Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
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B02902
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The declaration of the Philadelphian Society of England, Easter-day, 1699. Addressed to the Catholick Church representative and diffusive.
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Philadelphian Society (London, England)
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1699
(1699)
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Wing D737A; ESTC R174633
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8,454
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8
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THE DECLARATION OF THE Philadelphian Society OF ENGLAND EASTER-DAY 1699. Addressed to the Catholick Church Representative and Diffusive § 1. TO the Bishops and Presbyters of the Catholick Church and to all Orders Ranks and Degrees of the same elected by God the Father and called out of the World being sanctified by his Spirit And in particular to the Churches whether Established or Dispersed within these three Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland and yet more peculiarly to that of this Kingdom and to all Religious Societies therein however they may be nominated and distinguished either separated from it or holding Communion with it But in a most special manner to as many as either here or abroad do truly believe and wait for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Majesty of his Father The Philadelphian Society founded for the Propagation of Apostolical Faith and Love wisheth the increase of Grace Peace and Truth Fathers Brethren and Friends § 2. GOD having appeared in these latter Days to excite and raise up many Persons in all Nations both Secretly and Publickly after diverse and sundry manners to prepare the Way of his dear Son unto whom he hath given by an Oath the utmost ends of the Earth for his Inheritance Be it known unto you that he hath Excited and Commanded us by his Spirit which is the Testimony of his Son to bear an open and publick Witness at this time for his Kingdom Which Kingdom is not of this World nor after the manner of the Nations But is of Heaven and from Heaven and after the manner of the Saints in Bliss who are ever doing their Father's Will and following the LAMB who is their Light whithersoever he goeth And that this Kingdom may come quickly according to the Oath and Covenant of the Everlasting Father and that the Will of our God and Lord be obeyed with the same Universality Perpetuity and Alacrity even here upon the Earth as it is in Heaven to the Sanctification of his Name The LORD our Righteousness and even to a visible Inscription of it on all his Disciples So that it may indeed be Exalted above every Name under Heaven and every Knee made to bow down to it we think it our bounden Duty by all Ways and Mediums by all Methods Expedients and Enterprises according to the Pattern of the Holy Ancients with continued Labours Watchings and Supplications to promote advance and carry on the Interest of the same § 3. And therefore we cannot but exhort and encourage one another and as many as with us do look for such things to walk in all Holy Conversation and Godliness to keep the Works of the Son of GOD unto the end and to hold fast the Word of his Patience until he come Being diligent that we may be found of him in Peace and in Love without Spot and blameless as was the Primitive Church of PHILADELPHIA Wherefore being mindful of the Words which were spoken before by the Holy Prophets and of the Commandment of the Lord and Saviour blessed for ever As often as we do meet together for this end we do after this manner And as at all Times and in all Places we account it our highest Duty thus to do without any Partiality or Acceptance of Persons So especially when we are assembled in the Spirit of the LORD that our Loyns may not he at any time ungirt or our Lamps extinct and without Oil For when the Bridegroom cometh it will then be too late to go to buy it and the little Door which is already begun to be opened will then be shut up Fathers and Brethren § 4. Marvel not that this is a little Door and that there is but a little visible Strength as yet Since God even our God hath chosen the small things of this World to confound the great and the foolish things to confound the wise and that not once only but always As for our selves we could have been very well contented had it been the Will of our Father in Heaven not to have appeared as we have done but to have enjoyed rather in private as some of You do the Satisfaction of those great and august Truths which we now confess before the whole World It would have been far more easie for us and would not have exposed us to so many Evils but our Wills which are in themselves most contrary we have learn'd by his Spirit assisting us to submit to his Holy and most Adorable Will § 5. But notwithstanding this our more publick appearance at present we do not hereby intend to recede from what we have formerly declared in the Reasons for the Foundation and Promotion of this Society but do earnestly desire to keep still and maintain the Communion of Saints inviolable in the Band of the Holy Catholick Church § 6. And for as much as it is found necessary in order to such a near and intimate Communication with one another as is required for the effectual Prosecuting the Great and Holy Design before us the Interest of Christendom and the Good of all Mankind to initiate and admit Persons into our Society for that otherwise we could not be said to be a Society we would not herein that ye should misunderstand us as if we were by this setting up for a new Sect and a divided Church our solemn Protestations to the contrary notwithstanding For we have acted in this matter and shall continue to act according 〈◊〉 those most Catholick Principles which all the Churches of Christ that ever were or are may justifie us in We think it not our proper Business to meddle with the Controversies that are at this day in Christendom but to pray and wait for that Holy Spirit which alone can determine them and lead into all divine Truth The Principles of the Christian Religion we believe to be plain and easie familiar and obvious to that degree that he that runneth may read them in the sacred Writings of the New Testament But the Mysteries of the same we believe none can truly understand as they ought nor even put in Practice thoroughly the Principles themselves but such as are Spiritual that is Initiated by the Spirit of JESUS into the Knowledge of them Experimentally Essentially and Fundamentally All wrangling therefore about these from the Spirit only of Reason or the natural Man we cannot approve as a means for the Establishing the Unity of Faith in the deep and recondite things of God but do think this method most incongruous and ineffectual as it hath hitherto shewed it self to be § 7. All the Precepts and Institutions of our Blessed Master we according to their very fullest and utmost Latitude accept and intirely submit to The House of our Society we have founded upon his Sermon on the Mount Whence though the Rain hath indeed descended and the Floods came and the Winds have blown and beat upon this our House and Establishment yet it falleth not Neither can it fall for
that it is founded by the Eternal Wisdom it self upon a Rock which Rock is Christ in the Manifestation of his Spirit and Power § 8. Wherefore the Foundation thereof which formerly hath been declared being as the Hill of Zion that cannot be moved and the entrance thereof as the Door of DAVID which is never to be shut in the Church of Philadelphia We have boldness to Address in this Manner unto you Men and Brethren yea unto you Fathers and Elders even as many as are Separated and Sanctified in all the Churches throughout EUROPE and wheresoever else this our Declaration may be carried for an Holy Ministration and Calling And we entreat you by the Bowels of the Lord JESUS CHRIST whom we all profess to honour and to follow as our Leader that ye would lay aside all Prejudices against one another all uncertain Traditions of Men all Dispute◠about Words and all Impositions of Unintelligible Mysteries though true in themselves and that ye would be pleased to make a Candid Allowance for the Power of Education in some of Constitution in others and of the different Apprehension of things more or less in all and thence love one another as Brethren and as CHRIST hath loved you whereby ye may be able to demonstrate your selves to be built together with us upon Him He being the Chief Corner-Stone of this House of BROTHERLY LOVE Therefore stir up we beg and 〈◊〉 you this most Excellent Gift which is no less than the Band of Perfection in th◠Body of the Church and the First Bor◠of the Love of God So will a true Philadelphian Society be spread over the whole Earth and the Kingdoms of the Nations become the Kingdom of the Prince of Peace § 9. For the Divisions of Christendom our Souls do mourn and hence we cannot but cry out Sirs ye are Brethren why do ye Wrong one to another And again we say unto you all and every one how good and pleasant is it for Brethren to dwell together in Unity Consider then we pray you of the things that make for Catholick Peace and for the Establishment of the new Jerusalem the City and Kingdom of Peace that so all such as have erred and are deceived may be brought into the Way of Truth and Love being made one Fold under one Shepherd JESUS CHRIST our Lord. Yea we doubt not Honoured and Beloved that ye will consider of these things And many among you will blow the Trumpet of the Lord and sound an Alarm in the holy Congregation to give Notice that the Lord cometh and that his Kingdom is at Hand to them that wait for it and love his Appearance And as the same Design may be carryed on after differerent Manners and we have been called to this particular Manner so we also hope and believe that it shall be carryed on by you after various and sundry Methods suitable to your several Stations and Calls and according to the manifold Ministration and Dispensation of the same Spirit § 10. Now Beloved in the Lord say not that the Time is not come as some of you have declared For the Time verily cometh but the Hour thereof no Man knoweth Therefore we watch and would awaken others to watch with us knowing that the Promise is not afar off The Time indeed is not come as some understand it neither is at Hand But if Noah arose up and preached Repentance an Hundred and Twenty Years before the Completion of what he expected if Isaiah preached in like manner an Hundred and seventy Years before it came to pass concerning the Call and Anointing of the great CYRUS and if the Prophet of Bethel preached and prophesied above Three Hundred Years before concerning the great Reformation under Josias It is not at all to be wondred at if before so great and glorious a Reformation or rather Transformation of the Church as is This which is now expected there be sent forth some Fore-runners Messengers and Heralds to give Warning of the same to the World This we do And we know that our Time is now and that our Calling shall not be in vain § 11. Whosoever then shall be offended at us or at our Proceedings without due Examination of them we shall not be mov'd on our Parts only with a Concern for their Good We have the Answer of a good Conscience before GOD both in acting and suffering for his Names Sake and if in any thing of lesser Moment there hath been a Mistake committed at any time we shall be glad to rectifie the same so soon as it shall be made known If any better Expedients can be produced for the promoting of the Interest before specified let not any with-hold them However we dare not consult with Flesh and Blood in this Matter But all things that we can do we are ready to do For that we may make strait the Way of our Lord the KING We go forth at this Time in his Name to make Proclamation to the World having received a Foretast of the Powers of the approaching New State We are indeed but as a Voice in the Wilderness the Church of mystical Israel being not yet come out of the Wilderness But let not this be rejected for by it shall the Axe be laid to the Root of the Tree And when this Voice shall cease then shall the Voice of the Bridegroom be heard Blessed are they that hear the former Voice for they shall not be afraid to hear the latter Men Brethren and Fathers § 12. In order to a freer Prosecution of the Designs of this Society it hath pleased God to grant us the Protection of the Civil Government Against which our Principles are no wise Prejudicial but most advantagious to it when they are understood For it is certain that the Blessings of the Heaven above and of the Earth beneath will be given by God to those wise Princes and Magistrates who shall promote the righteous and peaceable Kingdom of CHRIST and pay him the Kiss of Homage which He requireth that so they may be as the Light of the Morning when the Sun riseth even a Morning without Clouds And as the tender Grass out of the Earth by the clear shining of the Sun after Rain And we do believe that the Time is at Hand when the Mountains shall bring Peace and the little Hills Righteousness unto the People And then will it be understood what it is to Reign By the Grace of God § 13. But at this Satan is extreamly enraged seeing that his Kingdom draweth near to a Period And therefore by all manner of subtile Insinuations and even by Violence where he is not chained up he is working incessantly to put a Stop to the breaking forth of the Golden Age of Peace and Righteousness which we Proclaim Hence many of our Brethren in other Countries have been and are despitefully used who are as shining Lamps in a crooked and stupid Generation t◠turn many to the Wisdom of