Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A59954
|
A small treatise concerning evil thoughts and imaginations and concerning good thoughts and heavenly meditations ... / by W. S.
|
Shewen, William, 1631?-1695.
|
1679
(1679)
|
Wing S3423; ESTC R33809
|
29,991
|
66
|
Christian Religion Now the true Christians Worship is in the Spirit and in the Truth not in the Letter nor in the Form barely but was before all Letters and outward Laws and Prescriptions were before all inventions were before all errors and the spirit of them was This was the Worship in Paradice when mankind neglected this worship he fell into evil into invention into error Sin was the occasion or cause of the Law the labour of the Prophets and the coming and suffering of Christ which was the cause of the outward Law and all other dispensations of God for the recovery of lost man And before he can witness a return out of his lost estate he must come again to the same Worship in the Spirit and in the Truth even the Truth in the inward parts for that is it which God loves to the word in the mouth to the law in the heart and the fear in the inward parts from all fear towards God taught by the precepts of men from all traditions of men of corrupt minds from all devices and inventions of men This is the blessed estate the true Christian is come into and is the end sum and substance of all holy Writings Forms and holy Traditions Ministrations and Dispensations before the Law under the Law and the Prophets Wilderness Jerusalem and Temple-Worship which stood in divers bodily exercises outward works and services variety of Offerings observing of Times Days Months and Years Meats Drinks outward Washings and Purifications New Moons Fasts Feasts solemn Meetings and general Assemblies once a Year at Jerusalem all these things were but shadows and typical And this is the antitipe and †The substance of all shadowy Services under the Law substance shadowed forth by them all To come to the Worship in the Spirit in the Truth to Mount Sion the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to come to the general Assembly and Church of the first-born written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all and the spirits of just men made perfect c. and to know the heavenly City that comes down from God out of Heaven even Jerusalem the Mother of all the living Citizens thereof whose Law and Covenant is spiritual and writ in their hearts whose love fear and obedience to God is engraven in their inward parts and from hence ariseth the true Worship in the Spirit and in the Truth And this is the Worship the Primitive Christians came to and were exercised in they prayed in the Spirit not at any set time or appointed place only but at all times and in all places according to the Exhortations pray always pray continually pray without ceasing I will that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath or doubting always breathing to the Lord in Spirit though never a word be uttered in the closet when the door is shut the Lord heareth and answereth this Prayer and many times they were and are also led forth to pray in words publickly but mostly for the sake of others and in the behalf of others as Christ Jesus did The true Christian is also a preacher of Righteousness not only in Words Sentences and long Sermons at set times and appointed places but in life and conversation †A true Christian is always preaching in this he is always a Preacher a Teacher of that which is good always as a candle burning and set in the right place his lamp trimmed and his light shining always as a City upon a hill as the salt of the earth and light of the world to season and give light to others by holy example which preacheth lowder than words The true Christians singing or rejoycing is also in the Spirit and in the Truth and not in iniquity and with a good understanding he needs no art not invention to bring words into Meeter or Rhime that they may make a pleasant sound and a joyful noise The Christian Musick is not made by Art and Air. his Musick doth not stand in outward sounds made by Art and Air but his melody is in his heart in the spirit in the inward man in the hidden man of the heart which is the antitipe and substance of all outward musick used in the time of the Law under the first Covenant in the Worship and Service of God and as far exceeds it as the substance of a thing doth the shadow thereof And he that hath this heavenly inward rejoycing and pleasant melody in the heart will never invent to himself instruments of Musick like David nor delight in the sounds thereof Where this heart-melody is lost the outward invented musick is set up among Jews Gentiles and Apostate Christians for the true Christian is come to know Christ Jesus as a Prince of Peace as a peaceable Saviour as the Consolation of Israel and joy of generations as a giver of peace which the world cannot give nor take away which far surpasseth all the delights of the sons of men which by nature art and invention they can attain unto Now the Spirit of God is universal and the Truth is universal and the true Christian Worship that stands in it is also to be universal that is at all times and in all places not only when people meet together in a solemn manner to wait together upon God and to he or his word preach and be preached and to hear a Prayer Psalm Song or Hymn even from his own pure motion and Spirit one hour in seven The true Worship of God stands not in any outward observation of time or place or any bodily exercise therein but in doing the will of God bowing in his Spirit and obeying the voice thereof or one day in seven which is good and profitable in its place but every hour and every day bowing in spirit worshiping in the Truth which makes free from all error from all evil from all vain observations literal traditions and humane inventions about the Worship of God from all carnal Ordinances as Musicks Meats Drinks Washings Feasts Fasts Days and Times which ends vanisheth or perisheth with the using though holy and significant in their first institution these things are not to be touched nor tasted no nor so much as handled by the true Christian these things are but beggerly elements and worldly rudiments which had a beginning and must have an end And the root or cause of a Christian which is Christ is the end of the Law and all the types and shadows of it and fulfils all the righteousness of it of the Prophets and of John also and is a bringer in of a better hope a better Law a better Covenant a better Worship which Hope Law Covenant and Worship is inward and spiritual and not outward and carnal formal nor traditional and all that are come to this worship in the Spirit and in the Truth which is one pure eternal principle of light life and power and have their hearts tendred