Selected quad for the lemma: enemy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
enemy_n	good_a	seed_n	tare_n	1,657	5	12.7414	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47127	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.	Keith, George, 1639?-1716.; Crisp, Stephen, 1628-1692.	1687 (1687)	Wing K145; ESTC R29891	18,469	27

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 LONDON Printed by Andrew Sowle in the Year 1687. The Benefit Advantage and Glory of Silent Meetings BEfore the breaking forth of this clear manifestation of Truth that now shineth in great Brightness and Glory which began in the Nation of England some twenty six Years ago or so there was many People both in that Nation and elsewhere in whom there was some true desires and breathings raised and begot after the Lord by the secret workings of his Eternal Power insomuch that many in that day began to seek the Lord in great Earnestness and Zeal upon whom he had caused his Light so far to shine forth that thereby they came to see their Poverty Nakedness and Emptiness notwithstanding of the large and much Profession which they had made in divers Sects and also by the same they came to see their want of the living God though they had learned a notional and litteral knowledg of him from them who spoke weakly upon the Scriptures what they had gathered from the Letter by their Hammerings and Toolings upon them and so it came to pass that many who were diligent and zealous followers of these Ministers of the Letter through these dawnings of the Light of God and Christ which began to appear in them became to weary and tire of that ministration they were under which was at best but that of the Letter and for most part also had much of Falshood and Untruth mixed in with it from the Worlds Spirit and Wisdom so that their Doctrine had neither the sound Words of Truth nor the Virtue and Life of Truth to make it Savoury and Nourishing into the Souls of the People so that many come to loath and refuse it for it appeared unto them no better then as Dead Corrupted Water yea as the Waters of Egypt that became Blood which they loathed to drink off and the same People who began to loath the Doctrine and Ministry of the National Priesthood and also of others who pretended more finding it both Dead and Corrupt they found great perpexity and heaviness of Mind as not knowing what to do whether to go they were pressed in Spirit to leave and forsake the Dead and corrupt Ministry they were formerly under as finding it hurtful yea killing for the Letter killeth but they knew not where to find the living and true Ministery which might administer unto them that which could answer unto the living desires of their Souls and could Satisfie and Nourish them at the same time there were divers in divers Parts who had some inward true and Living openings and Manifestations of Truth but they were not come to a Clear and Sound State and Condition in their own particulars nor to a clear discerning of the Manifestations and workings of Truth from their own imaginations And from the Enemies transformings and likenesses yet in this uncleanness unsoundness they went forth and spoke and declared and Preached and Writ many things which because they did in part issue or proceed from the Light of Truth were much taking into their hungring seeking Souls who had left the Dead and tastless Ministery they were formerly under and so because there was somewhat in the Words or Declaration of these men which did partly answer unto the Witness and truth of God in their hearts they began much to look after them follow and hear them and drink in their Doctrine even as the parched and dry Land drinketh in the Rai● of a Summer shower yet this came to prove much unto the great hurt and loss both of these Teachers and also of them who gave up to be taught by them For their Ministery not standing in that cleanness and soundness either of Doctrine or Spirit as was needful it could not but prove as unwholsom and hurtful food especially seeing there was not that discerning begot in People whereby they could make a clear difference betwixt the pure and the impure that which was of God and that which was but of Man and of the Enemy betwixt the pure and clean Grains and the Tares for indeed in their Ministry they did not sow altogether clean Grain but many noisom Tares with it and that in much more abundance then the true Wheat and the Tares sprung up and choaked the good Seed and hindered it so the good Seed withered in many and in many others was in a decaying and withering condition but the Tares waxed great and flourished and as for those Teachers who went forth as to sow for most part it proved most to their own loss and prejudice for not being brought into a cleanness and soundness in their own particular Condition neither as to Doctrine nor Spirit the Serpent who beguiled the Woman betrayed the simplicity in them and so through his subtilty drew them forth still further and further from the true openings of Truth which at sometimes were opened in them truly from the Lord out into their own vain imaginations and apprehensions and also into the Enemies transformings and likenesses whereby the tender dawnings and breakings forth of Truth became to be vailed and clouded in them and the Darkness prevailed to blind the Eye which had received some half opening and so their latter condition was worse then the first yea many of them became worse then others as unsavoury Salt having run out from the Sence and Savour of that which Savoured them in some Measure and thereby gave occasion of offence unto many People for some of these aforesaid having run out from the Measure of Truth in their own particulars vented and published both in Words and Writing Gross Unsound and Pernicious Doctrines and others of them became loose and desolate in their lives all which the Enemies of Truth charged upon Truth it self and spoke evil of the Way of it unto many Simple People who too much believed them and so were scared and offended even at the appearance of Truth it self And about the same time the People even those of them for most part who were most tender Ingenious and Zealous through a weakness of understanding and because of the customary Way they had been used to had too much an Eye to Words and too much a Life in them for they could not meet together but some behoved to speak in Doctrine Exhortation or Prayer c. Otherwise they would have thought the Time mis-spent so much as passed away of it without Words for their minds were much drawn forth seeking satisfaction and refreshment in outward Words Practices and