Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	light_n	spirit_n	try_v	2,336	5	9.0608	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52677	An account from the children of light (to them that askes) in several particulars why we have been kept from joyning to, or worshipping in those formes at law, and formes of worships, that have been imposed upon us against our consciences, in these late years, for denying whereof, we have so deeply suffered, with our lives, liberties, and estates. : Also what we owne as to those things, and can be obedient to for conscience sake, according to truth, and the practise of the church of Christ, and the Scriptures.	Naylor, James, 1617?-1660.; Hubberthorn, Richard, 1628-1662.	1660 (1660)	Wing N256; ESTC R27517	31,099	57

spoyle of our goods Now God having revealed his true worship to u● i● the light of Christ which is is in spi●it and truth and called us out of carnall things ●or which there is no Scripture we ●●nn● for Conscience sake worship any more therein Now neyther by the Spirit of Christ in us nor by letter of Scriptures without us nor by the example of all the holy men of God that hav● walked before us can we for Conscience sake owne nor uphold that for the true and spirituall worship of God in spirit and truth neither to repaire their house maintaine their Priest nor his Clarke as they would impose upon us Now some have said What would you have no Church Minister preaching praying nor none of this worship nor maintenance c. What would you have We say yes we own a Church ministring preaching praying and the maintenance that thereto belongs but we would have them to be of God and after his will in Christ Jesus and not after the will and traditions of men contrary both to God good men and the Scriptures of truth For we reade of a Church of Christ in Scriptures but it was in God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ And we read of a ministry of Christ in Scripture made not of man neither by man but by the revelation of the Son of God in them And the Gospel or Ministry that they preached was not after man nor received of man neither was they taught it but by revelation of Jesus Chist And we read of a Maintenance they had which was to live of the Gospel And the spiritualls which they sowed freely without money or money-worth brought them forth fruits freely both in spirituall things and worship towards God and in carnall things towards their outward wants and as they planted so they eate And where the plant grew and the soule prospered till it could bring forth fruit freely there they need not to sue them and to take it by spoyle but of the world they looked for nought but persecution nor ever coveted or compelled any such thing from any creature no not where they had sowne and planted unlesse it grew in spirit and life to God they looked not to reape any thing but losse if that which they had sowne withered in the way therefore did they watch for the soule and not for tythes piggs and eggs and geese and sheaves c. but that the soule prospered towards God that was their prize And to make the Gospel without charge that was their reward if they did it freely and willingly but if not willingly then a necessitie was layd upon them and woe was their portion And these went on and prospered gathering Churches out of the world into God from place to place even where they was not sent for they went freely as they was moved of the holy Spirit And if anywhere they came was found worthy to receive them with them they might eate freely what was set before them where the Spirit was free but they did not seat themselves in a Towne or say this is my Parish and this is my hire so much a yeare but wandred to and fro having no certaine dwelling place nor was their bellyes any part of the bargain as to coming preaching staying or going as to any place And when they had gathered a Church into the Spirit and life of Christ Iesus which brought them to meete together then they did not Lord it over them in faith or conscience neither was they called their Masters but still servants for Christ sake nor did they get a glasse and set up and if any spoke in their time while they was speaking say they broke their peace and send them to prison but said all might prophesie that all might be edified and it was joy to them to heare any to speake by the Spirit either son or daughter and some might speake and some might judge of what was spoken And if any thing was revealed to him that stood by the first was to hold his peace and the Spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets Now this Church and its order we owne where ever we find it to be after God and in him but when we meete with a company of people that denyes all this And if any be moved in the Spirit eyther to speake while they are speaking or judge what they have spoken Then the teacher cryes away to prison with him and the people runs upon us all a heapes ready to pull us to pieces this we owne not nor doth Christ nor the Scriptures owne it to be his Church t●is is not the Spirit of the Prophets nor subject to the Prophets but the rude Spirit which tumul●ed upon the Apostles and Prophets of old So here is somewhat declared of the ministry we owne and his maintenance but of such a thing as a Clarke we read not in Scriptures neither name nor office And now let none thinke it strang● or an error in us to compare weigh and ●ry and prove things for we are christians have received the spirit that is of God that we may know the things that are given to us of God from things that are of the world And we may not receive every one for a Minister of Christ who tells us he is nor that for a Church that every one calls a Church nor that for worship which every one would impose upon us for things had need of trying and Spirits also and we hold fast that which is good Its true in the world there be many Churches and many heads Gods many and Lords many many faiths and many opinions but in Christ Iesus 〈◊〉 called to unity in all these things so 〈◊〉 we say with the Churches of Christ in ●cripture to us there is on● body one Spirit one 〈◊〉 one faith one baptisme one God and fathe● of all who is above all and through all and in us all And this one God in us is a Spirit and will be worshipped in spirit in truth so of us he requires truth and that we worship no other things nor bow to them though all men have not this faith but can follow any thing in their worship which is the fashion of the Nation where they live but this we are called out of And into that one worship we are come which is in spirit and truth for in that is the father worshipped and God hath sought us out of the many worships that are in the world in Spirit to worship him and Christ saith these are the true worshippers that so worship and ●nto this hath Christ led us and in it he ownes us in his Spirit and the Father ownes us and testifies to us in every enlightned conscience and in this we are come to the Spirits of just men and they owne us And the letter of Scriptures it ownes us also and in this we have peace

we never knew nor had ought to doe withall Also about marriage which we know to be an ordinance of God from the beginning and being ordered in the Counsell of God and the bed not defiled is honourable but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge So as any are moved of the Lord into that state we say the Counsell of the Lord is first and chiesely to be minded and the thing weighed in his seare that it be done onely in the Lord that it be not taken on lightly rashly nor by any fleshly motion nor for any earthly ends but in the moving ordering of the Almighty Creator of man and woman who onely knows their spirits So to joyne them as they may be one in flesh and spirit that he may seeke a godly seed to himselfe and they may lead a godly and peaceable life onely thus is it Gods ordinance as God puts together and saith Christ let not man put such asunder and this we say is the chiefe thing to be observed viz. that God joyne them And next that notice be given to the parents or such as have the oversight of each party that as much as may be all may be done in love and unity in the will of God openly And this we have from God in Spirit and this we find in Scripture to be the ordinance of God to his Saints of old and their libertie in the Lord which God never altered which we keepe for conscience sake and may not breake And least any licentious persons should abuse this liberty to satisfie their lusts and then not live as man and wise during their lives and the Magistrates not know of them and so they escape the sword of justice we have freedome in our Spirits to acquaint some of the next Majestrates with our intents and hereby confesse our selves lyable to the just censure of the Magistrate with others in case of misdemeanour and all this we have done ere coming together as man and wife which is as much as the ordinance of God or any reas●n can justly require yet have some of us suffered in this case by the changable Laws of men who some of them have sought to impose one sort of Priests on us as an ordinance others Justices as an ordinance and others another sort of Priests againe so for denying these uncertain rules of men and keeping the ordinance of God that was in the beginning we suffer by all of them as evill doers yet have they not one charge against any of us who have been joyned according to this ordinance of God as to breach of marriage or misdemeanour therein for we ha●e putting away and come to that which was in the begginning These with many other things there be as touching the outward Laws whereby both our lives l●berties and estates become a daily prey to mercilesse men from which hath been manifest such imprisoning til death such persecution and spoyle of goods as many generations to come may admire to read of though in this generation its little regarded or minded unless it be by some few whose hearts God hath tendred that have not been so cruell in their places as others Now let none say that because we cannot bow to such unrighteous dealings of corrupt men or their corrupt Customes or corrupt Lawes That therefore we are a people that would have no Law nor Magistracy at all as some have falsely accused us for of this we are cleare before the Lord our God what ever men may accuse us ●erein for the Law of God we own in our Conscience even the Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus our Lord and Law-giver by which we are taught to keepe our Consciences voyde of offence towards God and towards men by which we are freed from under the power of the Law of sin and death And by this Law of God in our consciences are we also taught to be subject to every power our God shall set up over us by which teaching we know that the powers that be are ordained of God And by the same Law of God in our hearts and Consciences by which we are made to suffer rather then to obey that which is unjust by the same Law and upon the same penalty are we made to be subject and obey every just and wh●lesome Law of man for Conscience sake Therefore as the ordinance of God we obey and owne authoritie in the Nation And the Ruler of the people as the Minister of God for good to such as doe well but a terror to every evill doer without respect of persons so we being guided by the pure Law of God in our consciences are subject not for wrath but for Conscience sake for he is not a terror to them that do well and obey God in their Consciences But if any doe evill let such feare for he is the Minister of God and beares not the sword in vaine And for this cause we pay tribute to whom it belongs and feare to whom feare honour to whom honour And from this we exempt not our selves more then other people in the same Nation but desire rather to be examples to others with all diligence not speakinq evill of governments as many doe which will flatter to their faces but seeking to our God for what authoritie he shall ordaine that under them we may be godly and quietly governed without respect of persons Therefore we might say as to all the s●verall Rulers that hath arisen in these yeares since we were a people in Gods light which of them have we reviled or sought to supplant or what just law old or new which hath been just and according to Scriptures or a good Conscience have we denyed or transgressed though from the evill and abuse of all God hath by his eternall light and the power of his Spirit preserved us to this day glory to our God for evermore So our Consciences are cleare towards them that are fallen as to that thing by whom we so much suffered in their day And now in Gods dread and feare we are and in his pure Counsell alone we desire to be found towards you that are now come up into the seat of government That if by any meanes we might not be any occasion of offence or hardening of your hearts by our disobedience or denying any of your Laws which are just wholesome and good and according to Gods truth in Scriptures Nor that on the contrary we might provoke our pure eyed and zealous God and Father to displeasure against us by yeelding to any thing whatsoever or obeying what is any way against his Spirit in our hearts or the light of Christ in our Consciences And this at present is our straite way set before us to walke in towards God and towards man and therefore the desire and travaile of our soules is great at this day that you might be one with God in your Laws and

though persecuted But in all these we read not in all the Gospel worship of any Temple made with hands to bind men to nor Parish Churches nor preaching by the houre nor for so much a yeare nor that ever Minister of Christ tooke tyths nor their hearers gave them but confessed Christ come and a free Gospel and said ●oth the Priesthood that tooke tyths and the Law by which they received them was disanulled by the sufferings of Christ nor doe we read of sprinkling Infants and calling that baptizing them into the Church nor doe we read of their singing Davids words in a meeter nor praying in a forme nor a Clarke to lead the Psalme and say Amen And much more we might mention which was never used so in the true Church but is come to a forme since Popery came up the Scripture beares no testimony thereto as now these things are used and all that can be truely said for them is long custom but from plain Scriptures they cannot prove them Indeed we read in the Scriptures of truth of the Gospel preaching but it was not limitted to one house nor by a glasse but from house to house and Citie to Citie and that by the Spirit and their worship was in Spirit they prayed with the Spirit and they sung with the Spirit and h● that had a Psalme sung it with the Spirit and with understanding also And they worshipped and preached in fields and mountains and streets schooles and markets and they prayed by Sea-shores or in any place where God moved and led them by the Spirit of Iesus And all this we owne which the Scriptures testifies to in our measure And this is that we would have all brought to tryall and that worship owned which Christ and the Scriptures ownes and none forced against it by any meanes whatsoever which is come up since the Scriptures was written and the Apostles times And this motion is not unreasonable hurtfull or dangerous to any especially we may say in this Nation how can it be denyed wherein all other formes in words professe the Scriptures to be a rule for all to walk by And to you all ●his is our motion that the Scriptures may be heard what it saith without wresting and what sort of worship it testifies of let that have the name to be of God and then let none be forced from it and if you deny to be tryed in your faith and profession by that you have so long called your rule and touchstone and then reproach and persecute them that walke in it will not your own words judge you before men and shall not you walke under condemnation from God in your owne Consciences And thus in short have we shewed our desires and what we would have in this thing which might free every tender Conscience from oppression and the Magistrates of the Nations from the guilt thereof before God Will you call your selves Christian Magistrates and Christian Ministers and set your selves against what Christ hath wrought by the power of his Spirit and is now working and thinke you ●re doing him service when you are grieving his Spirit and persecuting him in his members for doing that to which he immediately leads them now as in the dayes of old Is not this in effect to say depart from our Nations we will have none of thy wayes nor shall any under our government or that will follow our teachings obey thy Spirit if we can stop them by our power is not this to withstand his appearance and resist the power that you professe to rule for Doe you not read in the Acts of the Apostles what labour and suffering they underwent to bring people out of carnall rudiments and ordinances of men and to bring them to the worship in spirit and truth alone both as to time place and order how did they run in hazard of their lives into Temples Synagogues and set places of worship to bring them out of Temples made with hands to worship where the Spirit should lead them without respect of places that so the words of the Lord Iesus might be fulfilled who had said Not in the Temple nor in the mountaine but in spirit and in truth should the Father be worshipped and did not Stephen lose his life for telling them that God that made the world dwelt not in Temples made with hands and Paul suffered fo● the same testimony and they told them the most high God could not be worshipped with mens hands nor carnall things but in s●irit ●nd in ●ruth And how often was they tumul●ed and beaten and their bloud shed for this test●mony against the beggerly rudiments 〈◊〉 ordinances of men both of Iewes who had their ordinances from the letter and ●●so the Gentiles who followed their customers That out of all carnall things they might bring them to follow God in spirit and therein alone to serve him And while you professe all this in words will you be the men that will deny the very same in workes and shall you be guiltlesse shall not both Iewes and Gentiles rise in Iudgement against you and condemne you who acts against knowledge Scriptures and your owne profession And is it not so with you Rulers and Teachers of this generation what force and cruelty hath been used to bring people back to your Idol temples made with hands there to worship and no where else and to repaire them and to bow to the customes of men there set up for which there is neither Scriptures nor example even too many to mention what imprisoning and ●ormenting of the spirituall worshippers of the living God hath there been in these last dayes for these things what sufferings have some gone through but for testifying against these traditious carnal saying the Church must be in God and that every one must come to be led by the spirit alone in all their whole worships and so give the kingdome leading of his people to the leading of Christ that spirit againe in all things pertaining to worship life and godlinesse hath not this been a dangerous thing in thi● age to beare this record of God in Christ 〈◊〉 to become his witnesse how ma●y 〈◊〉 lost their liberties their estates and 〈…〉 lives for this testimony in word 〈◊〉 ●●●c●ise which reconciles to God in all 〈◊〉 whole worship and yet the same is read and preached every first day among them that doe this to such as live the life thereof for Iesus sake these are not the workes of Christians indeed in the Apostles sence but of such as know not God nor the word of reconciliation have not How many have suffered in this age but for reproving sin in the gate cursing pride lying and swearing how have some been beaten puld and hailed and dragg'd through streets and channells and before Iudgement seats and to prisons for no other things how many have wofully suffered but for preaching repētance through streets towns and