Selected quad for the lemma: life_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A29930
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The invisible power of God known in weakness with a Christian testimony of the experience and sufferings of Edward Brush, aged ninety one years / by him tenderly recommended to all moderate and well-inclined people.
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Brush, Edward.
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1695
(1695)
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Wing B5239; ESTC R31993
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13,618
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19
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is the Door of entrance into Heaven Therefore I beseech all Professors and Prophaness not to content themselves with shadows any longer but come to believe in Christ Jesus the Substance the Light the Life the Door the Way the Truth and all that truly believe in him for Life and Salvation they come to an inward Injoyment of him and feed on him who is the Bread of Life which Nourishes their Souls up to Eternal Life and it is the Experience of a Remnant that until you all come to retire your minds inward to the Grace and Spirit of God there can be no spiritual Growth Heaven-ward yet there may be a Literal knowledge of God but that is not saving because the letter kills but it is the Spirit that gives Life to the Soul And it is my rejoycing in God though in time of Ignorance I went astray and then my Soul did mourn before the Lord that through the Grace and Mercy of God my Soul is come to know my Teacher within that Teacheth me to Profit giving me an understanding in the Mystery of Godliness for great is the Mystery of Godliness God manifest in the Flesh as the Scriptures Testifies Forms of Religion without Life do not profit and I have often considered how few in my Native Country of England who made great Profession of Religion and think themselves good Christians know little of the Life and Power of Godliness and though they say the Scripture is their Rule yet walks much Contrary to Gods Command therein and are far short of being Real Christians walking in Darkness not knowing whither they go I speak not this to reflect upon any but to Caution all to examine their selves and see how it is betwixt God and their Souls for the Light clearly shews such do not do the will of God nor do they Consider their later End and that the All-seeing God is nigh to Judge who will Judge both quick and dead who is Striving by his Spirit Immediately and by his Spirit Instrumentally in his Servants and Messengers which God hath sent forth to warn all to repent and to believe in the Light Christ Jesus Therefore let the pure mind in all be stired up and let all be awakened out of their Spiritual Slumber in Sin and awake to Righteousness and let the time past be sufficient that hath been spent in Vanity and Redeem your time and turn to the Lord by true and unfeigned Repentance for he or she that regards Iniquity in their Hearts the Lord will not hear their Prayers Therefore it concerns all to wait upon God that he may give you Repentance unto Life for true Repentance God's gift and they are blessed that are truely Humbled under the mighty Hand of God in the sense of their Sins 'T is not every one that says Lord Lord but he that doth the will of God is Justified And the truely Penitent mind is in a Praying Frame and and there is a Praying continually by those that believe in the Light of Christ and Christ ever lives to make intercession to God for us and the faithful and obedient shall Eat the good of the Land and they Worship God in Spirit and have no confidence in the Flesh but rejoyce in Christ Jesus and are made New Creatures and have put off the Old Man with his Deeds And I must needs say my Soul is still in Travel that all People may have their minds on Heavenly things and make your calling and Election sure and while they have time to prize it for none can promise to themselves one day You are often saying We must all Dye but I would have you reflect upon your selves and see whether you believe in Christ that Enlightens all that comes into the World And whether you bring your Deeds to the Light and know them wrought in God for the Light of Christ will give righteous Judgment whether they be wrought in God And we must all give Account to God and receive a Just Reward according to our doings Therefore deal faithful with your own Souls and see what is the Frame of your Spirit and consider your ways and doings And know that he or she that Bridles not their Tongues all their Religion is Vain Therefore it is my Soul's desire that you believe in Christ and come to partake of his Divine Nature that so you may know Christ in you the Hope of your glory for if you know not this you are in a Reprobate State And therefore let all be deeply concerned to lay hold of Eternal Life and know Christ dwell in your Hearts by true Faith that stands in the Power of God for it is not the Traditional Faith nor Historical Faith of Man's making will stand you instead in a Dying Hour but the true and living Faith which saves is wrought in the Soul by the Spirit of God Therefore my Tender desire is that all may retire inward to the gift of God's Grace and Spirit because what is to be known of God is manifest within 1 Rom. 19. and my Soul with many more doth witness the same and the day is come in which God hath fulfilled his promise and poured out his Spirit upon many Sons and Daughters and they Prophesie Joel 2.29 And God hath raised many Sons and Daughters Servants and Handmaids to Preach the Everlasting Gospel again in this later Age of the World and Endued them with Wisdom from above and given them knowledge in the Mysterys of his Eternal Kingdom and in measure hath made my Soul Partaker of his Love in Christ Jesus and of his Spiritual Appearance in the Inward Man And to the Praise of God I can say the grace of God hath so Qualified my Soul by its secret Teachings within that when the Ministers and Messengers of God came out of the North and elsewhere to Preach the Gospel of Glad-Tidings to the Poor about Forty Years by-past what was Preached in me was openly Preached as on the House-Top in the Quakers Meetings and my Soul did Cleave to them and Readily embraced the Gospel which is God's Power to Salvation in all that believe and which hath been Life to my Soul ever since and my Soul was brought near and into Acquaintance with God and his Messengers were Instruments in God's Hand to open the way of Life to me all Praises be given to God through Christ Jesus And now Life is with them who truly Preach to the Spirits yet in Prison amongst the Children of Men to deliver them that are in Bondage and the Presence of God with them hath caused many to incline to God's Spirit 's Teaching For the great God that made Heaven and Earth is setting up his Kingdom in the Hearts and Spirits of his People that believe and is Calling to come to his Holy Mountain and for ever blessed are all they that hearken to his Heavenly Voice in their Souls And my Soul's desire is that both Priests and People would consider in themselves
of God for ever and we parted And passing from Jamaico by Sea to the Ship it was in my Heart to breathe to God to preserve me safe to England and the answer of God's Spirit in my Heart was He would be sought unto Some-time after the Ship run upon Bohemia Sholes where we lost Anchor Cables and Plummet and in the Night-season I was constrained to break forth into Prayer so that all in the Ship heard me and the Wind Turning the Ship and Passengers were preserved and the Lord my God was with me all that Voyage and brought be safe to London the First Day of the Third Month 1660. A Coppy of a Letter formerly sent to Friends in Jamacio MY dear Friends Breathren Sisters I salute you all in the Truth and in a pure remembrance of our Heavenly Father's Love which my Soul with yours was made partaker of when present with you is never to be forgotten and in the renewedness thereof my Soul hath been refreshed and at present is my Spirit rejoycing in Christ Jesus who is a Fountain of Light and Life to all that believe and obey his holy Spirit 's leadings And I having obtained Mercy from the Lord it is in my mind in a few lines to visit the Seed of Life in you breathing to the God of our Salvation that we may be preserved together in the Holy and Blessed Union and pure Fellowship with God and one another in his Everlasting Truth which we have long made Profession of O how doth it greatly Concern you and I and every particular of us to Answer the Loving kindness of our God and Father that his Light that in measure hath Enlightened us and opened our understandings in the Mysteries of his Kingdom may shine forth in our Lives and Conversations to the Men of this Generation with whom we converse that we may shew forth the Vertue of his Light and Life freely given to us in Christ Jesus to the Praise of the Name of God who made us for a purpose of his own Glory and that you with me may have an understanding that a measure of Light is given to every one to profit with For our God hath not been wanting to us but hath given his Spirit to help our Infirmities for of our selves we can do nothing that is Acceptable in his Sight but he hath blessed us with Spiritual Blessings that our Souls may thrive in his Grace and Truth that comes by Christ who is the Wisdom and Power of God to all that truly Believe and Wait diligently in his Light and Spirit such do witness him to be revealed in them to give Life and Comfort to their Immortal Souls and they that in the Living Faith abide shall obtain Victory over the World's Spirit Within and Without but if we Suffer our Minds to wander from God after the fading things of this World that will bring Death and Darkness over your Minds again and the Spirit of this World will dceivee you as he did Eve by drawing her mind to look out and Eat of that which God had forbidden her therefore 't is my hearty desire to God that you and I watch diligently against the Enemy of our Souls who works in a Mystery to deceive and will appear as an Angel of Light as he did to me to my sorrow for the Devil knew where to lay his bait in tempting me and telling me it was good but when the Light began to shine in my Heart I found it to be as contrary to God as Darkness is to Light and my Soul Magnifies the Lord's Power over the Spirit and Power of Darkness Therefore dear Friends suffer the word of Exhortation through your Weak and Aged Brother who has long been Travelling towards Sion in that way of Truth which leads to Rest and Peace and in a hearty desire that you all may be found in a Spiritual Travail and witness a Spiritual Growth in Christ and be renewed in the Spirit of your mind for he is come near to Judge both Quick and Dead and they are Blessed that do put on the Armour of Light and are bringing forth fruits of Righteousness before God and Man they witness the Comfort thereof in themselves And if any among you hath a Form of Truth without the Power such are Spiritually Dead and Christ said Ye shall know them by their Fruits And you that are quickned to God and have passed from death to life are witness of those things for Light makes manifest and expels Darkness which deadens the Soul to God and clouds the Understanding in the Mysteries of his Kingdom O my dear Friends let us Joyn to the measure of Light in our Souls to know how it stands betwixt God and our Souls for according to his promise he will search Jerusalem as with Candles Therefore let all arise from the Dead that Christ may give you Light and if you are Risen with Christ mind Heavenly things And it doth nearly concern us that we believe and pray in the Faith of God's Elect to do his will on Earth as it is done in Heaven And as the living Members of the Natural Body are ready to help each other so much more will the living Members of the Mystical Body of which Christ is Head mutually Love each other Condescend Sympathize and Help the Weak and forbear one another And if any be overtaken in a fault you that are strong and Spiritual to restore such an one in the Spirit of meekness is precious and such a Spirit doth well become the Children of Light in this Day of God's Spiritual appearance which is broken forth in Spirit and Power within to Judge and Purge out of his People all that is contrary to his mind and Holy will Therefore dear Friends let us all wait to feel his Judgments upon the Transgressing Nature and this is our Father's Love to bring us into Conformity to his Son Christ Jesus And blessed is that Eye that Sees and Understands these things nothing shall Separate their Souls from the Love of God that which is near and dear as a Right Hand or Right Eye must be parted with yea even Life it self if Required which brings to my mind the preserving Arm and Power of my God both at Sea and Land in my going abroad and in my returning home again and to this Day he hath given me Health and Life Spiritually and Enabled me thus to write unto you being above Ninety Years of Age tho' with a shaking hand I beseech you to Receive these Lines in the Love of God manifested through this weak Vessel for the good of your Souls for with Longing desires I have some Years waited for strength thus to signifie the unchangeable Love of God who brought me thither where I felt your love to God his Truth and me also and have often thought of the Lord's Servant John who was Banisht into the Isle of Patmos where the Mystery of God was Gloriously Revealed unto him