Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A63163
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The Trial and determination of truth, in answer to The best choice for religion and government
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1697
(1697)
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Wing T2166; ESTC R10526
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46,640
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49
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our You to a single Person since it has in it the fore-named Excellencies If you know not what belongs to a Synecdoche read 2 Cor. 4. and you shall find the plural Number put for the singular almost throughout the Chapter He that has look'd least into Ancient Authors will find long before Ignatius Loyola or the Pope the Plural put for the Singular and the Singular for the Plural and this Spiritual Fancy of Youing and Thouing cou'd never have taken place with any sort of Men that had not been Strangers to Grammar Logick Metaphysicks good Learning or Sense If the Quakers are so 't is Loss of time to spend it on so trifling a Subject Call in the Jury Friend Henry Verily Friends there 's enough said to convince us of great Folly in standing so much upon this odd proud conceited piece of Singularity Judge I 'm glad to find any one of your Party so truly ingenuous as once to confess you 're in the wrong the Court will hear you with greater Regard in what remains Here 's a Bill of Complaint or an Indictment against You and other Dissenters for using false Lights for having false Hearts false Spirits for being guided by such Principles as are not of God The Reasons of this Enquiry are from the many sorts of Lights and Spirits in the World as Light Uncreated and Created Light Proper and Metaphorical Light of Nature and of Scripture Light of Sense and Reason Light Innate and Light Created So there are many sorts of Spirits besides good Ones A Familiar Spirit a Lying Spirit a Spirit of Perverseness a Foul Spirit a Deaf and Dumb Spirit a Spirit of Errour and Delusion a Spirit of Slumber a Spirit of the World and a Spirit of God The Question is Which of these Lights or Spirits the Quakers and other Separatists are guided by Quak. We are not for troubling our selves with a speculative Discourse concerning Lights or Spirits but we declare that there is in us and in all Men a Light sufficient to instruct and govern us in Matters of Faith and Life This is it we desire to walk by and so long as we do so we hope none will blame or condemn us for it Judge Whom will you be try'd by Quak. By the Sturdiness and Strength of our own Perswasion which it is our will and pleasure to call the Testimony within us Judge You shou'd be try'd by God and the Country but if you wou'd be try'd by the Testimony within we must examine whether that be a sure Test or Rule of Trial For if the Test be false the Trial must be uncertain and foolish Let me ask How you know your Testimony within is from the Holy Ghost Quak. We know it by this That God has given us of his Spirit 1 John 4. 13. Judge How do you know he has given you of his Spirit Quak. We know it by this that we cannot sin 1 John 3. 9. Judge How are you assur'd that you cannot sin Quak. Because we are born of God 1 John 3. 9. Judge How know ye that ye are born of God Quak. We know it by this Because we have a new Name given us which no Man knows but he that hath it Rev. 2. 17. Judge How do you know of a new Name given you Quak. We know it by that Spirit which dwelleth in us Rom. 8. 11. Judge How do you know the Spirit of Truth from the Spirit of Error Quak. Our Answer is still at hand and out of the Scriptures too He that knoweth God heareth us and he that is not of God heareth not us 1 John 4. 6. Judge What Witness have you to prove it Quak. The Spirit beareth witness with our Spirits Rom. 8. 16. Judge Produce your Witness Quak. He that believeth hath the Witness in himself 1 John 5. 10. Judge Friends I have catechiz'd you till I have lost you you run in a circular identical way of Discourse turn round till you grow giddy you wrest and misapply the Word of Life God grant it may not be to your own Destruction You argue very weakly You have the Spirit of God because you are assur'd of it You are assâ—â—'d of it because of the Spirit that dwells in you The best that I like in you is your seeming to depend upon the Scriptures These are the best Criterion or Touch-stone to try whether your Spirit and Light be True or Counterfeit But then we must not fix upon dubious disputable Texts but the plainest and most easie whose Sense and Meaning is agreed on by Men of all Judgments Texts deliver'd in such clear and univocal Terms that opposite Parties do apprehend them in the very same way and these cannot well be Matter of Cavil and Dispute Quak. I may not object against this Judge The Spirit that is of God is 1. A Spirit of Truth 2. Of Holiness and Purity 3. Of Unity and Love 4. Of Meekness and Order 5. Of Knowledge Wisdom and Understanding If any Man who is outwardly of a seeming good Life is yet of very ill Judgment in Points essential to Christianity as to deny the Sacraments and other Parts of Religion instituted by the Spirit of Truth he must needs be misinstructed by the Spirit of Errour and Fascination let his outward Conversation be what it will let his visible Course of Life be never so plausible or severe On the contrary If a Man be Orthodox and at the same time Dishonest of some good Opinions but evil Practice holds the Truth but in Unrighteousness so as to allow abet and encourage Villanies he is not season'd by the Holy but the Unclean Spirit let his Judgment be what it can For an honest Heathen is not so bad as a Christian Knave If a Man makes Division in a Church or Kingdom dissolves the Bond of Peace and shall endeavour to crumble Religion into as many small Pieces as idle Heads can suggest they are misled by that Spirit whose Name is Legion that old cunning Serpent that deceives the World Mar. 5. 9. Rev. 12. 9. If any in pretence of being meek ones who are by right of Promise to inherit the Earth demurely tread upon Crowns and Crosiers and would be levelling all that by God's Providence overtop them These must be guided by the Spirit of the bottomless Pit Rev. 9. 11. Lastly If Men do cite and urge Scripture against the whole Tenor and Stream of it and wander into the wrong way even by that very Word which does direct them into the right one we may soon discern what manner of Spirit they are of the Spirit of Slumber the Spirit of dead Sleep that has blinded the Mind Rom. 11. 8. Isa 29. 10. These Rules are proper for the Trying of our Quakers and other Men's Spirits But Gentlemen of the Jury there 's one thing more to be added That Vices are apt many times to pass for Vertues many Lies to Flesh and Blood are more plausible than
THE Trial and Determination OF TRUTH In ANSWER to The Best Choice for Religion and Government Believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God for many false Prophets are gone out into the World 1 John 4. 1. That thou may'st know how thou oughtest to behave thy self in the House of God which is the Church of the Living God the Ground and Pillar of the Truth 1 Tim. 3. 15. LONDON Printed in the Year 16 THE PREFACE TO THE READER GENTLE or SIMPLE WE are fallen into a most ill-natur'd and censorious Age apt to interpret every thing spoken or acted design'd or written in the worst sense 'T is rare to find a Man who will not take with the Left-hand what is offer'd with the Right Yet being a Friend to Truth which was in danger to suffer by the Mistakes and Errours of a late Book Entituled The Best Choice c. I have here ventur'd to make an Apology such as it is and to say all I honestly could in the Vindication of the Saints therein mention'd who out of an unusual Modesty or for some other Reasons best known to themselves have for divers Months conceal'd their Talent talk'd only of an Answer but publish'd none This Trial of Truth was calculated and chiefly design'd for the Meridian of SCYDROMEDIA but may indifferently serve any County or Corporation in England as a fair Intimation to all Freemen and Free-holders to distinguish betwixt Church and Conventicle Truth and Falshood and on that Side which is safest from Deceits There to fix there to vote in all Elections of Future Parliaments If there should be amongst the Electors Men disturb'd in their Understandings by the Heat of Enthusiasm or whose Wisdom is altogether sensual and worldly who presumptuously make Heaven stoop to Earth hiding their private and secular Designs under the Venerable Name of Saints or the Sober Party I don't once concern my self with them in this Endeavour to advance Truth The former cannot and the latter will not be convinc'd There 's no Ear so deaf as that which Interest has stopp'd and none so miserably blind as those that resolvedly shut their Eyes against the plainest Demonstrations of Truth The Words of an old Author are at this day verified of the English What they like not they never understand JEOF CHAVCER Yet Truth ought not to be quite run down for want of an Advocate nor shall Sir A. and my good Friends be aâ—â—â—'d whilst 't is in my power to make a tolerable Defence for ' em And truly Friends I have a hard Task on 't The grievous Immoralities of Life the Blemishes of Humane Nature the many Designs of this wicked World appear so plainly at the bottom of our Zeal and Stifness for our several Opinions that 't is more ingenuous and adviseable to own some things to be sordid and base in our Proceedings than by an over strict Justification of our Doings we put the Church up on Enquiries lest after an impartial Search we should stand condemn'd by all Good Men. 'T is but a folly to deny what we cannot hide That secular Ends are very apt to mix with and shelter themselves under the shadow of Religion This has been the Old Artifice for Mischief in all Ages we should be wiser than venture our Stake upon a Game so well known that every Child in Vnderstanding can now perceive the Cheat. Far be it from me to write one Syllable in Dishonour to True Religion That must needs be a Right Noble and worthy Thing in it self and very powerful with Mankind when the bare Shew of it can serve to carry on those Designs which neither Wit nor Force can effect All I ask of the Whole Body of Dissenters is if possible To be Honest to aim at nothing but what 's good and warrantable to prosecute all their Affairs by lawful Means Do no irregular unworthy or base Act but with Purity of Soul bear a principal regard to the Rules of their Duty and the Dictates of a well-inform'd Conscience Build their Practice not upon treacherous Quagmires bold and impious Opinions but upon solid safe approv'd and well-try'd Principles which tend to the Vpholding of Virtue Government and Humane Society So that they can be content to have their Thoughts sounded their Actions sifted to the bottom could even wish that their Breasts had Windows that their Hearts were transparent that all the World might see through them because the more curiously the Ways of an Honest Man are mark'd the more exactly his Dealings are scann'd the more throughly his Intentions are penetrated and known the greater Approbation he is sure to receive from Good and Wise Men. But Men made up of Deceit and Treachery desire to keep on the Vizor are fearful to be laid open to have the Varnish wip'd off their Intrigues unravell'd and their Intentions quite stript of the Veils that now enfold them All agree in this even by the Light of Nature That Honesty is the best Policy and the most infallible Method of Safety and Security in all the Transactions of this World Yet it would puzzle a good Philosopher to find so much of it here in the Sunshine of the Gospel as is apparent among Turks and Indians in their darkest Night of Ignorance and Infidelity I conclude this in the Words of Salvian written as a Monition to all Christians How much is Religion concern'd in this that without comparison we should be better than Heathens But how much with Grief and Horrour I bewail it does it tend to the Prejudice of Christian Life and Action if we are worse than Heathens This is to be worse when we are more guilty You may be offended perhaps that read this and at the same time condemn it I refuse not thy Censure Si mentiar condemna condemna si non probavero If I prove not what I say by good Authority then let me bear the blame Judge as you see Cause Farewel THE Trial and Determination of TRUTH In ANSWER to The Best Choice for Religion and Government Or The Vindication of the SAINTS in SCYDROMEDIA THIS Ancient BURROUGH known formerly by other Titles goes at present under a strange Disguise an odd Name will best correspond with some late Transactions there a Place and People so much chang'd for the worse that if the Old Catieuchlani who had it before the Romans were now alive they wou'd fancy themselves unhappily cast upon some wild new-found Land inhabited by the Family of Errour and her Daughters of which none were alike unless in this That all are Deform'd If Saint Augustine the Monk and Venerable Bede whom we account Favourers of the worst that is the Romish Religion shou'd once more visit our divided Scydromedia and consider the irreligious state of it at this time they wou'd presently cross themselves and get out of it with all speed to avoid Dangers If those many Christian Bishops who here held a Conference and Consultation in