Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A33502
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A salutation to the suffering-seed of God wherein the things are declared and signified before-hand that must shortly come to pass / by Josiah Coale.
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Coale, Josiah, 1632?-1668.
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1663
(1663)
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Wing C4755; ESTC R26611
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7,144
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12
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to be read in their Assemblies in the Lord's fear POSTSCRIPT ANd Friends not in any wise to forsake the assembling of your selves together in as much as you know the exceeding benefit you have received thereby and you know full well that it was the usual practice of the servants of God by whom you were begotten into the Truth and instructed therein of whom some remains amongst you unto this day and some are fallen asleep I say it was their usual manner to exhort you and to stir you up to that obedience of assembling your selves together And when did you meet together to wait upon God and your hearts kept stayed upon him but that you received your expected end Wherefore let the remembrance of these things encourage you to continue in this well-doing while you have a being and liberty so to do And though there were such in ages past whose manner was to forsake the assembling of themselves together and some such there are at this day also Yet my Friends let not them be your example to walk by but every one to walk as you had and have them for examples amongst you who begat you into the truth and by whom the Way of Life hath been made known unto you be ye followers of them even as they were are of Christ For this my Friends I say unto you There are some sprung up amongst us who have in effect laboured to disswade Friends from their usual way and manner of meeting and assembling together with whose Spirit and proceedings therein we have not unity but must in the Spirit of Christ Jesus the Lamb of God give testimony against them and forewarn you not to receive that Spirit which goeth about to divert you from your usual way and manner of assembling together in which you have had the comfort of the presence of the Lord and received the Justification of Life and thereby your growth hath been much added unto So that certainly my Friends that Spirit which would turn you aside from this godly practise of assembling together is a dangerous spirit and is not of God whatsoever it pretend or though it cover it self with never so fair expressions Wherefore my dear Friends have Salt within you to savour withal and keep your first Love and your first Faith through which you received life eternal and hold fast your first simplicity and your former integrity and gad not abroad to change your ways but meet together in the Name and Fear of the Lord as your wonted manner hath been so shall you find the presence of God with you in your Assemblies as in the days past and his wonted goodness and love you will feel which will warm your hearts and refresh your souls by which you will be kept living unto him and a good savour and be to the praise of his Name who is God over all blessed for ever J. C. After the writing hareof this following Paper came to my hands which I judge very seasonable to publish herewith To all that believe in Christ YE that believe in Christ Jesus the Light of the World and are convinced of the way of God's Truth and know it by his Light in your own Consciences continue all of you in this Faith and be stedfast in it all your days and let there be no neglect in any of you of meeting together but approve your hearts to God to his people in this thing of assembling your selves together to wait upon the Lord for it is his will thus to do and it is according to the example of the Saints in former days and it is according to our practice who are the first fruits to God and to the Lamb in this last age and by the Spirit of the Lord and in the Name and Power of Christ Jesus we have given example therein and instruction and exhortation thereunto again and again even that all that believe in Jesus and are convinced of his Truth in their Consciences should assemble themselves together once or twice a Week or as the Wisdom of God teacheth for in such practice of so meeting together we have found much of the Lords presence many times refreshing our souls yea many have received of the Lord in their Assemblings together the sence and virtue and peace of the Lord in an unexpressible manner and we can certifie to all that it is the way of the Lord and he is found in it when people are turned to the gift of the Spirit of Christ in them in their Meetings the Lord descendeth amongst them every one being turned to their own then the Lord is near unto them And therefore again and again I exhort all Meet together in the Name of Jesus and you will find the Life Peace and Comfort of Jesus amongst you For if any being convinced and believing and will not assemble themselves together it shews such to be unfaithful negligent and of a careless heart and not regarding the honor of the Lord nor their own peace and amongst the disobedient must such be accounted when the Lord comes to reward every one according to their works And forasmuch as this very thing of our meeting together is become the main concroversie at this day between us and them that would destroy us and out of their envy against God and his People and to destroy the way of his Truth do they contend against us in this case Therefore as ye love the Cause of God and would have it prevail against its Enemies and as ye would not give the wicked one that occasion to say he hath overcomed and as ye would not give God's Cause into his Enemies hand I say unto you neglect not to meet together that the Lord may delight to dwell with you and to reveal the Mysterie of his glory unto you and that the Enemy of his Truth may be overcome both within and without And hereby shall all know you to be the Lord's People and that he hath a people that will serve him above the fear of this World Edward Burroughs THE END