent and what those principles of the Doctrine of Christ be whether the same with those of the Oracles wherein different and wherein congruent and what the growing up into perfection is and when the end and whether in this life or in another Answ All this heap of Queres cannot let in the Serpent neither can he know the Oracle which is spiritual and the letter is not it You must first know the light of Christ in Spirit which is the first principle and faith to believe in it the thing which you deny within for so the Oracle and first principle is learnt and that 's the manner and means and the Word and Oracle of God is not at difference but in all things consistent and the light of Christ which is the first principle leads to them and so is one with them not different and therein is the growing to perfection which is not in your life whose faith and knowledge is without but in the life of another Quer. 12. What is the Kingdom of God that our Saviour speaks of Luk. 11. 21. and what that Kingdom Matth. 11. how did it suffer violence by whom and after what manner Answ The Kingdom of God is one whereinto none can enter who have no faith in them so read your selves shut out in your Answer to my twelfth Quere Neither can any know how the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence but who is come thorow Johns Ministery which such as you are far off who say the light of Christ is not sufficient that lighteth every one that commeth into the world which John calls the true light and bare witness to that through him all might beleeve Which you whose faith is without resist So out of the Kingdom you are shut with the Pharisees though it be preached in you Quere 13. What is that Election what that Ordination what that Adoption and What that Drawing so often times spoken of in Scripture and who they be who are capable of it here and after what manner administred and make out your judgement herein plaine Scripture Answ That Election Ordination and Adoption is Christ and the Drawing is the Spirit of the Father which is administred in the light which draws to Christ the Election which none are capable of who deny the light to be sufficient and have no faith in them And this judgement is according to the Scriptures Quer. 14 15 16 17 18. Your 14 15 16 17 18 Queres are concerning your worship and you begin with a lye Saying you have proved Scriptures may be expounded which is yet to prove neither can you prove it as you use it by the practise of any Gospel-Minister And under this lye would you Usher in and Shelter your Doctrines Reasons Uses stinted times Tyths and Masterships Pulpit-Worship and literal Text preaching sprinkling of Infants and Sacraments as you call them which is eve●y particular as you perform them a thing besides the Saints practise Neither will the Scripture own you therein without wresting So that 's a lye which saies the Scriptures allows it For the Scripture allows no man to change any title of the manner of Gospel-worship much less them which have changed all Neither doth it allow any sort of people to set up a worship and then wrest the Scriptures to uphold it For then should we allow the Pope as well as all the Rabble of false Worshippers that are descended from him And whereas you ask are not these the Ministers which Rome would destroy which we cry down and were not the Martyrs of the same profession or wherein did they differ c. I say those Ministers which we cry down are such who had their rise from Rome however their Mother and they are faln out whose Kingdom stands most in contentions neither do we cry down 〈◊〉 who are come out from that Romish Worship and herein do those whom we cry down and the Martyrs differ in that the one were sufferers for conscience sake according to the measure of the light then made manifest and the other are persecuters of the heir now at his coming and opposers of his light in conscience whereby the Martyrs were led to suffer who suffered not for standing for Pulpits and Masterships and Tyths but for bearing witness against other of that trash both of the s●me rise and nature And such do justifie their murthers who are found persecuting for the rest of the reliques that are yet behind and so be witnesses against your selves that you are their Children who slew the Martyrs Quer. 19. And since you say I am damned c. Answ The foundation of this Quere is a lye and of the same it is builded And what thou asks concerning the ground of Faith I say it is Christ in the degrees of the several measures thereof and in the light they are known within the creature the effects whereof is truth peace and righteousness But the lyars who have no faith in them bring forth other effects as is seen in your book Quer. 20. Whether the power that worketh in you and in the rest of your quaking Fraternity be Divine or Diabollical If Divine prove it by Scripture Or may we not know the tree Antichrist by

at the plow I am not ashamed of it knowing it to be a lawful employment much better then the hireling that works not at all but lives on other mens labours taking by violence what 's other mens labours but seeing the plow is a reproach with you why should not the tythes be so also which are a fruit of the plow but it seems there is a generation to whom the plow is a reproach but the sheaves gentile but the scorners will do scornfully Quer. 15. If you are perfectly f●ee from sin as you assert you are what then is the sting of death or are you in the flesh immortal on earth Answ 15. The former part of this Quere I return thee back wi●h the latter part of thy foregoing being both of one root but to the latter part I answer where the new birth is witnessed which is not of corruptible seed but incorruptible partakers of the Divine Nature the life of Christ made manifest in mortal flesh and where life and immortality is brought to light there the sting of death is seen to be abolisht on earth but this Cains generation knows not where death reigns and therefore would murther such as are translated from death to life Reply answered In this after your old manner your Reply is O incomparable hypocritical lyar And forthwith a challenge is made to try the contest whether you or I be the lyar And you say my own writings must decide the Controversie And the charge is that I have said expresly them who say they have faith and yet their life is not the life of Christ and say they cannot be saved from their sins in this world but in part them and their faith we deny So if I have not denied this in my Answer to this Query then you are the lyars but if I have then I must be he but have you not here with your hasty railing lost your senses to put your case to tryal in so plain a thing where there is not the least shew of a word seeming to deny this in the whole Answer neither is there one word here wherein perfection is asserted so stay till I assert it in my own behalfe till then your consequence from what another said will not clear your quere of a lye cast upon me but afterward you are made to confess your lyes in both queries in these words say you for charity take this that the former part of my last query and the latter part of this are both of one root to wit the false doctrine of your spirit which is a lying one so you confess to what I told you they was so the Controversie is decided in this business and the incomperable hypocritical lyar hath confessed to the lye and what spirit it is of Que. 16. And if you have no sin to what end is Christ beneficial as an Advocate Intercessor and Mediator or is he no such Answ 16. Christ that gives a man a light to see his sin who redeems and cleanseth him from sin is of use to us and all that knows him as the Mediator and of use to keep his from the wicked one and that he toucheth them not 1 John 5. 18. And the same who sets from sin is he that keeps free from sin and this benefit we have by him as Advocate Intercessor and Mediator Ephes 16. 17. Reply answered In this the pit mouth opens againe and outcomes O Secret Deceiver with a lye at the end of it and that is that I grant what I lately denied and that must be that I asserted that I am perfectly free from sin With another lye on the Apostle John the end of which is to deny Christ to be an Advocate for the righteous where sin is not committed your words are these But if any man sin not else we have an Advocate with the Father And then you conclude if you have no sin then is Christ useless So by your Doctrine to obtain the end of Christs comming which is to set free from sin is to make Christ useless when the same Apostle saith He that abides in Christ sins not doth he make Christ useless or is it not he alone that can keep that the evil one touch not in whom he is and they in him But the lyars never knew what it was to be in him nor kept by him further then to ●nbolden your selves in the worlds wickedness by talking of him you know not And it is no strange thing to see you pervert my words all into a lye when you date turn the Scriptures into a lye to deny Christ to be an Advocate unless men sin saying not else which the Scripture saith not so he is no Advocate in prayer with you and spiritual worship so you have said enough to shew your knowledge in Christ as he is Advocate Intercestor and Mediator Quere 17. And if you be perfect in purity what is the cause you are not also perfect in glory Answ 17. Perfect glory is perfect purity and every one according to their measures are glorified therewith but this world knows not whose glory fadeth neither can they judge of it with their impure spirit 2 Cor. 3. 18. And of this glory all the Saints have a measure in this life but the world hates it Reply answered What you say in this is suitable to the former and one answer is to both Quer. 18. And if you disown method in teaching I Quere whether you have any command against it and whether you esteem better then uniformity Answ 18. That method and teaching which is out of the Doctrine of Christ which is in the wisedom of man and in the wisdom of words of mans wisedom out of the unity of the light of Christ and his Spirit this we see to be confusion and not uniformity and against it we have a command which was judged with the spirit of the Apostles so do we 1 Cor. 2. Reply answered In this Answer I am rendred as a fool though before a subtile Sophister and you say rather deserve to be laughed at then in the least to be replied to I say had you said as little to all the rest you had shewed more wisdom and less lying though your scornful laughter I justifie not Quer. 19. Whether ever intentively the Gospel was promised to be made known or practically that it was made known without the means to wit the Ministration of man if not why then do you resist it Answ 19. The Gospel was made known and promised intnetively and practically to the servants and children of God without the Ministration of man as to Adam Enoch Noah Abraham Isaiah and all the Propets John Baptist Simeon the Shepherds Paul and divers others and the same he doth at this day and none can limit him nor do I resist what meanes he uses but such as resist his works deny his light and would limit him Gen. 3. 15. Gen. 9 9. Gen. 17. 7. Luk. 3. 20. Luk. 2. 10.

in their heart which God shewed them c. Deal plainly a●d let people know how it now comes to be without and denied within as it is by you Prove your practice and judgement herein by plain Scripture 3. Answer and Reply In this Answer you charge me with two lyes first concerning Christ preaching the Kingdom of God within unbelievers and to prove that a lye you change that Scripture Luk. 17 21. which saith the Kingdom of God is within you to among you The second lye you charge me with is because I said the Apostle said that they came to the knowledge of God and his Glory by that light that shone in their hearts To which I say it s no lye for none ever came to the knowledge of God otherwise but by that spiritual light and that the Apostle said so 2 Cor. 4. 6. may testifie and that Scripture Rom. 1. 19. which saith that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it to them this you say cannot be the spirit of God or Christ thus being stark blind you utter your lyes and confusions without sahme and would cast them upon others but how should you believe the Kingdom of God within who say faith and knowledge is not within Quer. 4. Whether that new birth spoken of in the Scriptures be Christ within or some other thing and if not he then what is it and how people may know it by the letter without the light when they have Christ and when they have a spirit of delusion and whether the light of the spirit alone be sufficient without the letter to reveal the Son of God the Father and all Truth and judge of all spirits what soever without any addition to it 4. Answer and Reply In this Answer you run a wild chase telling of Adam and Eden much the like things which you know naught of and then you tell of the matter whereof the New Man is made and you say the Mind and Will of Man is the Matter to which I say that 's like all the New Man you know so the second Adam is made of the Mind and Will of the first The Saints had Christ formed in them which was their new birth but is he formed of the Will of Man the new birth of the Saints is not of the Will of Man nor of the Will of the Flesh but of God but your birth is of the Will of Man and such like babling stuff not worth mentioning after you but leaves the Quere unanswered only addes a lye in the conclusion that our spirit opposes the commands in the Letter Quer. 5. Whether the least measure of saving faith in Christ Jesus be not present power above the Devil and all the powers of darkness which if it be then what is the cause that men must be captivated to commit sin while they live Whether it is want of faith or that there is not power in faith to overcome the evil one or hath any faith in Christ farther then they haue power over sin and the world or is there any rest to a believer short of that power 5. Answer and Reply In your Answer to this Quere your whole work is to plead for sin and that the greatest fulness cannot except from actual sin and in the conclusion you render it as a dangerous thing lest they should fight against Gods Counsel and Determination as though God had determined actual sin yet dare not deny the Quere but say the least measure of faith in Christ is sufficient to keep from the dominion of sin as though sin had not dominion where it is acted and such like confused stuff you utter lest any should believe freedom from sin and you lose your Kingdome Quer. 6. Seeing you say the Scriptures is the ground of faith and that they who can read the Scriptures have power to believe as you did the last first day then I say can any believe who have not read or heard the Scriptures if yea then is not their faith without ground by your opinion or is there more grounds of faith then one or is the Scriptures Christ 6. Answer and Reply In stead of answering this you call me a lyar for telling you the truth the time and place where and when you did affirm that whereof I told you in my Quere and hundreds may witness it for which I then withstood thee and thy companions among whom it was spoken Quer. 7. Seeing you affirm that none can be Ministers of Christ but who are called of Man and are learned men whether was the Apostle Paul a true Minister who saith he was neither of man nor by man and what he preached was not after man Nor was it but by revelation Gal. 1. 2 11 12. Or was Peter John and the rest true Ministers who were unlearned and ignorant men Act. 4. 13. and what lets that God may not chuse such now 6. Answer and Reply This is answered like the former by denying what thou and thy companions did affirm at the Mouth before many witnesses and if thou said some and another other some and all was as one was it not affirmed by you but it s no new thing to say in words what you will deny when you should prove in writing but be●ng called lyar by thee is little matter so many knowing I speak truth Farther thou sayest I oppose Christs commands and bely his Institutions in general wh●ch are but two lyes more to the number Another lye you tell of God saying you dare boldly assert that God never did nor never will use any extraordinarie meanes to destroy the ordinarie I say was not the brazen Serpent outward Circumcision and Carnal Ordinances ordinary means and did he not by the extraordinary means of his spirit destroy these and if it thus befal that which he had commanded when they committed Idolatry therewith then what shall become of your Idol-worship such as he never commanded now at his spiritual appearing though the Heathen had bespoiled of their Idols yet down you must and the event will declare it Quer. 8. What eye is that which the God of this world hath blinded how he hath blinded it and how it is opened and by what and whether the Letter can open it yea or no 8. Answer and Reply This you excuse saying you have not read any such thing I say its a hard lesson for the blinde to read but that eye was Christ and his Ministers sent to open of which you are blinde and cannot read Quer. 9. Whether the true Ministery of Christ be the same now for matter means and maintenance that it was in Apostles time or when was it changed into great Livings Tythes and set Maintenance and by whom and in what must it now differ from these 9. Answer and Reply In this you have excluded all the Parish Ministerie in the Nation in that you say the Ministerie of Christ is the same now for matter