Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	according_a	judge_v	judgement_n	2,145	5	6.2663	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A30075	A testimony against the 66 judges called Quakers who writ an epistle (as they call it) against John Story and John Wilkinson and those that joyned with them ...	Bullock, Jeffery.	1680 (1680)	Wing B5427; ESTC R29912	14,509	18

and King Judge and Law-giver and another Governour than this inwardly received by us and ought to be received by all in order to the great Salvation our Faith is that the Lord will never lead his people into And if you or any of you would know what we are or are dissatisfied concerning us be it known unto you all this is the Government which we only and alone stand for and stand to and although we do confess that some practices used amongst us as outward Discipline in the Church of Christ for the keeping things in good order may be of Service being used in their places as Gods people in Wisdom see meet and occasion thereof and not otherwise yet if any Member or Members of the Church of Christ have or shall give any Paper of Instructions or Advice relating to outward forms of Discipline in the Church to the rest of their Fellow-members we testifie that the same ought to be recommended to the Conscience that so when God's witness therein doth answer that might be the only bond to put such advice and instructions in practice But if instead of this any one or more who have been Members of the Church of Christ have or shall assume such a power to themselves as to judge other members of the said Church to be departed from the truth because they practice not such Council or Instructions though they see it not from the evidence of God's Spirit in themselves to be their Duty this we say is not according to the Truth as practised received and owned amongst us even from the beginning to this day and therefore whosoever have or shall be guilty of passing judgment and giving forth Censures under the notion of Church-censures against Persons conscientiously refusing to put such Advice and Instructions in practice or otherwise endeavour to wound such in their reputations as men as well as Christians this we testifie is not neither can be any otherwise than the Fruit of a persecuting imposing self-seeking Spirit wherever it hath or shall appear and therefore even from the Head to the Tail we do abhor and utterly deny it as that from which the Lord hath set us free And now forasmuch as the Lord according to measure hath made us a free People through the attaining of which in days past we have neither feared the Threats nor Flatteries of Man but have some time stood in the gap with a Testimony for the Liberty we have received in Christ Jesus We therefore tell you wherever you find any thing that hath a contrary tendency and would usurp a power over Conscience which is Christ's Prerogative and who alone hath a peculiar authority over Conscience our Souls do in the highest degree abominate it and do surge against it that at this time we could no no less for the clearing of our selves and in the behalf of our Brethren but signifie thus unto you and deal thus plainly with you For this was the testimony that remained as an obligation upon our Spirits to give in amongst you in answer to part of your Paper and that false judgment therein contained not having in our Eye to boast above our line of another mans enjoynment but according to the understanding given us of God have we cleared our selves still having as great regard to love our Neighbours and to do unto others as we would be done by and that Truth and Righteousness may be promoted and exalted by us both in our Tovvns Countreys and Families vvhich vve are assured God requires at our hand and unto him even the Judge of Judges both you and vve must give account in vvhich day of Account no false pretence nor fair shevv vvill serve turn neither vvill building the Tombs of the Prophets and garnishing the Sepulchres of the Righteous and making a great noise through the Nation in a self exalted Spirit about Government under the notion of Church-government Orders and such like the Rock on vvhich many of the professors of Christianity have split stand many stead but every man and every vvoman that truly fear God and vvorks Righteousness shall be accepted of him We do desire no worse for you nor concerning you but that you might be brought out of all unchristian-like practices and every thing that is the Fruit of Turbulent Minds and Spirits into the peaceable Truth there to sit down with us wherein we know true rest and in which we remain your Friends Nathaniel Coleman Arthur Esmead Francis Brown Richard Weare John Matravers John Jennings Forasmuch as it is in our Hearts to give in our testimony against the Paper given forth aganst J. S. and J. W. we do by these few lines signifie unto those who gave forth the said Paper and others who own the same that we disown the same and a Testimony lives in our Hearts for our Brethren J. W. and J. S. yet as they have laboured amongst us in the Gospel of Christ in Faithfulness to our refreshment so do we believe they have not changed their way but do continue faithful in their Labour and Travel of the Gospel to the refreshing the hearts of many who retain their first Love to the truth we also desire that above written Paper given forth by some of our Friends on whose Spirits it was to write more largely than we have done may in the Spirit of Truth which is void of prejudice be read and we doubt not but that it will then have an Answer in the Hearts of such even as it hath in ours Rob. Marshaman Tho. Hulbert John Gibbons Ed. Pyat J. Hand Tho. Curtice W. Dyer Sen. Tho. Crab Sen. J. Jones Nich. Edwards Mart. Derrington R. Palmer Sen. W. Jones Sen. J. Starr H. Rennols W. Arch. Jos Jones J. Neate Rob. Starr Edw. Starr W. Woolley John Sealey Hen. Rogers John Rogers Ben. Lawrence W. Chandler J. Gawen Sen. J. Fry Sen. W. Jones Jun. Tho. Sleade Ja. Neate W. Dier Jun. Rob. Arch. W. Hulbert R. Palmer Jun. Hen. Ferris Rich. Puckeridge John Swaine Tho. Coleman John Wheeler John Stoakes Jasp Wheeler Ben. Power Tho. Crab. Jun. Eze. Wallis John Fry Jun. Tho. Frowde Rich. Fox James Care John Foot John Wiltshire Jos Serjeant Fran. Royley Ed. Star Jun. W. Barnes Ja. Matravers Jeffery Gawen W. Bishop Jos Gawen John Gawen Jun. Daniel Sealy FINIS

Declaration of the reasons of their so seperating you refer us desiring us both to read it and to weigh it and then say you you we well suppose then will be found the true nature of Imposition We tell you we have both read it and weighed it and do not only well suppose but also certainly find a great deal more in it than we find from you For though some passages therein might have been worded to answer the intent of the subscribers better than the words laid down doth yet Charity would so construe of the Reason Equity Truth and Justice offered by them therein as not to put such constructions thereon as never was their meaning But what if we in this County or any Friends elsewhere should say to any of you at London or other Cities or Counties as to the publick concern in the management of our affairs meddle not with us unless concerned but if the word of the Lord is really with any of you we are ready to hear it If we should so say unto you we cannot think barely of this saying of yours you may well suppose this to be the true nature of Imposition neither do we understand theirs to be any otherwise and no part of the nature of Imposition in it having no penalty annexed thereunto And now we might by way of question ask when and from whom you received cower over them or any other and over what part your power doth extend Seeing we certainly know Conscience ought to be free with which you are not to intermeddle and as for our outward Property it belongs not to you neither in it are we by you defended and as to matter of Fact you prove nothing against them These things considered we cannot understand why or wherefore you should use such language as we find in your Paper To us it seems rather to spring from the spirit of Lordship exercised amongst the Gentiles then from that Spirit that delighteth to be Servant to the Brethren for Christs sake and whereas you say because we are sensible they have made an ill use of our forbearance to the strengthening themselves and so forth we do hereby reprove and judge them and others c. If you pretend not to a power over them what need the word Forbearance And if you pretend not to be their Judges why do you undertake to pass judgment But forasmuch as we certainly know you have no power over them neither spiritual nor temporal we therefore tell you you are Intruders and your Paper of false judgment on this account we do undervalue as too mean and too light either to affright or take place with us that are established in the Truth and the weightiest expression therein contained is no more to us than the flying of Thunder over our Heads for in it we feel no weight at all and the Lord assisting of us do resolve not to walk by the light of your sparks nor see with your Eyes neither favour with your Salt in these your proceedings but to our Lord and Master will we either stand or fall And we further declare unto you and give it as our belief and judgment whatever you think or however you may create a peace unto your selves in these things that the more you stir and the more you strive after this manner the more will be the increase of your weight and burthen Therefore our Advice and Counsel to you is that you labour to be still and quiet and pursue peace as much as in you lies and lay not that upon others which properly belongs unto your selves but that which is your portion be content to take home to your selves For you are the people you speak of that occasions the mist to be cast before the eyes of the simple and a Stumbling block in the way of the weak and you are the Troublers of Israel this day and although we truly desire peace and a cessation to these things and could be heartily glad if you would insist on them no farther yet forasmuch as it appears to us that this is the way or path you or at least some of you intend to walk and delight to trade in we do therefore advise you to look to your selves and mark well your steps for although we have hitherto for the most part born many things not pleasant to us and that many times for the sake of others yet having had continual provocations and now you thus publickly appearing through the Nation as by the directions of your Paper doth appear we are in the Spirit and Power of our God stirred up to appear as becomes Christians in defence of the cause of Truth wherein we look only and alone unto the Lord and not unto man with that eye that is open in us that sees and beholds your out-goings in those things that tend to strife and debate contrary to the truth which we have received and the Lord enabling shall therein well observe you and as occasion offers our Faith is that we shall always be ready according as the Spirit of Truth shall lead us to detest fictions proceedings as you have been exercised in and therefore for time to come to be more careful of what you undertake and see that according to the Truth Right Reason Equity and Justice you are able both to stand by and defend it otherwise it will return back upon your own Heads with shame as this hath done and no doubt 't will yet farther do And we have yet farther to declare unto you concerning our selves such is our present state and condition that notwithstanding these things we can this day to our comfort boldly say we are what we are by the grace of God and in that Grace we are daily waiting to be made more in his time and in his time to be content desiring nothing more than the encrease of that Grace and that therein we may continue to the end walking before the Lord in all honest and godly Conversation according to the present manifestation of his good Spirit given to us and our Faith and Trust in the Lord is that through his strength and power we shall be preserved thus to continue to the end of our days and not to take up or enter into the practice of any thing though under never so fair nor high pretence but as by faith in this power we come to feel the Lord leading us thereinto and expecting it at our hands as a duty incumbent upon us enjoyned by God alone in which as we feel our Service our Faith is that as we have been so we shall be ready to every good work and act a deed of Charity amongst us either to our Friends or any other whom Christian Charity obligeth us to serve wherein we may be serviceable and for the keeping all in good order amongst those who profess the Truth and here is neither Paul nor yet Apollo but that Christ that was Crucified comes here to be both Lord