Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	word_n	world_n	youth_n	43	3	7.6171	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77079	A taste of the spirit of God, and of this vvorld, as they have appeared in opposition heretofore, so now latest of all at New-Windsor. Occasioned through the violence, and reproach of evil men, against the temple and tabernacle of God, and them that dwel therein. Presented in a narrative to the honourable committee, for the propagating the Gospel. / By Robert Bacon, preacher by the allowance of God, and the nation, now these five years there.	Bacon, Robert, M.A.	1652 (1652)	Wing B371; Thomason E669_13; ESTC R207030	41,008	52

next day or the same day at even we having stayed by the way we overtook them again about Marlborough when of the man that was with us they enquired my name which when they knew they stayed and spoke to me going over a Bridge I willingly went softly to have some speech with them they telling me in effect they were yea that they were Jews and that the time of their gathering together out of all Lands especially this was come and that they should away for Hierusalem yea that they must be circumcised and so forth To all which I replyed that in a sence I approved of all this but not in their sence or as they applied it but said that he is a Jew and of the seed of Abraham that believs whose praise is not of men but of God yea the very same too said I are the Circumcision which worship God in spirit and so have the true Circumcision which is yet that made without hands Lastly the place of these I judged to be no other then Hierusalem but that I mean come down from Heaven into which no unclean thing shall be admitted as they liked not mine so I disowned their sense of these things as I am sure I had the greater cause after about half a miles riding I left them I going another way about a twelve-moneth after I came to London and as I was going to dinner in Fleet-street about eleven of the Clock or a little after there met me a Merchant that formerly I had knowledge of and some acquaintance with told me that there were some at his house had a great desire to speak with me I left my dinner and went with him to a fair and great house where I had never been before he had me into an upper Room where when I came I heard a very great noyse of one speaking I knew not what with exceeding great fervency I would have stayed and heard further there but he urged me to go where it was into the next Room where I saw at the Table the forenamed Garman writing having before him an Hebrew Bible there was some two or three men besides this Gentleman whose house then it was and my self in the Room was a Bed and one sitting up in it speaking as I said before and claping his hands with exceeding seeming height of confidence but the words he spake I did not understand only they seemed to me to be a mixture of Latine and some other tongues they said Hebrew and all other Languages I confess I remembred he mentioned oft Melchise deck the High Priest or Priest-hood the name Judah and Jesus with such zeal that the fire seemed to me even to sparkle out of his eyes he did besides I remember curse with great bitterness the Priest-hood as he said that was not after the order of Melchisedeck by his side there lodg'd a Woman which I confess I did suspect was the Woman I had seen before at Wells and after that upon the Road but not understanding and indeed not approving of yet wondring I confess at the business after less then a quarter of an hour I departed and have never seen them since Now the truth is as I have had opportunity I have related the matter as I here have done to such as I thought good and in particular did so now in my last journey to one at Bristol from whom peradventure Mr. Wood hath had this Relation or else I know not whence it should arise and peradventure this man would I should have gone and made some complaint of these people as the manner of some is to be very severe in complaining against sometimes but the seeming evils of others but in mean time very sparing of their own abominable lusts the Seed and Posterity of Saul who kill and make an end with great zeal forsooth the lesser Cattel of the Herds and Flock of Amaleck but in mean time save alive the fat and strong The Scriptures we all know declare how that our Saviour was himself not only in the Company but left alone in the presence of an Adulterous Woman whom the unseen Adulterers had brought there before him to accuse so that certainly there is no cause of blame for my being as I was and coming as I did to this place wherefore they have the greater sin who have made it first evil and wicked in their own hearts out of which as the root of all filth they have cast it again forth if it were possible for the staining the innocency and truth of God in me so that I confess I do not reject the story as I have given it and as it is as the spirit and end for which it is produc'd The third is Mrs Ceenee's Lodging sometimes at my house Mr. Wood by this minds me of the rule which they say was Matchiavels if a man be never so innocent yet the way effectual to ruine him is audacter calumniare aliquid haerebit lade him with reproach and some if not all will be beleev'd of most verily I have been so dealt with to some purpose by this and some other my friends at Windsor the Scriptures speaking of these latter times says among others there are these two Characters of the evil men found in them that as they are such that have eyes full of adultery or the adulteress so they have an heart exercised with covetous practises Mr. Wood shall find where the latter is in the heart sure it will be found in his which is Adultery as to God for it is covetousness forsooth no sin in these times which yet saith the Apostle is Idolatry and the very radix and root of all sin there I say without all peradventure is the other if not in the body yet in the eye this sure at least was in the eye of Mr. Wood he would else not have reproacht me with the entertainment of this Woman for assuredly she was in my account yea doubtless in the account of those made her the Matron of the Savoy a Woman sober and of good report yea I suppose with the Governour and others here who had speech and acquaintance with her as well as I she having two Children in these parts and one of them at Eaton-School as touching her entertainment at my house I am confident it was design'd if by any means they might by her ensnare me a practice used by the Heathen of old against the holy men and Martyrs of God to find occasion against them to take away their lives she came I confess in an affright to my dwelling in the Castle she being denyed of the Souldiers to return as she said to her Lodging I advised her that being innocent she had no cause to fear to go before the Governour before whom they told her she must appear she did accordingly when being as she said threatned to be put into the custody of the Marshal she desired she might have leave to go to her wonted Lodging which was at one Harrises in the Castle by no means this might be but saith the Governor you may see whether you may not stay at Mr. Bacons wherefore at his moving she came to desire me to go to him when I came the Governors first demand of me was whether I would passe my word for Mrs. Ceenee I told him no nor ye for any one else the next was whether to prevent her going to the Marshal she should abide at my house I said I thought rather then that she should be in distress my Wife would provide some Lodgings for her which she did and I consented to in the simplicity and uprightness of our hearts it was a frequent charge the Pharisees brought against Jesus that he was a friend of Publicans and Harlots God hath had mercy on me in this to drink of the same Cup from men of like spirit with them but rejoyce and be exceeding glad for this hath been the lot of the just from the beginning of the World The last of Mr. Woods good speeches of me is that he and others cannot tell when if at any time they come to hear me whether I will speak either from or of God or the Devil say we not well said the Jews to our Saviour thou art a Samaritan and hast a Devil yet we know that beleeve of what spirit our Saviour was how by the finger of God he cast out Devils yet they said it was by Beelzebub wherefore said he and I say the like to Mr. Wood all sins and blasphemies shall be forgiven unto men save that against the holy Spirit but I will conclude with only these two sayings They that are of God hear and can hear alone his word and he that knoweth God and is born of him heareth us and he that is not of God heareth not us in this or by this we discern betwixt the spirit of God and the spirit of this World the spirit of truth and the spirit of error Mr. Wood and others of the same mind with him professeth in this charge that he hath no discerning of the one of these from the other and so must needs be a peece of that man of sin of which the Scripture saith should come and even now is in the world FINIS

confess resisting thrust me out of doors at which I said in my heart and not only so What Communion Sir will you have from which you will excommunicate me He with much heat affirmed the whole Town would agree together and draw up Articles against me as since I hear from him they have done There followed many rude men after us repeating and justifying what the Gentleman said moreover he told me the people and boys of the street would stone me and that Hereticks were wont worthily so to be dealt with of which number Sir said I you remember holy Steven was one but I departed home only telling him I was sorry to see him in so great a passion I perceive the number of Communicants were very few they say since I was a let unto them truly I did not appear upon that account or for that end but meerly sith I saw they were heady and resolved in the business I thought it my duty to God and them to take the opportunity to give them some light in what they did so headily and upon the alone account of custom thrust themselves upon even as the horse that rusheth into the battel SECT XIII OF this I confess the next day I gave notice by letter to the Burgess of this place yet my letter went by Boat wherefore I could not neither had I a thought of doing prejudice to any as it was generally reported I was the cause of Mr. Bream his sending for by a Messenger from the Councel of State that evening yea one of our grave women forsooth very confidently reports Mis. M. I was met in the returning from the great City and told that that had been my business there this is like as true as is the report now fresh in Town that there came a man at the Church door to speak with me but I admitted him not to it who told one of our Neighbors as stout as I was I had taken of him above two hundred pounds for making of Hats for him which I would it were true I confess I would not refuse the employment for I am very well content were I able to work for my living as the Apostle was yet shall not cannot look back from the work I have been hitherto conversant in but had it been for hire I would have left it long agoe About this time was reawakened a certain somthing for what it is I cannot tell produc't as heretofore so upon this occasion by one Mr. Baker who were he as good as rich might be of great use to this Town and Nation having it seems as I have been told and is certainly true procured of some of the late Assembly of Divines about the time of my first coming to this place some kind of subscribing that I was not of them approved as it seems this Gentleman was and is as very sound to God and Man both in his heart and life as it appears he had a great deal more favour with them then I they would not otherwise have fortified such a man against me this note or whatever it be hath of him been made use of if by any means to alienate the people of all sorts from me in the which he hath not a little of late prevailed many in the Town having taken Copies of it though I could never see any yea they have as the people of like nature and spirit heretofore sought by all means into all places where I have been to search and find out the forepast history of my life making special and particular use of my sufferings at Glocester yea at Oxford when I was a youth there as well as of the wrongs and losses I have sustained heretofore in the case of the Common-Prayer and Ceremonies from the Bishops so that the evil that was in them all is risen up and allowed here or connived at at Windsor to the dishonour of God and the shame of the pretended high attainment of Reformation in the things divine and of God but whether this be under the hand of the Assembly or of some of them I cannot tell this they know that I refused not to come before them to a giving testimony of the truth I believe as they well know the great matter they seemed to be offended with was my non-taking the Covenant which I only refused as upon that occasion as though it were even essential to the matter of preaching Some other things they said as to the Catechisms but all they took notice of as displeasing them as may appear afterwards as unsound was the business of Baptisme which they say as indeed I do as to the outwardness of it judg to be in esteem with us of like nature as are other outward rites and observations not such as in them consists the Kingdom of Heaven or the true knowledg of God this was only mentioned as an error in a little Book writ by those convened at Sion Colledg for detecting of the supposed error and false Doctrine of many worthy men in the Land 't is true Mr. Rutherford of Scotland in a large Book of his seems offended not only at it but other passages but the story of the times and the reproach cast of him upon others more eminent a thousand fold then my self as the Lord General Mr. Burton Mr. Dell c. may save me the labor of speaking as to the vindication of my self as to the Assembly yet I will add what will give some hint of the offence they have it seems taken at me viz. my being here without either their allowance or order which yet was not through either my desire or endeavour as it doth appear partly by my being with them in conference from about two till after seven of the Clock but also by the following letter written to Mr. Holland upon that occasion whereby may appear what esteem the Authour of it had of the Assembly and me in those days Sir The Bearer hereof Mr. Bacon is that good man which the Town hath chosen for this place as you will understand further by a Letter from the Mayor and his Brethren Sir Robert Bennet the Governour and divers others we doubt not of your best assistance according to the Contents of the said Letter we have also written to Sir Henry Mildmay hoping that both of you may so carry it as to get him passed by the Committee without any reference to the Assembly c. Subscribed your Servant in Christ John Bachiler Windsor Castle April 13. 1647. which it seems was done accordingly SECT XIV BUt the people to perfect their work of my or rather the truths remove far from them it being Easter week they chose two others but most falsly call'd Church wardens rather truth and Church opposers which is the pillar and ground of it men much more for the purpose Mr. M. these with others get hands not a few some through fear and some for advantage as hath been confest of one eminent in the

ashamed yea that it was the shame of the Town and place that such violence of rude men should be so allowed the Mayor went before and I came immediately after and found Mr. Kind in the Pulpit with his guard of rude men attending him among whom when I appeared and the Mayor they looking pale I fear with wrath and envy being resolved as it came from the mouth of one of them to have laid hands on me the Mayor entreated them but left his Mace and his heart behind but they knew his mind and their other Rulers too though they did pretend some of them to some other thing I askt them what these rude people meant they told me they came there to hear nay rather to disturb and if need be to fight to maintain their lust and evil some threatned others perswaded me by all means to leave these parts for they had no desire of my company This day I went to Eaton and heard a good and seasonable discourse there I beseech God they may make good use of it in the afternoon I spake somewhat large by way of exposition on the 3. of Jam especially on these two heads Brethren be not many Masters for thereby ye shall receive the greater judgement for we that believe acknowledg one only in Heaven even Christ and that 2ly which followeth in the chapter that out of the same Fountain cannot proceed bitter waters and sweet as we find as the Apostle doth declare that the same tongue is exercised as well in cursing as blessing praying or preaching my Brethren these things ought not so to be yet then the which there is nothing more common as is evident among us in this place the following week being in London I went the Lord directing me in love seeing Mr. -late-Sir Richard Bream in Westminster-hall and had much speech with him he telling me of his own accord that the people many of them of Windsor had brought up some nine Articles to swear and prove them against me and that the first of them or at least one of them was this That I should affirm that I should be one of them should judg them at the last day and should confirm it with this Scripture whose sins ye do remit they are remitted and whose sins ye do retain they are retained the residue he could not tell only he said he had rebuked them for it and would not allow them to go on in their purpose by any means The next day not looking for Master Kind again he having no warrant neither heretofore nor as yet Yet I found him here with his company fortified and ready to go on as heretofore with whom having some discourse after that I had told them which in effect I had done before sith they would needs that Mr. Kind should teach or speak unto them he having yet no authority so to do I would descend and be willing that he should speak one part of the time in the morning and I the rest and so again to do the same in love and submission to the Lord in the afternoon and let the truth prevail and have dominion over both but this they would not I know they dare not cannot yeeld unto for though the truth doth not error doth seek to secure it self in a corner or at least with some outward force as the preaching and doctrine of this young man doth This day coming into the Castle and seeing the souldiers at the Guard as I passed by I said I think I must speak the Word of God to you which they readily accepted and after a little while sent for me by order of the Leivtenant to the Chappel where I spake about an hour out of the third of Luke in the which I was much refreshed especially in memory of the souldiers readiness to hear the Word of God at the beginning of these times above other men of whom I had occasion to speak from the Souldiers asking Iohn And what shall we do This last day coming as heretofore at the appointed time I found the doors shut our men that will needs be called Church-wardens present said the time was not yet but sayd I you render that for a cause which is none the cause is sure your Exclusion of me which they could not deny there were many present and much offended especially when I told them that what they did was of the same nature with that which did Corah Dathan and Abiram and taking aside Mr. Kind told him That what he did was not well not only to break the Commandments of God and man himself but even to teach men so to do as indeed he doth upholding the people in evil and sin both against God and his Christ which they in their own Consciences cannot deny Now it is very marvellous this evil spirit and power thus to the dishonor of God and his most holy Spouse or Church should finde as they say and as it seems it doth so great encouragement and strengthening not only from hence but also from elsewhere insomuch as they boast of Committees Parliament-men the Assembly of Divines Mr. Peters the Governor of our Castles approbation of them the Lord Whitlocks yea I am confidently told by Mr. Cokayn that I name not many others of equal yea of greater note then he whose word I suppose we may beleeve that this whole matter is supported with much endeavor even by some of our neighbors at Eaton yea I have some or rather great cause to beleeve it for as God is witness whom I serve in the Spirit of him in the Gospel of his Son they have withstood me in the truth of God almost ever since they came into these parts having in manner whispered me and my many little young and innocent babes to death with their lyes and false reports and not a few concerning me making me guilty and a transgressor in the things wherein I have been found faithful to God and men This I speak as of necessity the truth of God for the vindication of it self in me forcing me so to do that I may say as Craesus son did that never spoke before What kill my father kill and crucifie my Saviour yea the Saviour of the Land which I am sure they have done in me they that beleeve not may come and see as Thomas did and thrust their hands into the wounds made in his sides for he bleedeth even afresh among us as it is said they crucified the son of God afresh unto themselves This last Sabboth the Governor came himself into the Castle otherwise peradventure I might have had opportunity to have spoken to the people and the souldiers as before in the Castle but I shall conclude with this wish God have mercy on the power of the Nation that they may not suffer any power of theirs much less any earthly power opposed to theirs to oppose it self against the power of God and his anointed One our Saviour Amen Amen Quae

tua sunt facias quae functio una requirit Comittas soli Caetera cuncta Deo Thy duty do and Calling just fulfil In both thee safe keep Jah Jehovah will The first Postscript BEing a Transcript of certain Letters with a double Protestation made and annexed for a further light to this discourse and mine own just and true intent in it A Letter by way of Petition to the Councel of State occasioned as it doth declare To the Right Honourable the present Councel of State by Authority of Parliament Right Honourable HAving this last night had intelligence by a worthy Member of this Councel of an information and complaint made against me by Col. Whitchcot the present Governor of Windsor Castle I humbly beg to represent before you that I have been in a constant way of suffering wrong from the said Governour at least from him as an Instrument as many of great note and some deserving Members of this Councel can I am sure attest even ever since immediately before the Armies last march to London for the establishment of the present power as now it is which I pray God to continue in Righteousness and Peace for the quiet and Profit of the Common-wealth but as becomes my Profession I have with patience and silence as to men born the reproach and suffered the wrong crying yet in my heart to God the most righteous judg of all men and actions to bring forth my righteousness even in the Conscience of mine accuser and this Nation which I am confident he will now do before you he having given the occasion Wherefore I most humbly implore the Almighty God whose presence is with you that according to the wisdom given you from above you may go down after his example into a narrow view and search after the nature and ground of this complaint for the like hath not yet come before you that it may be as a sign to the Nation which I heartily wish in the first year of your Commission that there is in you of that wisdom of God was sometimes in Solomon the first year of his Reign to that intent and purpose that as he was to that you may appear to be design'd of God by righteous judgment to give to this Nation rest in Righteousness Peace and Plenty so prays Your Petitioner to God for you ROBERT BACON A Letter to the Lievtenant General now his Excellency the Lord General Cromwel whose favour I humbly beg in the publication of it being nothing at all to his dishonour occasioned as the Contents do declare SIR THe light of the Lord be your guide to lead you into those ways that conduce to his glory the Kingdoms good and your own internal-eternal peace and rest in Christ Amen The last night being April 30. the two late Captains of this Castle Robinson and Beale came and represented to me the ground of their remove hence as your self they say declared it Now because I am also under the same or a greater charge as they report I undertake with your leave and their request to lay the matter of my accusation and my own clearing of my self before you though the Lord will clear me that is his own truth and image in me for nothing else do I desire to vindicate the innocency of which must and will appear there be two particulars I understand in order to the late remove charged on me I think he mentioned Mr. Lockier was the man possest you with it The first was mine adhering to the Parliament-men prisoners here The second my provoking the Souldiers to take the Castle for them Sir I am not in the least measure through the grace of God so much as inclining to any such thing but do altogether abominate the endeavour both of the one and the other The Lord is witness how I suffered and was oppressed by the late Presbyterian power so called which yoak was by you as a principal instrument in the hand of God broken in peeces I suppose to the joy of all good men And therefore I cannot be in reason thought to promote that which indeed I waited upon God to remove concerning the persons of those prisoners I never had speech with them but once and that was not for above half a quarter of an hour meeting them in the yard Cancerning the provoking of the Souldiery to any kind of design whatsoever it is to me a very great marvel there should be any such suggestions but that this is not strange to me what our Saviour says they shall speak all manner of evil against you falsly for my names sake this hath been my lot from the Bishops Presbyters and now last beyond all thought by some of them commonly cast'd Independents There are of your own Family I suppose can give some testimony concerning me but I seek not the testimony of men God will witness for me as he is witness in me that as in the fear of God with all good Conscience both towards him and men I have behav'd my self in this place seeking by all means in publique and in private to advance the testimony of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in faith and love waiting for the effect and fruit of it in peace Truly Sir I have prayed unto the Lord and to that I press that there might be no more war in the Land and therefore would that every man I would be an example therein as well as a Preacher thereof to others would begin to war against himself which I am sure would make the other war soon to cease You have it likewise they say and not only upon report for your self they say you say have been a hearer of me that I seem to deny all Ordinances yea they say the very Scriptures Truly Sir it is not what you say or what others report but what is that I must have establishment in By the Ordinances I understand the Commands of God that concern my self which whiles in his power I submit to I judg my self one of them through grace that keeps the Ordinances of God But it may be some call their own inventions and Idolls by that name as you know the Jews did And such like Pharisees there be now not a few But that I may be calumniated to some purpose 't is said I deny the Scriptures Truly Sir there be many in words confess them but in life and deed deny them I find of those that will needs be offended with me even whether I will or no that say the Scriptures are the word of God but I bless God I know them to be so because I find the effect and tenor of them in my self And I am confident others find and feel the same in my word life and Conversation and therefore are offended with me as those of the like spirit have been heretofore Sir how I have in my heart prayed to God for you is secret alone to him before whom all is open Yea what joy I have