Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	scripture_n	speak_v	truth_n	7,071	5	5.8060	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A48173	A Letter to a friend in the country touching the present fears and jealousies of the nation and how they arise		1680 (1680)	Wing L1652; ESTC R36356	4,406	4

Spirit they are Love Joy Peace c. but not the least mention of extempore Prayer and the Gifts of the Spirit are Continency Prophecy Miracles c but no Gift of Prayer Certainly if it had been a Fruit of the Spirit or a Gift of the Spirit it would not have been omitted But let us appeal to Example for if it be a Fruit of the Spirit then all they who can or could pray thus extempore have the Spirit of God This is as much a demonstance as can be for now I will bring you such an Army of Saints as shall Pray and Fight with all Nations with Old Nol in the head of them viz. St. Oliver St. Bradshaw St. Ireton c. either these Saints prayed by the Spirit and so were real Saints or what they prayed was not by the Spirit and so were no Saints nor extempore Prayer any evidence of the Spirit of God I will now appeal to these men let them speak the Truth and shame the Devil Is not this way of praying an Acquisition Did not the aforementioned Book or some Collections of their own out of Scripture often hearing of others many secret Tryals and Exercises therein bring them to these perfections or could they from the first moment of their Conversion pray thus and they do as punctually remember that time as what they did yesterday and then if ever they had the Spirit of God it was as well able to help them as now and they stood more in need of it and it would have been more visible and apparent that it was not they but the Spirit taught them what to pray Did they not with much pains and industry attain this which they call a Gift let them deny it if they dare for if they will say they never used any of the aforesaid means to help their weaknesses I will undertake to prove them the most impudent affirmers of a notorious untruth for many of their expressions are sentences pickt out of the Bible which they read over often more for the respect of getting Praying-Phrases out of it then for their being informed of their Duty towards God and Men. They have also so many Phantastical uncommon words of their own Mintage and such a singularity of In-comings and Out-goings and In-dwellings and I know not what which like the wild Gourd spoil all the Pottage Some of them stuff their heads with Notions what to speak on a sudden occasion and those which have experienced can tell that if a man has but the Notions he intends to speak it is far easier to pray this way then otherwise the charge of Generals to the memory being less burthensom then Particulars And if a man has but a smooth and voluble Tongue he affords such hints which being improved with advantage do surprize the Speakers and Hearers with Novelties and Agreeableness And this is the Art of Prayer a meer Art it is which if a man has a good stock of Confidence he may soon arrive at and the sooner the more Ignorant he is because he will be proportionably more conceited of himself which is the reason why so many Mechanicks who can hardly speak sence in common discourse will steal expressions which with some Directions and Tryals will soon make them proficient in it If one would take the pains to write one of their Preachers Prayers for three or four times he would find it would be all to the same purpose at one time as at another only some Sentences misplaced He being now come to his Text I will leave him because he runs so far from it that I cannot follow him but if you desire to satisfie your curiosity further you may only go to a Conventicle which I am sure you may do without riding 10 miles The Principles of this Geneva off-spring are so contrary and averse to Episcopacy and therefore consequently to Monarchy it self that by using their old Aphorism to scandalize and slander the Clergy even as they did to his late most Sacred Majesty of blessed memory saying Let us blacken let us blacken some will believe it And thereby rendring the Church-Government to be Superstitious as they are pleased to call the Holy Rites and Ceremonies of the same As for the State they hold their old Maxims viz. Salus Popuit est Suprema Lex and that a King is Major Singulis Minor Vniversalis These sort of men will seldom speak any thing in favour of the Court unless it be for the Act of Oblivion and Toleration but as for any other proceedings they will always interpret them to the worst sence which causes such Murmurings and Distractions in the hearts of the Ignorant sort of People These men on the one side and the Papistical Crew on the other are fit Instruments to blow a Kingdom into Rebellion but I hope opportunity will be wanting for either of them to act The Discoverers of the Plot tell us that the Jesuits come hither under the notion of Presbyterian Ministers and truly I think that is as fit a way as any to accomplish their Designs and I fear and it is very probable we have a great number of them amongst us still and therefore it is impossible to root the Jesuits out unless the other Party and their Ministers be suppressed for that is the Jesuits only Back-door to molest us by and insinuate Rebellion into the disaffected People I could say much more to this purpose but being unwilling to trouble you any further I draw to a termination for this time Sir Your Real Friend and Servant