Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	apostle_n	gospel_n	preach_v	2,817	5	6.7760	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A89682	An apology for the service of love, and the people that own it, commonly called, the family of love. Being a plain, but groundly discourse, about the right and true Christian religion : set forth dialogue-wise between the citizen, the countreyman, and an exile : as the same was presented to the high court of Parliament, in the time of Queen Elizabeth; and penned by one of her Majesties menial servants, who was in no small esteem with her, for his wisdom and godliness. With another short confession of their faith, made by the same people. And finally some notes & collections, gathered by a private hand out of H.N. upon, or concerning the eight beatitudes.	Niclaes, Hendrik, 1502?-1580?	1656 (1656)	Wing N1122; Thomason E1610_1; ESTC R210332	24,412	73

iniquity and with all Hypocrites receive their portion in the hellish condemnation consider advisedly of it for it is very true Citizen But wilt thou say that all those and such like are no Christian Exile Yes verily by signe or outward show and name they be Citizen And must not such preach the truth notwithstanding shew forth the many high knowledges and secret mysteries out of the Scriptures Exile Yea all what they heart spoken or chance to read in any writing that can they readily speak out againe But not like as all those true prophets of God and disciples of Christ have alwayes done out of any Godly understanding through the holy Spirit of God or Christ for that were impossible because the same Spirit is not with them For allbeit they have the Scriptures and the Godly witnesses wherethrough they mean to be understanding and wise yet forasmuch as they give not all their understanding over as captive under the obedience of the love of Christ and his holy word as under that same Being or life whereunto the Scripture witnesseth but run still forth with the knowledge so have they verily neither light truth spirit nor being of God Christ nor of his word And therefore they neither know nor yet understand any thing at all rightly of that whereof they then praie or speak forth unto others Citizen If all such as thou hast here spoken of were libertines having neither light truth nor spirit of God or Christ then God be mercifull unto us for then were it all in vain for many a one in these dayes to stand up or teach in a Congregation notwithstanding I cannot be perswaded as yet although I most needs grant that for the most part they do not live the same which they do teach to others like as they themselves have confessed but that they neverthelesse preach unto the people both Gods word the truth out of the right spirit be they themselves never to evil else God forbid And I pray you Sirs did not Judas amongst the rest of the apostles go and preach the Gospel and yet was not he a wicked one and betrayed his master And did not Peter which denied his master preach Gospel also And it is written The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses seat or Chair what they bid you observe that observe and do But as they do do you not for they sayd and do nor Therefore why may not wicked men preach the truth Exile Let us consider advised by of the Scriptures and be no longer deceived Forasmuch as it standeth written that Christ is the light of the world the Heavenly truth the right spirit yea and the word of God it self Then how were it possible that those which are void of Christ should preach or prophesie aright the true to inde or word of God contained in the holy Scriptures the whilst I say that the same spirit of truth is not in them for it is written that the Scripture never came by the will or mind of man but holy men of God did speak as they were inspired by the holy Ghost And it is written also that the naturall or fleshly minded man perceaveth not the things of God c. And again wisdom will not dwell in a froward soul nor yet in a body that is subdued to sin For where wickednesse hath the upper hand the holy Ghost doth flie from thence And yet note then moreover that after such time that man hath once entred into Judas he preached not 〈◊〉 Peter perceaving afterward what he had done he wept bitterly wherefore I am not against any one that will weep with Peter And as for such as sit in Moses seat or chair which teach the law uprightly I have not once touched I speak onely of them that sit in their own chair of pestilence which reach their own law or Imagination of their fleshly parts and good thinking but not the holy lan● of the Lord which is spirituall and containeth the truth the life or Christ it self And therefore for want of the true spirit of understanding there ariseth in these dayes great contention about the Scriptures Citizen The more is to be lamented But yet I pray thee answer me herein for I am not resolved in this matter Have we not now the truth amongst us Is not now the Gospel preached sincerely and received of all people thankfully to their salvation where through the bonds of Antichrist which is the Pope of Rome that had us long in captivity are now broken and we all by that means set at liberty Exile We have no doubt the holy Scriptures which bear witness of the truth and therein the minde or meaning of the truth is contained amongst us So have we many wholsome Sermons preached and declared unto us notwithstanding had we the truth amongst us so had we Christ amongst us and had we Christ amongst us so world we no doubt lo●e him or his word and neither would persecute him nor his members And then had he once a form or shape in us so should he likewise manifestly appear out of us in our good conversation and holy walking For it is written If Christ be in you then is the body dead or mortified concerning sin And again Whosoever hath not the spirit of Christ the same is none of his And were the Gospel preached sincerely out of the truth that is out of the spirit of God or Christ through a good conversation under the obedience of the word in all meek-mindedness and godly love so would many thousands in this land doubtless have repented them of their former life and amended their ways upon the preaching of the same Gospel and would have moreover followed the footsteps of such godly Preachers or Prophets as had even so imitated Christ and so then in very deed the people should have received the Gospel thankfully to their salvation and by that means should the bonds of Antichrist which is the sin the devil or will of the flesh which hath long time held us captive be broken in us and we then rightly through Christ should have been delivered there-from and set at liberty Notwithstanding how many in these days are set at liberty or have taken to themselves at liberty to do all manner of uncomliness both against God and man I refer that to the Testimony of their own Consciences Citizen I perceive then thou art not against any godly Preachers that walk forth in all obedience of the word and in whom Christ doth live and dwell which also do shew forth through the same meek-minded spirit all due obedience to God and Governours as likewise an upright lovely peaceable and brotherly life towards all men and that preach forth the same word of truth and life which they as then have both felt handled and tasted of unto others moe Exile No verily but I do reverence in the Lord all such as the true ministers and distributers of the heavenly riches and

AN APOLOGY FOR The Service of Love AND The People that own it commonly called The Family of Love Being a plain but groundly Discourse about the Right and True Christian Religion Set forth Dialogue-wise between the Citizen the Countreyman and an Exile as the same was presented to the High Court of Parliament in the time of Queen Elizabeth and penned by one of her Majesties menial servants who was in no small esteem with Her for his known wisdom and godliness With another short Confession of their Faith made by the same people And finally some Notes Collections gathered by a private hand out of H.N. upon or concerning the eight Beatitudes LONDON Printed for Giles Calvert at the Black-spread-Eagle at the West end of Pauls 1656. To all courteous Courtiers the Exile sendeth greeting YOu courtly Courtiers courteous by kind Lowly wise and pleasant in mind This little Device from the ground of his heart The Exile hath sent you take it in good part And when you have read it peruse it again For the matter is weighty true and eke plain Weigh well the fire do nothing in hast And measure you likewise the wind as it blows So call me again the day that is past For that is the right way Gods wisdome to know Both ear yea and heart so that ye prepare O ye lovely Courtiers courteous all These things for to mark which I now declare Left Gods wrath once kindled unawares hap to fall Where godly Love as a marriage weed In lowly hearts works all things new There is the truth exprest indeed In holy life it is very true The head of the Spring where ever it lye If it be kept sweet pleasant and clean From thence then all Rivers descending thereby Much sweetness of taste shall there through obtain First sound ye the water and measure the wind Then mark well the matter and sup up the mind The Libertines herein are set out full plain So are Christians likewise that in peace would remain But when ye perceive who the Libertines be Then wish that all Christians might be set free Gods blessing shall fall vpon their heads full sure That first shall begin the same to procure By way of Petition when they shall think time And God shall the Rulers hearts thereto incline God save the Queens Majesty and give her the might Good Christians to defend and subdue Libertines quite The Argument IN few words the Exile hereafter doth approve That wonderful and necessary is the service of Love If you weigh well his words you shall easily espy That among some of our learned there is a wedg awry But to redresse the same that can no earthly man do Each man to amend one is the next way thereto But yet by no other mean may a man thereto attain Save alone by the mean exprest in Loves service certain And the chief of all vertues he doth likewise approve To be a meek minded spirit fast grounded in Love An Apology for the Service of Love A Marvellous Matter manifested by an Exile through a short Communication in manner of a Dialogue And pointing as it were with his finger upon an unconfutable truth He giveth to all Courteous hearts that shall vouchsafe advisedly to read the same great cause of careful Consideration The Citizen the Countrey man and the Exile Interlocutors And first the Citizen to the Countrey-man THou knowest right well Countrey-man that the Citizen hath oft times need of the Countrey-man both for clothing victuals and other necessaries wherefore I pray thee let us two hold friendship still and be merty together in honest pastime like as we alwaies in times past have done But now I pray thee Countrey-man tell me how happeneth it that thou art so sad now a daies over thou wast wont to be Countrey-man I have not any cause to be merry considering the state of the world and dangerous time that now is Citizen Why Countryman of fellowship tell me the cause is it for want of worldly things or else what is the matter shew me for thou knowest me to be thy friend yea in very deed I am thy neer kinsman therefore thou mayst be bold to express thy mind freely unto me and I shall truly and trustily keep thy Counsel for I intend to be merry and follow my trade and not to busie my self in other mens matters Countrey-man I shall then tell thee as unto my very friend the cause of my heaviness when I consider what great cause we have to be thankful to God for his manifold goodness mercifulness and great benefits extended on us his creatures in our creation And in that he hath also given us his holy law as a glasse of righteousnesse therein to look into and behold our sinfull spots and deformities and so learn thereout the way or mean to become purged from the same filthynesse yet now although we have seemed to look therein a long time I see that our spots and deformities generally are waxen worse and worse And about the law or holy Scriptures there is risen every where great contention and this I see come to passe through all Christendome so well among those which are counted for men of high knowledge and great learning as likewise among all other sorts of smaller understanding in consideration whereof I have both for my self and others more cause to lament then for to laugh or be merry Citizen Notwithstanding Countryman thou knowest right well that we have been taught these many yeares by our learned preachers and that as it seemeth according to the Scriptures that all our spots are cleansed and washed away onely by the death of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and by no other means whereof we may in no wise doubt or mistrust but must acknowledge that he hath made a full reconcilement and satisfaction to God his Father upon the Altar of his Cross once for all our sins and for the sins of the whole world yea moreover as thou knowest that we all have our freedom thereby though yet as it cannot be denied we have been deceived in times past by many false prophets and teachers which have craftily crept in amongst us in sheeps Cloathing under pretence of holinesse But yet Christ sayeth you shall know them by their fruits and those you know were the superstitious papists which brought in all Idolatry and abuse But now God be thanked all such Abominations with worshipping of Images c. is gone you hear and Banished quite out of this land truth is set up in place the Gospel of Gods Kingdom is sincerely preached all over by Gods true prophets elect ministers and upright disciples of Christ and is thankfully received you see of all people to their salvation and so the bands of Antichrist sonne of perdition which is the Pope are broken and we now by that means are set free from all thraldom wherein we were once captivated are restored into the liberty of the Gospel for even so

generation of mankind which is altogether estranged from God and his righteousnesse by the disobedience of Adam in his Innocent and glorious estate wherein he was first created And therefore I have no doubt at all but do believe assuredly according to the Scriptures that Jesus Christ hath of his part accomplished it all Notwithstanding of this one thing I stand in doubt viz. Whether many at this day amongst us which boast our selves for Christians and for partakers of all the merits of Christs death and passion have any earnest lust or inclination with all Gods elect to accomplish that which on their part is lacking of the passions of Christ and is neverthelesse earnestly required of us in the holy Scriptures viz. to repent us earnestly of our sins past to forsake our selves taking up our Crosse and following Christ to dye unto sin to crucifie the flesh with her lusts to put on the new man of rigteousnesse to dwell in Christ and to have him to dwell in us or to put on Christ to have the same minde in us that was in Christ to become as little Children to believe in him to keep his word and to do all whatsoever he commandeth to love one another to obey our governors and to live under their Lawes and even so to eate the flesh of Christ and drink his blood that so we might have life in us doubtless whosoever doth not thus endeavour himself to walk as is aforesaid in this infallible Christian rule which is expressed more at at large unto us in the Service of Love in the after following of Christ he may not know the truth or Christ become made free of the truth nor inherit the Kingdom of heaven or be saved Citizen Thou hast put me in mind of a marvellous matter But tell me can any man live so pure whilst he is in this mortal life but that he shall sin Exile Understand there is no man living be he what he is but he shall sometimes sin or offend whiles he is this mortal life notwithstanding He that is born of God namely Christ Jesus the man of God from heaven that new Creature in whom the seed of God remaineth sinneth not And then know this also that there is a great difference between sin unto death and sin not unto death Citizen That is so indeed but yet then what thinkest thou herein have we not been deceived in times past by many false Prophets and false Teachers which have walked among us in sheeps clothing being inwardly ravening Wolves And were not those the superstitious Papists which brought in all abuses as worshipping of Images with much more idolatry into this Land although it be now banished quite Exile Yes we have been no doubt in times past much deceived and yet are to this day The superstitious Papists I grant were false Prophets and false Teachers which brought in many abuses with idolatry for covetousness is idolatry and the Prophet complaineth saying This people carrieth unclean or foul Idols in their hearts meaning still to go on in their wickedness c. Yea all what the man esteemeth more of in his heart than of God and his holy Law that same is to him an Idol he falleth down before it serveth and honoureth it prayeth likewise unto it Citizen Wilt thou say then that many of us in this Land are yet deceived and that we have now in these last days false Prophets and false Teachers among us Exile Yea for so it is prophecied or fore spoken in the holy Scriptures to come to pass in the last times notwithstanding yet must I needs think well of all such Preachers as hunger and thirst after the truth righteousness love obedience and peace expressing likewise the same in their good and godly conversation Citizen How shall men know then the false prophets and false Teachers Exile By their Fruits Citizens That is very true but shew me I pray thee by some certain notes or manifest tokens how I might henceforth know them with their fruits for that I and all men might-ever after beware of the false and give heed to the true Exile Then mark well these six Notes following 1. They are such as presume to teach others the way to eternal life before ever they have walked therein themselves or yet have once desired to become first the disciples of Christ or of his word to a reformation of their own lives c. 2. Such as will be taken for perfect Christians and godly teachers ere ever that Christ who is the truth the right spirit and the life have gotten a living shape in them whereby they might first preach Christ aright out of a good conversion in all love even so then go before the people having both oyl in their vessels and light in their Lamps c. 3. Such as will seem to have put on the new man of righteousness and yet never took in hand nor have known how to do off the old man of sin and wickedness first notwithstanding they take upon them to understand and to expound Gods secret mysteries out of the Scriptures c. 4. Such as will be free by Christ and teach men so ere ever they seen into their Captivity and thraldom of the sin death devil and hell whole bond-slaves and captives they themselves yet are and ere ever they have repented them rightly from their sin in such sort that it might ever after appear among all men in their holy walking 5. Such as will take on them to understand and publish forth the secret mysteries of Gods divine wisdom contained in the holy Scripture by the ingeniousness of the fleshly wisdom they themselves being as yet unregenerate given to lying blaspheming traytors oppression covetousnes persecuting with all kind of maliciousnesse wickedness and licentiousness of life 6. Such as boast of their deliverance in the last resurrection and teach men soere ever they have got any part in the first or are renewed in the Spirit and mind or yet stand up with Christ from the death c. All these and such like say I are false prophets though covered in sheeps cloathing but inwardly they are ravening woulfs men shall know them by their fruits with their mouth indeed they confess Christs but in their deeds deny him they are likewise blind guides such as have taken on them to lead the Ignorant out of darknesse into he light and yet themselves as those that love not the light will still remain in darknesse These are very Libertines inclined alwayes to hatred and iniquity stirring up strife setting variance amongst Princes breaking lawes despising autority and ordinances of men resisting Gods love and mercifullnesse Blaspheming the truth and persecuting the Innocent or simple which love God and his righteousnesse and walk in all obedience and peace Wherefore those be the children of Beliall and void of all wisdom such as unlesse they repent in time must be shut out amongst the foolish rejected for the workers of