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	lead_v	spirit_n	1,730	5	5.1942	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A54044	The New-Covenant of the gospel distingnished [sic] from the Old Covenant of the law and the rest or sabbath of believers, from the rest or sabbath of the Jews, which differ as much from each other, as the sign and shadow doth from the thing signified and shadowed out : in answer to some queries of W. Salters, tending to enforce upon Christians the observation of the Jewish sabbath ... whereto are added Some considerations propounded to the Jews, tending towards their conversion to that which is the life and spirit of the law / by Isaac Penington ...	Penington, Isaac, 1616-1679.; Penington, Isaac, 1616-1679. Some considerations propounded to the Jewes.	1660 (1660)	Wing P1180; ESTC R40658	44,112	58

Qu. 7. If Jesus Christ as he is the Son gave forth another law to his house or family and that law contrary to that that the Father gave forth then whether there is not two law-givers when the Scriptures say there is but one Jam. 4.12 Answ. The substance when it is shadowed out or when it is nakedly dispensed is one and the same thing so that when ever it comes it cannot be an other thing then what the shadow represented it to be Moses his dispensation and Christs are one in Spirit and when he cometh in Spirit he doth not destroy either Moses or the Prophets but comprehends them So that the law is but one although the dispensations of it have been various but the proper dispensation of the law now to Christians is Christ's dispensation not Moses his dispensation Christians are now to look for the Light and Knowledge of it in the Tables where Christ writes it according to his Covenant So that there have not been two Laws given out but the one Law of God hath been variously dispensed in and according to the letter by Moses to the Jews in and according to the Spirit by Christ to his Discipes Quer· 8. If the Tables of Stone the writing of the law of the ten Commandements in the Tables and the Law of the ten Commandements it self which was written were figures or representations Then whether the finger of Gods Spirit doth write the law of God two ways in the inward Tables So called namely in the heart of Christs family in one way whilst Moses dispensation was on foot Psal. 37.31 For the Psalmist speaks in the present tense which was under that dispensation Now is it another way in this latter dispensation expressed 2 Cor. 3.3 Qu. 9. If two wayes then how doth the finger of Gods Spirit write them those ways Answ. The eternall Covenant was the same under the Law as under the Gospell and its Tables were the heart then as well as now and its way of writing the same then as now even by the finger of God's power or eternall Spirit and thither the Jews were even then referred for the inward writing of the Law Deut. 30.14 So that they that truly hearkned even to Moses were to wait on this word vvhich vvas nigh in the heart for the vvriting of his Laws there And they that hearkned to this Lavv vvhich endureth for ever knevv the writings thereof in their hearts whereas the Jews vvho vvere very diligent to get the Law into their hearts from the letter could never thereby attain the writing of it there but vvere still found breakers of it and under that curse vvhich belonged to the breach Abraham Isaac and Jacob David and the Prophets knevv the invvard Jew who becomes so by the invvard Covenant and by the inward dispensation of the Lavv in that Covenant and the Law vvhich vvas after the promise could not disannul the promise vvhich vvas before it but it stood good and firm to the children even to all the Spirituall seed the vvhole time of that outvvard dispensation of the Lavv Qu 10. If not Then how doth the writing of the Law in Tables of Stone represent the writing of the Law in the Tables of the heart seeing the Tables of the heart were writ upon by the finger of Gods Spirit whilst the Tables of stone were in full force and the dispensation had not ceased Answ. Though the Tables of Stone or Law thereof was in force to that outvvard people of God the Jews yet this did not destroy his inward people nor his inward Tables in their hearts nor hinder him from vvriting his invvard Lavv there but the invvard and eternall Covenant ran underneath to them invvardly even all the time of that outvvard dispensation whereby they were made invvardly righteous and obedient to God And as God had perticularly directed by Moses to the Word and Commandement of that Covenant So hee would not fail to write it thereby in the hearts of such as turned to that word and Commandement So that this was the Law vvhich God vvrote in the heart even then and vvas alvvays the invvard substance while as Moses his dispensation was but an outward sign thereof Qu. 11. If the Law of the ten Commandements it self which enjoined love and duty to God and love and duty to man as Matth. 22.37 38 39 40. was or is a figure of an other then what Law that is that 's the antitipe of this Law which in succeeding of it enjoyns not love and duty to God and not love and duty to man Ans. This Query ariseth from a great mistake as if the Law in the letter and the lavv in the Spirit could not require the same thing vvhereas they do require the very same thing in substance but severall vvays according to the difference of each administration to vvit the one litterally of a litterall or outvvard people the other Spiritually of a Spiritual or invvard people The one requires love according to the tenor of the letter the other according to the Spirit Qu. 12 If the owning of the ten Commandements as they are plainly laid down in the letter be a breaking of them in the Spirit and especially those contained in the first Table Then how doth the truth of God written which is life and truth Act. 7.38 and Eccl. 12.10 and the Spirit which is given forth meet together seeing the Spirit leads and guides into all truth Ans. I do not know any who hath said that the owning of the ten Commandements at they are plainly laid down in the letter is a breaking of them in the Spirit but he that hath the Spirit owneth the dispensation of the letter in its place and season but the Spirit doth not teach him to run from his own dispensation where it is livingly administred to such as wait on the eternall Word in his Covenant of Life for it to that dispensation which was appointed for and given forth to others But that the truth as it is written outwardly is Life I do not read but otherwise 2 Cor. 3.6 where Paul saith the letter killeth speaking of the letter of the New Testament The Spirit indeed guides into all truth but it is the living Soul whom hee so guides and it is the living truth into which he guides in the New Covenant though it was he also who gave forth required and was able to lead into the letter of the Old Covenant Qu. 13. Whether when Jehovah gave forth the ten Commandements plainly as a Law in the letter he did intend by the observation according to the letter the breach of them by the Spirit Ans. The Spirit doth not teach to break the commands in the letter but such as are under the ministration of the letter to observe them according to the letter and such as are under the ministration of the Spirit to fulfill the righteosness of them in the Spirit Yet the Son of man is Lord of

unsatisfied concerning it and even drowned in fleshly imaginations and contentions about it They seek to have that satisfied which is not to be satisfied They seek to have that know which is not to know they offer to God the service faith and obedience of that which he will not accept keep that from him which he calls for They seek for the Spirit in the Letter according to the manner of the Law but wait not to feel it in the Seed quickening the Seed raising up the Seed and dwelling in the Seed whither Christ and his Apostles directed to wait for it They looke for that knowledge that faith that life that spirit from words written which the Apostle preached was to be waited for from the word in the heart And by this means they raise up several buildings and get various kinds of knowledge each according to his understanding and apprehensions of the Letter every sort being very confident concerning their own apprehensions that they are the right And thus they wander from the City of the living God and from the living knowledge building up Images some outwardly some in their minds some more gross some more refined but all more or less who are not acquainted with the living knowledge and truths of God but have gathered apprehensions with the wrong tool from the Letter have set up somewhat else instead of the true Life and Power The knowledge of the true God which is life eternal the knowledge of the true Christ whom no man can indeed call Lord but by the spirit the knowledge of the everlasting Gospel which alone is read in the spirit the knowledge of the spirit which alone is read in the Seed these are strange things to the several generations of the Christians of this age who commonly know no more of them then according to the apprehensions they have taken in concerning them even from that wisdom and understanding which hath not a capacity in it to receive them but must be destroyed before these things can be understood aright 1 Cor. 1.19 O that ye could read in the eternal light of life O Christians Christians O that ye could see how your understandings and knowledge from the Letter stand as much in your way as ever the Jews did in theirs and must be broken down as flat as ever theirs was before the foundation of the Kingdom can be laid and the building of eternal life reared up in your hearts Be not offended at my zeal for the Lord my God and for your souls It hath cost me very dear what I testifie to you in the simplicity and integrity of my heart and this I know to be most certainly true that that spirit of man which without the leadings of the eternal Light hath nestled it self in the letter got a seat of wisdom and knowledge there raised up a building from thence either of inward or outward Worship will be dissetled driven thence even by that very spirit which gave forth the Letter And when this is done and God's spirit again openeth the Letter O how sweet how profitable how clear how refreshing will it be being read in the light of the spirit in the faith which is in Christ Jesus which is begotten in the heart by the word of Faith which is nigh there From that light from that spring as the Lord pleased to open enlarge and fill the Vessel all the words of the holy men of God came and in that alone they have their sweetness freshness vertue and fulness but how to read the words outwardly written keeping to that and understanding them in that and how to keep out the natural man with his natural understanding which knoweth not the things of the Spirit nor can know or receive them 1 Cor. 2.14 is a mystery to them who have not been turned inwards to this word nor have known or heard his voice The Lord is recovering the Mysterie of Life and as that appears the Mysterie of Death under all its paint under all its painted Faith painted Love painted Knowledge painted Obedience painted Duties Ordinances and Worship will be made manifest Happy is he whose inward Building will stand whose Gold will abide the fire and everlasting Burnings of the jealous God whose Eye-salve was bought of the true spirit whose raiment is right spun but exceeding hard wil it go with that man whom the Lord when he cometh to search him shall not find a right inward Jew as he took himself to be nor truly circumcised by the Lords eternal Spirit with the light thereof but onely by such a circumcising knife as he himself had formed out of the letter of the Scriptures This is the great misery of Christians the vail lies over their hearts even the same vail which covered the Letter of Moses from the Jews and they are groping after the mind of God in the Letter but the life is hid from them even as it was from the Jews because they also say they see that they have the life the spirit therefore the vail remains the caul of iniquity surrounds them so that they cannot see into that which makes free from it but remain yet in captivity and bondage to the Enemy Some Queries of W Salters tending to inforce upon Christians the observation of the Jewish Sabbath ANSWERED Query 1. WHether the Fourth Commandement exprest Exod. 20. be not morall and perpetuall as well as the other nine be yea or no Answer That Covenant which God made with the Jews at mount Horeb when they came out of the Land of Egypt was not to be perpetuall but to make way for that Covenant Priesthood Law-giver and Law which was to be perpetuall That Law so given forth made nothing perfect but was a continuall hand-writing of Ordinances against the Jews and the very Salvation of the Jews was by another Covenant and by the Laws thereof Deut. 30 11. By which Covenant and by which Law they might be made perfect and come to the better hope Which other Covenant is the Covenant of Grace or the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus or the Word which is nigh in the mouth and in the heart and speaks Life to them that can hear and believe the joyfull sound of it Now that this former Covenant was not to abide but to give place to the other see Heb. 8. Which treateth of the New Covenant For God's speaking of a New Covenant importeth that he himself hath made the first Old ver. 13. It had had a long continuance among that people of the Jews but now against the coming of Christ who was to be Mediator of a better Covenant v. 6. even of a New Covenant v. 8. as it had been long decaying and waxing Old So now it was ready to vanish away as v. 13. And indeed it was necessary it should pass away for it was not faultless How not faultless was there any sin in the Holy Law Ministration

of the Spirits of them that put it and their want of acquaintance with the ministration of the Spirit They that know the Gospell Sabbath which is the substance of the Law Sabbath can tell who injoin'd it them and can also tell that he hath not required of them the observation of the Jews Sabbath But they that are born after the letter have been always subject to revile and reproach the truths of the Spirit and those that testifie thereto Qu 20. If the Lords holy Sabbath be that day which we may suppose is intended by this paper sent unto us to be the day that containes the time of Gospell-administration then whether that Sabbath doth prohibit outward labour as well as abstaining from sin if not then which way must this Sabbath be kept Seeing that they that did and doth observe the weekly Sabbath did and doth it in the Spirit And rest by faith in Christ worshipping the Father in Spirit and in truth Answ. The Gospell-Sabbath begins not in the observation of outward time but as it is Spirituall so it hath a Spirituall beginning increase and persecting wherein there is a rest to the Spirit from sin and from the creaturely works a worshipping in the Spirit even as on the outward Sabbath there was a bodily ceasing from labours and an outward worshipping And he that heareth the joyfull sound of deliverance from sin and self-working and entreth into the faith beginning to cease from his own works and working and to wait in the Spirit on the power for its working in him hath a tast of the Gospel-Sabbath and beginneth to see that day which the type pointed to and ends in Qu. 21. If that that was ministred to Paul Rom. 7. thou shalt keep the Sabbath or believe in the Light follow the Light and the observing of either of these in the Spirit to be a keeping the whole Law Then how are the Scriptures observed if the keeping of one Commandement be a keeping the whole Law when the holy Spirit in Scriptures says that he that offends in one point is guilty of all Jam. 2.10 Ans. I did not say that the keeping of one Commandement is the keeping of the whole Law but that the observing in Spirit of any one of those there mentioned by me is the keeping of the Law which was not barely said but demonstrated because no part of the Law can be broken but every one of these must be broken He that commits any sin breaks the Gospel-Sabbath which is a resting from all sin and self-works errs from the law of love received in the Spirit which shuts out all enmity and transgression both against God and man departs from the fear which keeps from departing from God by any iniquity and enters into the lust which is the womb of sin out of the compass of which womb sin cannot be conceived much less committed So that Paul in that Law received from the Spirit Thou shalt not Lust saw the whole body of sin struck at whereas before under the ministration of Moses in the letter according to which he said he was blameless there was not so much as the life of one sin struck at but for all his exact answering of the Law according to that ministration he was alive still To decide this controversie let it be put to tryall let any one singly wait on the Lord for the administration of his Law in the Spirit and if the Lord give forth that Command to him Thou shalt not lust in the clearness of the Light of his eternall Spirit let him try if continuing in obedience and subjection thereto he can commit any one sin whatsoever I do not say that a mans proposing to himself that he will not lust or his striving of himself to love and fear the Lord or his applying himself to keep the Sabbath or rest from sin to the Lord will do this Nay this is but an administration in the letter and will prove weak against the inward strength of the enemy but receiving the Law in its pure living administration in the Spirit and from the Spirit here comes strength against the enemy which is too hard for him while it is abode in And this the Apostle Paul taught the Galatians who were running backward towards the Law and not forwards in the Spirit He bids them Walk in the Spirit Gal 5.25 and so doing as they should not be under the Law ver. 18. So neither should they be breakers of the Law for within those bounds sin enters not but is kept out not so much as a lust against the Law being there known much less any open transgression against it and against such as thus keep within the bounds of the Spirit there is no Law ver. 22.23 But against all that make themselves debtors to the Law of the letter there stands in force both the law of the letter of the Spirit also they cannot in that state be free from the condemnation and curse thereof whatsoever they may imagine concerning themselves and their own state from a mis-understanding and mis-application of the Scriptures The first Letter Answered There is a double ministration of the Law a ministration in the Letter and a ministration in the Spirit The ministration of the Letter was by Moses from mount Sinai in Tables of stone to that outward people the Jews the ministration of the Spirit is by Christ from mount Sion in Tables of flesh to believers or his Disciples Now this is it which the Lord hath made manifest to me that the Disciples of Christ or believers are to have recourse to their administration for the receiving of the law from the Spirit and not to run back to that ministration which was litterall and outward and fitted to a litterall and outward people This was more fully set down in my Epistle in severall particulars Now in opposition to this it is said F●rst That all written in that Epistle makes no more at all against a Gospel Spiritual observing in love the seventh day Sabbath to the Lord then they make against a Gospell Spirituall observing of the other nine Comandements Ans. My Epistle striketh not at a Gospel Spirituall observation of any thing but he that will obey Spiritually must receive his command from the Spirit in that way which the Spirit hath chosen to dispense it to him in Now the same Spirit which wrote his law in the letter under the old Covenant writeth his law in the hearts of believers under the new Covenant Heb. 8.10 which is a better Covenant and of which Covenant Christ is the Mediator ver. 6. and Christ is as faithfull to give forth the Laws of his Spirit in the hearts of his people as their condition requires them as Moses was to give the Law written in the Tables of stone to his house Heb. 3.5.6 And as Moses pointed his Disciples to Christ coming in the flesh so Christ pointed believers or his Disciples to the

Comforter the Spirit of truth first to wait for him and then to receive light or his law of Life from him And this is Gospel or New Covenant even that which the Spirit speaks or writes in the heart and this hath power in it and saveth whereas the letter killeth Now consider seriously whither should a believer go for this laws to which Covenant to Moses his Covenant or to Christ's Covenant Secondly That all these Commands being holy and good are to be loved and in love to be observed c. Ans. All the Statutes and Judgements and Ordinances and Precepts of the Lord are holy and good and are to be loved but each is to be obedient to that which God requires of him and to have recourse to that ministration for the law of God to him under which God hath set him He that believes he that hath received the Spirit is to have recourse to the law of Faith and to the Spirit for his light or law he who was under the law of Moses was to have recourse to the law of Moses for the law of Moses spake to them who were under it in his family giving forth the precepts or commandements of that dispensation to them who were under his Testament Heb. 9.20 And Christ speaks to his family by his Spirit whom his Disciples are to hearken unto and not to grieve him or quench his motions or despise his prophesyings but give diligent heed thereto untill the day dawn and the day-Star arise in their hearts Now to obey in love doth not make the distinction of the ministrations for love belongeth to each ministration The Jews in their day were to obey the law in love and to have it in their hearts Deut. 6.5 6. But this makes the difference the Jews were to seek to the letter for it the Disciple is to receive it from the Spirit for he is to begin in the Spirit Gal. 3.3 Whereas the Jews beginning was in the letter And this is obedience in the newness of the Spirit when the law is received fresh from the Spirit who both writes new things and brings to remembrance old things livingly and powerfully but to go to Moses ministration and learn it there and get it into the heart from thence that 's according to the old ministration or Covenant which was given in the letter to the Jews as may appear in that place last cited Deut. 6.5.6 Thirdly That in the same spirit and love that we have the Lord for our God c. in the same we are to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy Ans. The Lord teacheth believers to know him to be the only true God c. by the Law of the Covenant of life in Christ Jesus which he ministers to their Spirits in the Spirit whereby he teacheth them so clearly and effectually that they need not run back to the Tables of Moses his Covenant from thence to teach one another to know the Lord but they shall all know him from this teaching from the least to the greatest yea and I may add this This Covenant by its ministration teacheth more clearly then the ministration of Moses his Law in the letter could teach Heb. 8.10 11. They that have been with Moses and have learned the Law of him under the ministration of his Covenant have yet need of coming to Christ but they that have been with Christ and have learned the law of his Spirit by the teachings of the new Covenant in their hearts have not need of being sent back to Moses Moses pointeth forward to Christ but Christ even in the flesh sendeth not his Disciples from his own dispensation back to Moses though he also established the dispensation of Moses for its season but pointeth them forward to the Comforter or to his appearance in the Spirit And this is the mark of a Christian which it is the intent of the letter to direct him to and not for him to fix in the letter as men have done since the Apostacy from the Spirit This Argument is further inforced thus because he that said the other said this in the same Law and Spirit Ans. It is true he that said the other by Moses to the Jews said this also to them and they were strictly bound thereto but that which binds the Disciple is the ministration of the new Covenant where Christ writes this Law in the minds and spirits of his people by which they are bound and such as as are out of that the Lord when he cometh to examine them concerning their faith and obedience will say to them Who hath required this at your hands Were ye children of the New Covenant Did ye receive the Spirit had ye a measure of faith given you were ye new creatures Why did ye not keep to your rule Why did ye not wait on the Spirit and receive the Law from the New Jerusalem from whence it issues forth to the family of believers The Jews were to be taught by precepts and Judgments from Moses but all thy children shall be taught of the Lord It is said yet further So that if thou keepest the other and not this thou art a transgressor of the ROYAL LAW OF LIBERTY Ans. What is the Royall Law what is the Law of Liberty Was the law as it was administred by Moses the Royall Law or is it the Royall Law as it is administred by the Son who is the King of Saints and writes his law in their hearts as their King Again was the law which Moses administred to the Jews a law of Liberty or a law of bondage did not the ministration on mount Sinai gender to bondage Gal. 4.24 but in the ministration of the law by the Spirit is life and liberty ver. 26. and 2 Cor. 3.17 And this very law Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self is Royall and a law of pure liberty and there is no bondage in it thus administred but let any man now read it in the letter and strive to obey it to the utmost he can he shall find it weak through the flesh accusing and in bondaging him And this is the reason that Christians so mourn in their prayers even as persons in bonds because they know not the Royall law of liberty because they feel not the love which the Spirit begets but strive to get the letter into their hearts and to answer the Commands in the letter with what love and obedience they can come at and this through not seeing into the true Covenant and ministry of Christ they call obeying in the Spirit The testimony of Jesus Rev. 12.17 is the Spirit of prophecy chap. 19.10 and his Commandements come fresh from that Spirit of prophecy which are to be taken heed to till the day dawn and the day-star arise and then a fuller ministration is witnessed then that of prophecy even the shining and appearing of that which was prophesied of which every believer is to wait for in the prophesies of