Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	believe_v	word_n	write_a	2,372	5	10.9841	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A89826	An ansvver to some queries put out by one John Pendarves, in a book, called, Arrowes against Babylon, &c. For the people called, Quakers to answer.	Naylor, James, 1617?-1660.	1656 (1656)	Wing N260; Thomason E865_4; ESTC R207620	10,619	16

ungodly without works freely and to make void the sufferings of Christ Rom. 3.24 the 4. chap. 5. Gal. 3.1 Ans That faith was spiritual and the gift of God which when they had forsaken and made shipwrack of their consciences became seared yet could they profess the Letter of the scriptures with great zeal as hath appeared ever since that departure there spoken of and the seducing spirits are such as are gone out from within into the world whither thou art leading who art reproaching the Light within as though it was not the Gospel preached by Christ and his Apostles when Christ saith I am the Light of the world and the kingdome of God is within you and the Apostle saith By the Light that shined in their hearts did they come to the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus and Christ in you the hope of glory and this alone is the good news to all people which the seducing spirits that are gone into carnal things would lead from and therefore Christ saith to his go not forth and who hath Christ the Light in them with his works and they in him here is justification by Christ alone which they that do works and not from Christ within and his Light within are in the deeds of darkness and self-righteousness wherein the mystery of iniquity worketh to darken the grace of God and to make void the sufferings of Christ and the Kingdome of God and the righteousness thereof within the obedience thereof makes free from sin and so obtains the blessing and this of faith and not of works though the blind seeth it not who are in their own works and litteral performances such know little of the power of faith or the work of righteousness whereby man is created new in the good works to walk which are fore-ordained and to such the everlasting righteousness is brought in by which the transgression is finished Qu. 12. VVhether the Light that is in every man doth reveal Jesus Christ as crucifified for sin and risen again if so How came it to pass that so many strict men amongst the philosophers and Paul himself walking according to his conscience before conversion were ignorant of him Answ Though the Light of Christ that lighteth every man that cometh into the world yet it revealeth Christ only in such as believe and follow it out of the world in which Christ is not revealed neither can be for the world by wisdome knows him not And the reason why Christ crucified for sin and risen again was not revealed to the Philosophers and to Saul is the same in your selves in this age who some of you run from a blind zeal in the Letter others in wild notions all from your imaginations without the Light of Christ so none in that state knoweth Christ as you ought to do who have him not revealed within for the testimonie of Jesus is the spirit of Prophecie and it is the spirit of truth that guideth into all truth and that which testifieth of Jesus as the truth is in him which all that have not that knowledge from the spirit are ignorant of him and so taketh that for the Light of the conscience which is but your own thoughts and imaginations and so far unlike to reveal Jesus And Saul was as learned in the Letter and as zealous for that which he imagined to be the meaning of it as you are and yet blinde as to the light in the conscience his mad zeal leading him against the pricks as many of you now are and might see a taste thereof did you minde the light you are opposing Qu. 13 Whether you have not amongst you many who presume to be Masters or masterly Teachers contrary to that word of Christ Mat. 23.10 in the true intent of it Do they not usurp authority over the judgment and conscience of their followers requiring them to believe and obey what they say without asking their meaning and examining their sayings by the scriptures whereas Christ expounded his sayings as occasion were offered and need required to his Disciples and the Bereans are commended for searching the Scriptures daylie whether the things spoke by the Apostles were so Mat. 13.18 19.36 37 c. Ans This Quaerie is utterly made up of a ly therefore I return it back into the slanderous bottle from whence it came for against the whole Quaerie we are witnesses and the practise of Christ is owned who is the Lord of the conscience the one Teacher whereby Masterly Teachers are denied Qu. 14. Whether it be not high presumption and spirituall pride for some amongst you to break Christs Commands and teach men so and to judge as many do the secrets of mens hearts and rashly without knowledg of mens conversations to affirm that they have not the spirit If the spirit of God witness with their Spirits as I doubt not but it doth with divers of them you so judge that they have the Spirit of God and the work of regeneration witnessing thereunto may they not by your bold judgment to the contrary know how to judg of you Ans The Spirit of Christ where it is knoweth it own neither doth it judge by outward appearance nor yet without knowledge by which the Saints have judged the hearts of others which they knew not themselves and that spirit is witnessed but what spirit is that in thee which accuseth some amongst us to break Christs commands and teach men so not making it appear who they are and under that pretence would limit the Spirit of the Lord not to judge where it is This sheweth little of the work of regeneration or the Spirits witness but as one afraid that deceit should be discovered and so would exclude all judging where shal Christ judge if not in his Saints which judgment the blinde generation could never own and yet would be judging others of that whereof thy self art guilty as thy book doth manifest by which all may know how to judge of thee Qu. 15. Whether do you not esteem the sayings of some amongst you of equal authority with the sayings of God in Scripture and as readily or more to be believed and obeyed without any enquiry whether they agree with Scripture or no even although they plainly contradict the written word Is it not an usual things with many of you to travel up and down to and fro far and near to the wearying of your flesh and neglecting your relations in obedience to such voyces or sayings not warranted by Scripture but contrary thereunto yet in many things of this kinde wherein some of you seem to glory the Papists themselves out-strip you onely they are more modest then to go naked and who hath required these things of any of you Query 16. Whether Satan that old Deceiver who often changes his shapes being discover'd in many of his old devices may not now be expected to come in his best dress as an Angell of Light and being

discover'd in his old Antichristian forms and in rude ranting now to come with power and seeming parity shewing-signs and wonders to seduce from the plain simplicity of the Gospell of Christ according to those descriptions of his coming and working 2 Thess 2.8 9. Mar. 13.22 2 Cor. 11.3.14 and if so ought not all men to take heed how they believe every spirit or powerful motion to be of God as also how they hear and follow every Prophet that comes in Sheeps cloathing and pretends to come with light And are not those in the way to be easily seduced who are so taken with the fair covering and outside-carriage of persons as to imbrace their principles without a serious spiritual Scripture tryall of them Whereas we are commanded if any man bring not this Doctrine receive him not 2 John 10. And Solomon saith The simple believeth every word but the prudent man looketh well to his goings Proverbs 14.15 Answ The Word of God in whom ever it is spoken is of equall authority to the end for which it goeth forth and he is the same that ever he was in whom he is according to their measures but that we esteem any of our sayings with equall authority with the sayings of God is false and it is thy self whose saying agreeth not with Scripture who art telling of a written Word and dost not thou shew thy envy against the authority of Christ and those that obey him who would slander travelling up and down far and near to the wearying of the flesh at the obedience of the voice of the Lord and this thou slanders with neglecting relations and to be contrary to the Scriptures hast thou not here sufficiently shewed thy blindness as touching both spirit and letter Is it contrary to the Scripture to leave all and follow Christ Or was there ever a Disciple of his that did not Or can such be his Disciples who doth not How hath thy imaginations blinded thee stop thy mouth for shame art thou talking of following the Lamb who wilt neither do it thy self nor suffer others Did not the Ministers of Christ make proof of themselves in wandering in necessities in distresses afflictions watchings fastings tumults and imprisonments Did they not wander to and fro in hunger and nakedness having no certain dwelling place Is this now become contrary to the Scriptures with thee And have not the Prophets of the Lord been caused to strip themselves naked as signes to the wicked genrations And dost thou now prefer the Papists before this And doest thou charge the Servants of the Lord to glory in this Couldst thou glory in it thy self to leave all and suffer these things for the name of Christ it is much easier with the flesh to sit still in thy habitation and accuse them that do the Papists and thee sute well in this in your wil-shorship but little knoweth either of you what it is to be guideded contrary to your wills by the Spirit of God you are none of those children who are for signs and wonders Is this the end of your pulling off your pride of Apparell thereby to take advantage to strike at the whole obedience to Christ in greater things and say they are contrary to the Scriptures which the Scriptures do witness against you Is not this the old Deceiver thou art telling of who is changing your shape and now dressing you without Ribbans who formerly was dressing you up with them in your rude ranting and is now coming in a seeming purity but with more mischief against the simplicitie of the Gospel all those are in the way to be easily seduced who are so soon taken with your fair covering and out-side-carriage but they that have the light in them and that spirit that tryeth all things will not own you the sooner for your feigned humility with all this poyson at the bottome but if you will be owned with the Children of Light who judgeth not according to the outward appearance then must you own that which washeth the inside that the old leaven and venome of the Serpent may be purged out that old Accuser of the Brethren who yet sits in the Temple of God pleading for his Kingdom of sin and imperfection and against the obedience to Christ in them that follow him yea against the living obedience of those from whom he hath taken up the imitation by which he makes a fair shew in the flesh glorying in appearance but not in the heart and therefore striketh at the Light within and the spirit of truth there that if by any means he may keep the heart though he loose the Ribbans and so make a boast of an outside And thou askest another question in thy book whether this People meaning the Quakers witnessing against pride standing up to plead for the Spirit and also for reforming in habit and some other good things at this time may not have in it a design of Satan to bring up an evil report upon those good things and the persons that practise and seek to promote them may we not sayest thou look at this as a stumbling block cast in the way to hinder this good work by the enemy of man who leaves no way unattempred to stir up the minds of men to prejudice against truth I say if pleading for the Spirit reforming in habit and other good things be good things as thou say'st they are which the Quakers plead for and practise at this time then out of thine owne mouth bee thou judged that thou art he that is in that design of Satan to bring up an evil report upon those good things and the persons that practise and seek to promote them and this is the way thou art attempting to stir up the mindes of men to prejudice against the truth may not all see that some of you who are called Anabaptists who of late have been provoked to cast off some of your pride outwardly by those you call Quakers being you could not maintain it with Scripture now are you preaching down pride of envy against their persons who have testified against it in you as well as in the rest of the World yet however we rejoyce that pride is preached down which though you had the Scriptures before yet could not bee provoked by them thereto but have been the Ring-leaders of Pride of all-seeming religious People in the Nation And this I say to thee and the rest of you who are making a fair show in the flesh and would glory in appearance thereby to despise the Quakers you have a great deal more to deny besides putting off your outward pride in apparel if you will either imitate the Quakers or answer the Scriptures and the practice of the Saints therein recorded Is there not the same ground in Scripture to deny respect of persons and cease worshipping one another and to hold fast the form of sound words without respect of persons not to give flattering titles to men whereby the proud is exalted and the poor despised doth not this arise from the same ground with pride in apparel and bring forth the same effects which they that have observed the command of Christ and his Apostles have ever avoided Is not the same that commanded his Ministers to go teach all Nations whereupon they went into the Synagogues and Idol-Temple to cry down their false worship and to call out of them And did not they preach the Gospel in streets and Markets Was not they beat in the Synagogues and halled before Rulers Was they not wanderers to and fro having no certain dwelling place Is there not the same command to sue no man at the Law but if any man take away thy Cloak let him have thy Coat also Take no thought for the morrow give to him that asketh and lend asking nothing again and much more such like plain commands in Scipture which might be mentioned were not the Cross too great for you to imitate which you ought to do and teach to others to observe till then cease your boasting and glorying in outward appearance And could you do all this and much more by imitation and not in obedience to the Light and by the power of the spirit in the day of account it will but be found self-righteousness when enquirie shall be made Who hath required these things at your hands So to the Light of Christ turn your mindes which will let you see the seat of presumption upon a feigned humilitie and will-worship which findes no acceptance with God neither wil it carry through the whole obedience but puffs up the minde for one thing in a self-exaltation and despising of others and as to the Light of Christ you keep your mindes you will come to see that that which condemns one sin condemns all and that which leadeth into one truth leads into all truth and gives power to walk therein So the Ministration of the spirit giveth life which keeps down the boaster but the litteral knowledge puffs up and so killeth so the Law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus makes free from the Law of sin and death to those that walk in Spirit If you can receive this you may and let the Light in all your consciences answer thereto which shal witness me when the book is opened a lover of your souls James Nayler FINIS