Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	believe_v	faith_n	know_v	8,213	5	4.2899	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A84133	The Anabaptists ground-work for reformation: or, New planting of churches, that no man, woman, nor child, may be baptized, but such as have justifying faith, and doe make profession thereof, before, to the baptizer, found false, with all things depending thereon. As being contrary to the Scriptures, and to the examples of Christ and his Apostles, ... Proved by severall arguments. Whereunto one T.L. a principall baptizer, (and apostle in their account) hath given his answers. Unto which answers, replies are also made by I.E. and some arguments annexed, proving, that the children of all such beleevers as were baptized, and so received into the Church, might be baptized, and received also. With a brief declaration what the true reformation is, and shal be, farre above these Anabaptists, and all such carnall builders conceits. And who the two witnesses of God are, by whom chiefly it is to be performed. Imprimatut [sic]. Iames Cranford,	Etherington, John, fl. 1641-1645.; Lamb, Thomas, d. 1686.	1644 (1644)	Wing E3381; Thomason E50_2; ESTC R23515	28,610	37

baptisme and afterward they that attained to true repentance and remission of their sinnes through faith in his name and shewing forth the fruit thereof were approved And therfore Christ said unto some that beleeved on him in that common kind of beleeving If ye continue in my word then are ye my Disciples indeed and yee shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free Joh. 8.32 33. And again Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit If a man abide not in me he is cast forth c. Ioh. 15. By all which it is manifest that such a beleeving on Christ as the former which onely maketh a man a Disciple fit for outward baptisme such a graffing into the vine availeth nothing if he attaine not to true repentance in his own heart and to the faith that worketh by love that bringeth forth good fruit from his heart he cannot be approved in the sight of God nor of his Church God will cut him off as a branch and withered Therfore I say it is no marvelling greatly at T. L. that he knoweth not how to judge righteous iudgement he being as well as many thousands more are destitute of those speciall peculiar graces and gifts of the Spirit whereby to know it and so iudge according to the Rule of Christ Matth. 7. Ye shall know them by their fruit And now I put a question to T.L. which is this That if without all contradiction the lesser is blessed of the greater as the Apostle saith Heb. 7.7 And that the Elders that were ordained in the Apostles time were ordained by the approbation and laying on of hands of the Apostles and Elders who were in those heavenly respects greater then they on whom they laid their hands Then where and who that greater is that did so ordain him I mean T. L. that placed him in the Chaire and gave him power to make Disciples baptize plant Churches and taught him so to iudge as he speaks If he cannot shew that greater like some of those before mentioned nor a greater then they that did so ordain him place him and give him authoritie and power to doe al those things If he cannot doe this I say then is he not so neere like the Apostle Peter as he professeth himselfe to be but sheweth himselfe to be a very bold presumptuous person in taking so much upon him and his sinne in this is greater then his opinion of ignorance concerning the Rule before spoken of of which with this I advise him to repent and so farewell Severall Arguments proving by necessary Consequence from the Scriptures that the little children of all such beleevers of the Gospel as may rightly according to the rule of Christ be received into the outward state of the Church by outward baptisme may also be baptized and received The first Argument IF it was a lawfull and requisite thing once in the time of the Law of Moses by the same Law for little children to be received into the outward state of the Church and so be distinguished from the heathen and uncircumcised people and that Christ hath been and is as faithfull in and over all his own House as Moses was in his and as gracious to little children as he Then it is a lawfull and requisite thing now in the time of the Gospel for little children to be received into the outward state of the Church and so be distinguished from the heathen and unbaptized But it was a lawfull and requisite thing then and Christ is as faithfull in his House and as gracious to little children as Moses Therefore it is a lawfull and requisite thing now in the time of the Gospel The second Argument If the last thing that could and did distinguish little children in the time of the Law from the heathen and uncircumcised was the circumcision in the flesh and that they were to have it And that the least thing that little children can have now in the time of the Gospel to distinguish them from the heathen and unbaptized is outward baptisme Then they are to have it as well as they were to have the other But the least thing that was then to distinguish little children from the heathen and uncircumcised was the circumcision in the flesh and the least thing that can now distinguish a little child from the heathen and unbaptized is outward baptisme Therefore as they were then to have that so they are now to have this The third Argument If the children of the Gentiles that became Proselytes in the time of the Law being circumcised and received into the Church of the Jewes were and might lawfully be circumcised and received also with their parents and so from generation to generation all one with the Iewes Then may now still lawfully the children of us Gentiles who having beleeved the Gospel and being baptized and received into the Church of Christians be baptized and received also and so from generation to generation But it was so then in the time of the Law with the Gentile Proselytes and their children Therefore it may lawfully be so now in the time of the Gospel with us Gentile Christians and our children The fourth Argument If outward baptisme doth as well as outward circumcision did set forth and signify the circumcision of Christ made without hands the circumcision of the heart in the putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the same circumcision of Christ and that little children were to receive that signe the outward circumcision Then little children are to have this signe outward baptisme it being the signe of the same circumcision of the heart made without hands But outward baptisme doth as well as outward circumcision did set forth and signifie the circumcision of Christ that of the heart made without hands in the putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the same circumcision of Christ as the Apostle Paul doth plainly declare Coloss 2.11 12 13. where hee giveth unto the circumcision of the heart which he calleth the circumcision of Christ the name Baptisme as it formerly had the name of Circumcision making baptisme and circumcision both one in respect of the thing signified Therefore as little children were to have that signe so they are to have this The circumcision of the heart being the token of the covenant which God made with Abraham and his seed of which seed all the faithfull Gentiles are part as Paul declareth Rom. 4.11 12 13 14 15 16 c. The fifth Argument If Christ did receive little children when they brought them unto him and take them in his armes and blesse them and that this was a greater thing then outward baptisme and he esteemed them meet for the same because the kingdome of heaven is of such as

action they perform concerning the same For if it be a matter of so great consequence as without which there can bee no true reformation from the Antichristian Church to become a true Church of Christ as you perswade the people Then there is as great a necessity of a rule by word or example for the same as there is for any thing Therfore consider hereof and see what answer ye can give Christ gave a rule unto his Disciples for prayer and commanded saying When ye pray say Our Father which art in heaven c. I ask the reason why you doe not when you pray perform it according to the words seeing they are so plainly written down and yet charge the other so as ye do upon the people without either word or example Again Christ performed a work in washing his Disciples feet and commanded them that they should so wash one anothers feet as he had given them example What is the reason ye take not this work in hand to practise it seeing the commandement and every circumstance and action that Christ performed is so plainly written down Joh. 13.4 5 6 and so to verse 17. Is it because it makes not so wel for your planting new Churches as the other by your rejecting the outward baptisme little children had received and your baptizing onely men and women of years who must first professe that faith ye speak of doth Or is it because ye are utterly ignorant what the work truly is and therefore leave it quite lest ye should not rightly follow Christ therein but rather the Pope and his Church who have taken it up in a corrupt and superstitious way Then by the same reason yee might as well have left the other also and not have medled with it For let me ask you Doe you know what true circumcision is and so what true baptisme is If ye think ye do then see if ye can declare the true meaning of th●se Scriptures Mat. 28.19 Mark 16.15 16. 1 Pet. 3.21 Col. 2.11 12. Gal. 3.27 Rom. 2.29 Acts 2.38 Acts 19.5 and tell us if there be not as great a necessity of the circumcision and baptisme in these places spoken of as there is of the new birth John 3.3.5 and that whosoever is so circumcised or baptized hath put on Christ is regenerate and shall be saved and that it is not the cutting off the foreskin nor the doing away the filth of the flesh with outward washing or dipping the body in water as they of Rome concluded from those Scriptures in their Councell at Trent making the same washing or dipping of necessity to salvation But that it is the circumcision of the heart in the spirit the circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ the baptisme wherein they are buried with Christ and also are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead as Paul saith Col. 2.11 12. Even the answer of a good conscience by the resurrection of Jesus Christ as Peter saith 1. Pet. 3.21 And then the places being so understood it is clearly true That whosoever beleeveth and is baptized shal be saved as Christ and Peter and Paul have declared which cannot be so concluded upon outward washing or dipping These and all other such like gatherers of people together builders and planters which come so neere their strain in framing and setling Church●s to themselves in their independent way under the pretence of casting off all the abominations of Antichrist and practising according to the state of the Churches of the Apostles times let them and all other who in other kinds seem to endevour a reformation take heed and feare lest while they promise and assume great things to themselves they misse the very thing and goe clean beside the way of the true reformation which God will have to be in this last age For whosoever hath not in his heart the first principles of true repentance and that faith in Christ which justifieth that repentant broken-hearted sinner from his sins and the Comforter the Spirit of truth which leadeth into all truth cannot understand those great mysteri●s of God which he hath foretold in Scripture shall now in this last age be fulfilled And let no man take it in scorn therfore that I thus speak unto him it is mine owne case I must also take heed and feare And let us know howsoever though we all should faile in our understandings and go awry from the intent of the Scriptures in these great matters yet neverthelesse the work of Reformation shall goe on and every thing that the Scriptures have foretold shall come to passe Neither is the work of Reformation now to begin Christ foretelling of the abomination of desolation and the great tribulation of Antichrist that should come into the world saith And except those dayes should be shortned there should no flesh be saved but for the elect sake they shall be shortned Matth. 24.22 This Scripture is and hath been already in the fulfilling at least these hundred yeares past The Lord with the spirit of his mouth hath been consuming that man of sin all this while according as the Apostle Paul foretold 2 Thess 2.8 The two witnesses of God whom that Beast which was to come out of the deep should kill when they had finished their testimony that is when the whole counsell of God which he would have manifested to the world for the convincing of the ungodly and saving his elect should be by his holy Apostles and Evangelists testified and written down and they translated to their place of rest leaving the witnesses the two Testaments of God perfected and prophesying in their life and strength Then the Beast being risen up and placed in the Dragons Throne makes warre against them overcomes them and kils them Which killing was performed partly by his putting out and taking away the true intent and meaning of their word and testimony which is their light and life and giving false and lying interpretations of the same to the people and suppressing those that testified and walked in the light and truth of them And partly by keeping the letter of their word from the people that so their testimony might not be read understood and laid up in their hearts where they ought to be buried These two witnesses who have lien thus slain so long in the streets of that spirituall Sodom unburied are in their resurrection the spirit of life from God is entred into them and they are standing on their feet and walking again as was foretold Rev. 11. And so he whose name is called The Word of God who hath on his head many crownes and in his mouth a sharp sword he is come forth on his white horse and his heavenly armies following him on white horses clothed in white and fine clean linnen who are the called of God his chosen and faithfull

servants as hee saith Rev. 17.14 He who in righteousnesse doth judge and make war hath been with those his Armies fighting and prevailing all this while against the Beast and those Kings of the earth and their Armies who gathered themselves together against him and against his Armies according as it was foretold Rev. 19.11 12 13 14 15 19. and as at this day we see All these things have already thus farre passed and proceeded otherwise that reformation which is and hath been within those yeares of Kingdoms and Cities and peoples revolt from the Beast and his Church that mother of harlots and abominations of the earth which we have seen read and heard of and which cost the lives of so many thousands that testified and maintained the truth of Gods two witnesses against them had not been But God for his Elect sake that they might bee delivered from their abominations and cruelties and know his truth and be saved as he had determined and foretold would have it so And so those dayes of their abominiation and great tribulation which by their power they forced are thus as in England so in other kingdoms parts where they had to doe shortned according to his word and as good and comfortable experience hath proved unto us for which we are greatly bound to give thankes unto God So that wheras some say the two witnesses are not yet slain so not risen and that the Beast must get up again out of his consumption and kill them and then after 3 years natural and a halfe they to rise again conceiving that because these words Rev. 11.7 And when they have finished their testimony the Beast which ascendeth out of the bottomlesse pit shall make warre against them and kill them c. are spoken after the description of their prophesying in Sackcloth a thousand two hundred and threescore days which is the time of the Beasts reigne and will have the two witnesses to bee the Christian Magistracie and Ministry or as some say the two Testaments and the Ministry or two speciall men c. In all which they are utterly deceived for first although these words And when they have finished their t●stimony c. come after the description of their prophesying in sackcloth yet have they not respect to a finishing of their prophsying in sackcloth for their prophesying in sackcloth shal never be finished till all Gods elect are accoplished neither did they ever otherwise prophesie but in sackcloth that is in mourning All the Prophets and the Apostles the witnessers of their word and testimony both in speaking and writing did it in mourning in teares suffering also alwayes with them and being hated of the world for their word sake So that the words in ver 7. of finishing their testimony cannot have respect to their prophesying in sackcloth 1260 dayes but must needs be understood of that finishing their testimony before spoken of And again the Text saith not The Beast that descendeth shall kill them as if he were to kill them a little before his death but the beast that ascendeth c. shewing plainly that he was to kill them at his rising and not at his dying And the three dayes and a halfe of their bodies lying dead in the streets of the Beasts great citie are the three propheticall years and a halfe of the beasts reigne and not three naturall years and a halfe as they of the Church of Rome and some of our owne also would have it And whereas they are said to prophesie all the time in sackcloth while their bodies lie dead and unburied in the streets of Sodom through their malice yet they prophesie against them all the time notwithstanding and the judgements of God which they have spoken with their mouth against the Beast and his Church shall surely come upon them Neither doe nor did their bodies lie dead and unburied in the Church of the Saints at any time though they were never so few or never so disperst into the desart or wildernesse they alwayes retained them alive and prophesying but yet in sackcloth with much opposition And for any Magistrates Ministers Men or Angels to be the two witnesses or equall with them is not possible neither may such an opinion be admitted or thought of for what creature or creatures in heaven or earth may or can be said to empty the golden oyle out of themselves into the golden Candlestick which is the Church of God whereof his true Ministers are part but onely the two Testaments of God those two Olive branches and two speciall Candlestickes being both one which alwayes stood before the ruler of the whole earth as well in the Prophet Zacharies time and before it as now since who have the golden oyle in themselves naturally as the Olive trees have their oyle and doe hold forth their light to all the world as in Zach. 4.11 12 13 14. And who may be said to smite the earth with all maner of plagues so often as they will but they if they say the word it is done All that the holy Prophets and Apostles have spoken and written was their word and testimony not their own Therefore the Lord calleth them his two Witnesses Rev. 11.3 And I will give unto my two Witnesses c. because they are his own word according as the holy Angel answered the Prophet Zachariah when he desired to know what they were saying This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel saying Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts Who art thou O thou great Mountain c. Zach. 4.6 7. Neither may any Minister of God Apostle Prophet or Angel say or think when he writeth or speaketh the things of God that he writeth or speaketh his own words Neither may any man in the name of the Lord speak his own words but if he speak in his name he ought alwayes to speak as the Oracles of God as the Lord saith Therefore have I cut them down by my Prophets and slain them with the words of my mouth So then the two witnesses being the two Testaments of God which are his two Candlestickes also that carry in them the light of his truth and power of his Spirit which the Beast at his rising had killed but are now come to life again even the Spirit and life of Gods own word whereby also he made the worlds which name belongs onely to him who sitteth on the white horse The Lamb Iesus Christ the Branch the Stone that hath the seven Eyes which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the world spoken of in Zach. 3.8.9 and 4.10 Rev. 5.6 Even that head Stone which Zerubabel was to bring forth he that is King of Kings and Lord of Lords who hath the sharp sword in his mouth He as he hath prevailed thus farre against the Beast and his Armies so he shall go on and prosper in his war let the Beast and the Kings