Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	truth_n	worship_n	worship_v	19,034	5	9.4594	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A30546	A tender salutation of perfect love unto the elect of God the royal seed, the saints of the most high, who have believed the testimony of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and walks in the light that hath enlightened every man that comes into the world.	Burrough, Edward, 1634-1662.	1661 (1661)	Wing B6031; ESTC R37521	8,863	17

and Practise in that case hath been even to obey all men in all things either by doing or suffering it at any time ye are required to do any thing by any in Authority which is not agreeing but contrary to the Scriptures example of the Saints and the Spirit of Christ in your own consciences then ye are to suffer whatsoever if it be death it self rather then to obey and submit to the doing of that which is contrary to a good conscience this hath ever been our Principle and Practise since we were a People agreeing with the practise of the holy Prophets Apostles and Martyrs in all ages who rather did suffer grievous oppressions and persecutions then to obey any command of men in power by doing any thing contrary to the testimony of the Spirit of God in their own particulars let us all be like-minded this day not to do nor bend nor be in any wise contrary to the Spirit of Christ that dwels in us but rather suffer whatsoever may be imposed then to sin against that Light and Knowledge of the Spirit of Christ which he hath given us but let us keep a clean heart and a pure conscience to God-wards and therein we shall triumph over all in our inward Man though our outward man be afflicted and in this we shall have peace and comfort in God over all our Adversaries And as concerning your meetings the Lord hath given you the testimony of his Spirit in you for the verity and righteousness thereof though ye should suffer persecution for the same yet ye have the Spirit of Christ testifying in your hearts that this Way and Practise of meeting together as our practise hath been is of God and he Justifies us in the same and we have suciffient of assurance by the holy Spirit to stand faithful in that practise of assembling together to worship God First we have the testimony of Scriptures and exple of Saints in the Apostles daies to prove this practice of Meeting together The first Christians they met together in this manner and way as we do now they met in private houses and from house to house separate and apart from the Publique Synagogues and all other Sects and it is clear that we have the example of Saints and Scriptures proof for this our practise of meeting together 2. We have our own experience for this diverse years how that the Spirit of the Lord hath moved our hearts to assemble together and the presence and power of the Lord Jesus Christ hath been amongst us and we have tasted of the goodnesse and love of the Lord being so met together how often hath the Lord met with us and his countenance shined upon us and our souls have been refreshed strengthned and comforted in this practise of meeting together these things are true and may confirm us in this practise of meeting together and to be faithful to the end 3. We have the full perswasions of the Spirit of God lively and fervent in our hearts at this moment that we ought not to neglect the Assembling of our selves together but that God requires it of us and it is his will that his people meet together to worship him in Spirit and Truth separate from all the world even in one Spirit and in the Name and Power of Jesus I hope ye are all like-minded herein and that the spirit of Christ perswades your Consciences in the Truth of that practise therefore be faithful unto God herein and sin not against the testimony of Scriptures and example of the first Christians nor against your own experience nor against the admonitions of the Servants of the Lord who are the first fruits unto God since the Apostacy and have again and again in the Name and Spirit of Christ exhorted you to meet together wherefore be faithful to perform your duty of God in that particular whatsoever sufferings should be infflicted upon you by the men of this world And as concerning refusing to take any Oath ye know it hath been our Principle and Practise so to do since the Lord hath given us knowledge of his wayes and the spirit of the Lord that dwels in us perswadeth our hearts to deny all swearing both as it was practised under the Law according to the command of God in the types figures as it is practised among the Christians since the Apostles daies which is as now practised Idolatry and Superstition And I say the Spirit of Christ doth confirm our hearts in this truth even to deny all swearing and also we have the expresse command of Christ and of the Apostle Iames forbiding all swearing by Heaven and Earth and all other Oaths which bears witnesse to the truth of our refusing to swear at this day likewise we have the Testimony of many holy Martyrs and Prophets since the Apostles daies who denied to swear on any wise who suffered for such their Testimony All which evidences may justly confirm the hearts of Gods people at this day faithfully to hold out their Testimonie of refusing to swear at all seeing we have a cloud of witnesses that testifie with us the expresse command and Christ and the Apostle the Testimonie of diverse holie men in diverse ages who suffered for the same and the present perswasions of the Spirit of Christ in our own hearts All which are sufficient to give courage and boldness under all sufferings and afflictions that we may meet withall for refusing to swear Well Friends be faithful to God in these and all other things which God hath given you light and knowledge in and I do warn all to keep a clear conscience and not to sin against the light and knowledge that God hath given you either by denying to professe and practise that truth which the Lord hath perswaded your hearts of or by conforming to any thing which ye know is not of the truth and this is the way of eternal peace with God but if any shall through the temptations of the adversarie and for the love and fear of this world deny the Lord and renounce good conscience and be unfaithful such must bear the burthen of the Lords anger because of their back-slidings and revoltings from the waies of God True it is this is a day of great trial yet the Lord is strong and gives strength unto all his people that wait upon him And let us be mindful what our controversie is and with whom this day our controversie is for the Lord and his truth to do faithfully and suffer patiently whatsoever the will of the Lord is unto us not to renounce and deny the exercise of our pure consciences in those things that God hath perswaded our hearts of the truth of For if any this day should be unfaithful either by doing what they should not or leaving undone what they know they should do If any deny the Lord and his truth and conform to the false waies worships of men such loses the

controversie and gives the cause of God into the hand of your enemies which is a fearful abomination and the controversie is with that spirit which opposeth us in these things which we know are of the Lord. It is with the spirit that we must contend contend I say by the spirit of the Father in long-suffering and patience and good will towards all men and not with the weapons of this World in envie to any even with that spirit which doth oppose our meeting together to worship God and would impose Oaths things upon us contrary to our Consciences And these things are the main matters of controversie this day which the spirit of Christ in us must oppose being imposed on us by the spirit of the world So all Friends are to mind to be faithful to the spirit of Christ and its perswasions and against that spirit which is not of him for the opposition is between the two spirits and none must say the things required to be forborn or to be done are but small matters in themselves and may be done or not done without offence this king of reasoning may be dangerous and may easily divert from the obedience of Christ for we are not to look so much at the things in themselves which are required to be done or to be forborn as at the spirit which doth impose upon us in such cases against pure conscience if the spirit be not of God we must not obey it in the least things for this is indeed the matter of conscience not so much particular things or actions as the spirit that is not of God where it requires things against good conscience for whatsoever that spirit requireth be it little or much in respect of the action it must not be obeyed and that for conscience sake for this is a good conscience that cannot do nor conform to any thing which the spirit that is not of God enjoyneth though therefore suffering be inflicted on the outward man And last of all I do advise and exhort that ye have love and unity in the spirit of the Lord and one with another that oneness of heart and soul and spirit may be amongst us being bound up in the holy Covenant of the Father even willing to do or suffer one for another and in this spirit of unity the Lord will blesse us and make us strong and able to go thorow joyfully all our afflictions but if any strife or division be in the bodie it weakens the whole if one member vex another through discord this is not of the Father but contrary to him this is not for the safetie of the body but bruises it and woundeth it and may more afflict the soul of the righteous then all outward enemies and strife and contention arising out of our own bowels may sooner work an overthrow then all the oppositions that can come from men Oh therefore as a Brother to some and as a Father to many and as a Servant to all let me entreat and beseech that ye follow those things which makes for peace that ye love one another as Christ has loved you and that ye be like minded in all things even one as the Father and the Son are one and so shall the blessings of the Lord never depart from you For dear Friends the Lord hath never been wanting unto us but alwaies near at hand to fill us with his riches and treasure and are not we Vessels of honour is not his Name in our fore-heads are not we the flock of his fold Therefore let us honour him by the works of truth of love of mercy and all the works of righteousnesse let us bring forth fruits unto the Father thereby proving that we are true branches in Christ the Vine and let us give up to suffer all things patiently for the testimony of his Truth written in our hearts if we live let it be to him only and if we die l●t it be for him having the seal of his good Spirit in us that whether we live or die we are the Lords E. B.