id	author	title	date	pages	extension	mime	words	sentence	flesch	summary	cache	txt
A47127	Crisp, Stephen, 1628-1692.	The benefit, advantage and glory of silent meetings both as it was found at the beginning, or first breaking forth of this clear manifestation of truth, and continues so to be found by all the faithful and upright in heart at this day / writ for the stirring up and encouraging of those more especially who are lately convinced unto the love of them, and diligent improving them unto those ends and uses for which they serve by George Keith.	1687.0		.xml	application/xml	10218	92	-13	For indeed in beginners , or those who are but lately turned unto the Light and Life of Truth , it hath much to Work through in them , and they have many Steps of inward Tryals and Exercise to Pass through in the Light and Life of Truth , before they attain unto that Soundness and Clearness in their own Conditions , whereby they can safely and Purely Administer the Word and Words of Life unto others without mixture ; for First a Man must be in a good Measure gathered into the Life and Spirit of Truth , so as to be well rooted and fastened in it , in his own particular , before he be in such a fit Condition as to Minister unto others , with safety and advantage , and the Word of Life must first have some free passage in a Mans Heart , Mind and Spirit , before it can have a free passage in the Mouth , and it must have got some good Measure of Command and Dominion over the Heart , and the Thoughts and Affections thereof , otherwise it cannot so conveniently , and readily have the command of the Mouth ▪ so as to order and direct it , that the Mouth steadily and soundly , only as the Instrument of the Word and Spirit of God , may only express or declare the living Words of God , otherwise as where the Heart is not under the command of the Life as aforesaid ) the Mouth will reel and stagger in its expressions , and be apter to speak the Words of the Wisdom and Spirit of Man then of God ; now as the Words of the Spirit of God and Christ are in the Mouth Spirit and Life ; so the Words of or from the Spirit of Man , though even gathered from the Scriptures , are instead of Spirit , but Letters ; and instead of Life , but Death ; the one is Spirit and Life , the other but Letter and Death , which Profits not , but hurts ; yea even the Mixture , ( as where it is partly Letter , and partly Spirit ) as much as possible , is to be shunned and forborn , especially , in this so Clear and Glorious manifestation of Truth , which calleth out of all Mixtures , both in Words and Works unto Purity , soundness and simplicity in all , and now doth more pressingly require it , then in the Times of Ignorance and Darkness that are past . Yea not only doth Life convey it self , and its pure influence , through the Voice and Sight , but even through the taking one another by the Hand , where it is done in pure and undefiled Love , and by the laying on of Hands also , as was witnessed in the Primitive Times , so that those who were indued with a large measure of the Life and Spirit of God , whilthey laid Hands on them who Believed , Vertue went forth from that force and strength of Life in them , an● reached unto these on whome Hands were laid , whereby they came to feel the Life to be raised in their own particulars , and the Power of the Holy Ghost to fall or break forth upon them , as even so it is witnessed at this Day , in and among the Children of Truth , through the form●r formality of laying on of Hands , that is in the false Church , which hath only the empty and bare imitation is not regarded .	cache/A47127.xml	txt/A47127.txt
