Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A54006
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Arrowes against Babylon, or, Certaine quæries serving to a cleere discovery of the mystery of iniquity whereunto are added endeavours for reformation in saints apparrell : with some quæries for the people called Quakers / by John Pendarves.
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Pendarves, John, 1622-1656.
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1656
(1656)
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Wing P1136; ESTC R27463
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44,087
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53
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and servants of God ought not to declare the Nationall-Church of England viz. the Nation pretending to be a Church to be indeed no Church of Christ but a Daughter of Babylon And is it not their duty to discover her abominations in such Language in speaking of Babylon either the Mother or her Daughter as the Spirit of God makes use of and commends to us in the holy Scriptures Doth not that command to Gods people to reward her as shee hath rewarded them extend to a full reward both in words and deeds And if through flatteries of men slavish feare or foolish pitty Gods Archers his Ministers withhold to shoote such arrowes against Babylon in preaching or printing as God hath put into their Quiver for that purpose may they not be justly rebuked for it 9. Whether a bare forsaking of the Nationall Church and a verball declaring against it be a sufficient witnesse-bearing for Christ against Antichrist in the matter of Worship or whether besides all this are not Gods people called by a bold profession and visible practise of the ordinances of Christ according to the Gospel pattern to hold forth a true Baptisme Church-worship and so by a contrary practise to beare their testimony in the strength of Gods Spirit and truth against that false way And in so doing though the worke of Zions building may appeare now in its beginning as nothing in comparison of that glorious patterne in the Apostles dayes is there not ground to beleive God will vouchsafe his presence and helpe to his people in the work according to his good word Haggai 2. 1 2 3 And when the Saints come out of Babylon ought they not then to call upon one another to flow to Zion and there to declare the worke of the Lord Jer. 1.6.9 10. And if this be the season for the former duty why not for the latter and having with and amongst them the Word and Spirit according to that stable Covenant to beleivers in all generations Isa 9.21 Neh. 2.18 What hinders but they should rise and build 10. Whether many zealous Ministers and people in the Parish-way by reason of their ignorance of the times and seasons and the great worke of God at this day to bring his people out of Mysticall Babylon may they not be in danger of fighting against God and kicking against the pricks as did many devout Jewes who were zealous of the old legall Worship not knowing or considering that the time of reformation from Jewish rudiments Heb 9.10 was come And doe not many now as they then little consider Gods call to his people to reforme thorowly from all Antichristian pollutions and to touch no uncleane thing in this day of the Lords controversie for Sion And may wee not see as then so now the things which God winked at in times of ignorance hee will not winke at but witnesse against in times of light And is there not a very great security upon many professors Can yee not discerne the signes of the times Mat. 16.3 and darknesse upon their right eye that notwithstanding all the signes of the times and all the late wonderfull workes of God they are not awakened to discerne and doe the speciall duties which God by his strange dispensations calls them to And is it not apparent that many who should instruct others in the duty of the day It is the duty of the wise Steward to give the Children of God the portion of Doctrine sutable to the season Luk. 12 42. doe discourage them from enquiring into such things telling them of the danger of mistakes and the great difficultie of finding out truth referring them in many things to the footesteps of the flock in times of Popish darknesse But is it not high time for Gods people to goe a step beyond such Watch-men enquiring after Christ in the further discovery of truth And seeing God hath chosen the weake and foolish things of the world to confound the wise ought not even such to search into the booke of revelation seeking God by faithfull fervent prayer for his promised Spirit to lead them into all truth remembring the words of David Thou through thy precepts hast made me wiser then mine enemies I have more understanding then all my teachers Psal 119.98 99. 11. Whether the Parish-Ministry in their standing and acting as such are not found taking part with Babylon and warring against the true visible Churches of Christ and all others who withdraw from and witnesse against the Common polluted way of worship And if so whether those who are enlightened may warrantably upon the account of the gifts and godlinesse of such Teachers follow after them so as to have fellowship with them in their broad Church-way And is it not to make Idolls of them and preferre them before Christ and set them above him if they choose rather to follow after such Ministers in that way which hath no word of God for it then to follow Christ in that despised way of worship which hath the sure word of Scripture for its warrant Mark how Satan makes use of Eminent instruments sometimes to promote his wicked Designes If Peter that eminent Preacher might be and was so farre captivated by the Tempter as to oppose by rebuking Jesus Christ himselfe when he spake of his suffering death Mat 16 21 22 23. And againe denied him shamefully when he came to suffer with cursing and oathes saying he never knew the man And after all this at another time the same Peter who was so famous an instrument in Gods hand for converting so many soules even he becomes a misleader in a way of dissimulation Gal 2.11 12 13 14. so that Barnabas an eminent Minister of Christ If some who see such dissembling tell them that dissemble that they are to be blamed they do but as Paul did who told Peter of his fault Gal. 2.14 and divers others were carried away with his dissimulation If so it were with Peter is there not ground enough for the good people in that way to feare that their Ministers even the choicest of them may be fallen into temptation to be prejudic't against the worke of a thorow-reformation seeing their preferments livings and honours seeme to be struck at and so being offended labour to draw in others to be one with them in their offence and opposition against the Saints in their present warfare for Christ against Antichrist 12. Whether the greater number of people in the Parish-Assemblyes are not in danger of eternall Damnation through their high presumption that they are in Christ and in a good estate And whether have not Englands Church-Ministry much to answer for who have begotten and cherished this confidence in them by declaring them in their old Catechisme To be regenerate in their Baptisme made Members of Christ and inheritors of the kingdome of Heaven If this be true and no lye they have taught them who thus exalted them unto heaven
furnish him liberally out of that wherewith the Lord thy God hath blessed thee But on the contrary is it not ordinary with some that are Rich to count it enough to keep their Brethren from perishing How few walk up to that Golden Rule Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self hee that so loves his Neighbour seeks to make his life in some measure comfortable as bee doth his own and in so doing though not for so doing in way of desert more joy is to bee found than in the greatest worldly glory which when men have purchased with much expence procures them little comfort here and will afford them lesse in the day of Christ May not many who so lavish out their Gold and Silver on their sumptuous cloathing justly fear lest they fall under that heavy charge in the day of Christ I was naked and yee cloathed mee not hungry and yee fed me not Mat. 25.42.43 Such as now wear costly apparell on the back with great bunches of Ribbands on the belly as the manner of some is will they not then blush and bee ashamed when they shall bee called to look back and see how they have used their talents and be required to give up their account to (p) Doe not the brave gallants put that great day of accounts far off God Thirdly They know few in want If they were not willingly ignorant they might soon be informed of many objects of pity who call for large bounty and bowells to relieve them in their present wants and (q) Such give little encouragements to others to acquaint them with their wants streights The time is neer wherein that word shall bee fullfilled Esay 32.5 The vile person such an one as first serveth his Lusts and then throws a little of the overplus to the Poor shall bee no more counted liberal nor the Churl who possibly will do something for the poor by much entreaty shall no more bee said to bee bountifull but the liberal man shall bee known by that charecter in the 18. verse by devising liberall things and mark what follows by liberal things shall hee stand To seek out the Poor and needy the hungry and the naked to feed and cloath them and to avoid all unnecessary expence that he may be the better able to do such works this speaks a man liberal indeed thus to devise liberal things And hee that doth thus providing things honest and needful for himself and for his family as hee is likely to find no lack so to have little or nothing over wherewith to provide costly superfluities For conclusion of the answer of this objection 2 Cor. 8.15 let mee without offence propose to some Saints in Churches whether do they remember their Brethren in other Congregations besides their own who suffer adversity as being in the same body of Christ with them and do they make it appear by caring naturally for them and extending relief to them according to examples of the primitive Saints 1 Cor. 16.1 2 3. compared with 2 Cor. 8.1 2 3. c. Act. 11.29 30. Object 9. It is enough for us to avoid some extream vain fashions and to conform in our apparrel to other civil people of our degree Answ This saying suites well with the Laodiocans of our times who are much taken with the friendship of this world but to such I shal use the words of the Prophet Arise depart yee this is not your rest for it is polluted Hath not Pride infected all degrees high and low from the greatest masters to the meanest of Servants Not to speak of the Pride and pomp of some men and how it is supported Do wee not see that even those who get their living hardly by their daily labour instead of laying up against the time of age or sicknesse lightly lay out what with labour they get on vain and costly (r) Such trimmings as are used by poore servants are oft times more costly to them then other rich adornings worne by men of estates superfluities And what do they alledge but that its ordinary for others as mean as themselves so to do But let Saints remember that command of God Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil Exo. 23.2 and the words of the Apostle Rom. 12.2 where wee are commanded to bee non conformists to this World and withal observe his earnest exhortation to the beleeving Ephesians not to walk as other Gentiles in the vanitie of their mind c. Eph. 4.17 to the 23. verse for further answer see the 8 ground Object 10. Some who seem to bee high-flown in knowledge and contemplation object against this Reformation that this is a small matter and so they puff at it and are offended as Naaman the Syrian when the Prophet bid him do a small thing 2 King 5.11.13 Answ First Doth God call for it be it granted that the thing is but small in comparison of some weighty matters so much the rather ought it to bee done by the Saints without gainsaying But so small a thing as it is weightier matters are highly concerned in it for besides the clear tendency of this Reformation to promote many singular good works which would adorn the Saints profession and turn for a testimony to them that God hath set them in the way of those choice and high enjoyments spoken of in the sixth ground it lays siedge to those mighty sinnes viz. Covetousnesse Oppression Extortion Injustice Fraudulent dealing with many other like evills which are practised mainly to maintain a worldly gallantry in costly apparell and such like superfluities Secondly To allow our selves in any evill though but a small one is no small evill but a great one such as makes a deep wound in a tender Conscience and prepares the way to the worst of evills (s) See the danger of sining wilfully Heb. 10.25 26 27 28 and take heede of the least slip that leades to it Have not these times abounded with sad examples of some who at first slighting some lesser commands of the Gospell and giving place to sinne by little and little have at length become despisers of the Ordinances of Christ and have set light by Christ himself and his precious blood turning the grace of God into wantonnesse abusing Gospell liberty for an occasion to the flesh even unto grosse Licenciousnesse Wherefore the rather ought Saints to bee circumspect in all things and to avoid such arguing in defence of small sinnes Gal. 5.13 Eph. 5.15 1 Thes 5.22 seeing it proves oft times a sad beginning that leads to a fearful end And now in as much as God is turning his hand upon his People to purge away all their drosse according to his blessed word Isay 1.25 Wee ought to see his hand upon us and readily to submit thereunto as workers with him in the strength of his grace Isai 4.4 5. to clense our selves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the fear of God