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	reason_n	7,423	5	5.8303	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A30532	Many strong reasons confounded, which would hinder any reasonable man from being a Quaker and offences taken out of the way, but particularly foure and twenty arguments overturned and confuted, put forth and sent into the world by Richard Baxter, a professed minister, but a frequent contenter against the ways of God ... / ... by ... E.B.	Burrough, Edward, 1634-1662.	1657 (1657)	Wing B6011A; ESTC R14497	21,411	23

not be a Quaker 2. His second reason is No wise man can be a Quaker saith he because their Religion is an uncertain thing and so is not the Religion that must save us c. I answer This again is utterly false and no man that hath Gods wisdom would speak it for our Religion which we professe is a certain thing and we have openly declared it once and again and this is it To believe in Christ and to receive Christ and to be lead by the spirit of Christ and caught in all things to love God with all the heart and a mans neighbor as himself and through the power of Christ dwelling in man to do all good and to be kept from all evil This in very short is our Religion and it is a very certain and established Religion and this Religion we all agree in And this in short is the substance of our faith Even Christ in us believed on and received by us This is the truth and his lyes is judged and if he say this is an uncertain Religion let him give it under his hand and subscribe to it and he shall have a further Reply 3. His third Reason is No man of reason ●hould be a Quaker considering that amongst those scraps of their Religion which is made known there is so much notorious falshood and ungodlinesse saith he Ans. Let all Christian people mark this his Reason they are even lyes heaped one upon another What secret slanders are these behinde our backs who never would clear himself of what is truly charged against him in answer to his Catechism his words are turned by as utter lyes for that which we profess and practice for Religion which we have made known by word and writing is uprightness godliness sincerity and truth and neither notorious falshood nor ungodliness as he wickedly saith And why did not he make it appear what this notorious falshood and ungodliness had been that had been more honest then to cast his charges and prove nothing And whereas he saith The very person of Christ Iesus many of them doth blaspheme c. this is utterly false for Jesus Christ have we owned and believed in onely and for his sake we do and suffer hard things 4. His fourth Reason is saith he Because their false pernicious Doctrines their practical Religion doth much consist in most notorious wicked injujustice and uncharitableness c. Ans. Here is lye upon lye uttered and wickedness joyned to wickedness and drunk up as an Oxe drinks up water and no conscience made thereof by Richard Baxter it had been just to have mentioned these pernicious Doctrines their practical Religion injustice and uncharitableness and not to have slandered in the dark but we are delivered by the Lord from all pernicious Doctrines and notorious wickedness whatsoever and we find this false Reproacher guilty himself and his people of what he accuseth the innocent And so his words are 〈◊〉 unto himself and upon his own head I turn them ● His fifth Reason is The worst of all saith he is That they behave themselves like malignant enemies to the very Church and Gospel and Servants of Iesus Christ c. Ans. This man speaks as if he had sold himself wholly to lye but my answer to his first Reason is sufficient to answer this also and doth say That the Cause and the Church and the Gospel and Servants of Iesus Christ we do fully and freely own and are daylie exercised therein as the very Servants of Iesus and are friends thereof in our hearts and doth not behave our selves in any way as enemies thereunto God will judge every lying tongue and shall condemn our false Accusers guilty of that which they charge the guiltless to reprove and bear witness against the wild wicked and rude conversations and against such as have gotten the Saints words and by art frame an hours discourse thereupon for so much a Sermon or so much a yeer to deny such to be a Church of Christ and Ministers of Christ this we do and doth not behave our selves like enemies to the Church or Gospel or Ministers and servants of Christ as our Adversary wickedly saith 6. His sixth Reason saith he That part of the Quakers peculiar Religion which consists not in error and malignant impudency is made up very much of it of childish and unreasonable foppery c. Ans. As I have said No part of our Religion consists in error and malignant impudency and as for that which he calls childish and unreasonable foppery we stand not to mans judgement for it is a small thing with us for to be judged of any man for we do acknowledge that we are become fools for Christs sake and herein we have cause to glory though he upbraid us with it and it was such as he who called Paul a Babler and that his Doctrine was madness as he saith ours in foppery and let him know that which is foolishnesse with man is wisdom with God and we know God will confound the wisest of men by that which they may judge to be foolish unreasonable foppery for to such who are lost our Gospel is hid where the god of this world hath blinded their eye as it is plain he hath done this our Adversaries and that is the reason wherefore he hath sent forth such lying Scribbles from his study of wicked inventions and let him make the best use of his wisdom he can he can but serve the Devil with it while his wisdom is sensual and divillish And let him leave us to our childishnesse and folly and let the issue prove whether is the safer guide 7. His seventh Reason is saith he Their malignancy doth blinde them to make that the principal cause of their rage and reviling the Ministry which is plainly agreeable to the will of God and necessary to the Churches good Ans. This is false also we are not blinded but doth see Richard Baxter and all such to be out of the way of truth and peace And as for rage and reviling against the Ministers that is false also though indeed we do openly reprove deceivers and we know it is not agreeable to the will of God and necessary to the Churches good though he saith it is for Ministers of Christ to take tythes or to have a 〈◊〉 ●●intenance for never none of the Ministers of Christ that we read of in Scripture either took tythes to maintain them or had a set-maintenance but all that Christ allows to his Ministers is to eat such things as were set before them And in that he saith We liken them to covetous Priests among the Iews that is true to whom should we liken them but to them that practised the same things as they do And I am sure there never was priests in any generation that were more covetous then these of England are as in many particulars might be shewed for as the false prophets in Israel did so do these

be free from sin while they are upon earth and they cry against heresie and error and thus doth Richard Baxter and his company and therefore by his own Arguments he may be judged that the Jesuites and Fryars are his Leaders and that he prepares people to be papists but I will not be so uncharitable to judge him 〈◊〉 by this rule as he hath falsly done us though I do know in the sight of God there is a greater concurrence in Doctrine and practice and conversation between many of our Accusers and the Papists then there is between the Papists and us and the light of Christ in all consciences shall answer me in the day of Gods righteous judgements and the papists and him we do deny and see them to be of one spirit though differing in appearances and what we are it is by grace and not of our selves and what we do it is through Christ and not by our selves and to God we appeal for judgement and tramples upon all mens vain conceivings false judgements lyes and slanders and turns them back to them again where they were hatched 11. His eleventh Reason He saith Our Doctrines are self-contradictory and therefore they cannot be of God c. Ans. To this I answer This is false our Doctrines do agree in one and are not self-contradictory though falsly he may judge of this as he may judge of other things if he had been in Christs time likely he would have judged his words self-contradictory who said Except you eat my flesh and drink my blood you have no life in you and yet at the same instant of time said The flesh profiteth nothing with many other such instances as might be brought Why but Richard Baxter tells you We say all men have a sufficient light within them and goes up and down preaching it with great zeal This is no more than the Apostle Iohn did who told the Saints they needed no man to teach them but as the Anointing in them and yet preached unto them and wrote Epistles to them but did Iohn contradict himself let wise men judge And Iohn said Christ lighteth every man that comes into the world with the true light and no more then he did do we contradict our seves herein for we follow the same example we say the Saints have the Annointing in them and needs no man to teach them and yet we do exhort them as the Apostle Iohn did And he asks what do we preach If darknesse who would have such Teachers if light what needlesse labour is this when all men have sufficient light already c. To all this I answer We preach light that all should believe in it and thereby should be lead out of darknesse and the light is sufficient being believed in by the creature but all are not lead by it sufficiently neither doth receive Christ And we may ask him now and say If he preach darknesse as it is likely he doth rather then the light because he smites at preaching the light that hath lighted every man that cometh into the world and so in effect denies the Lord that bought him then who would have such a Preacher but if he preach the light and not that light which doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world which is Christ and is sufficient as it seems by his own words he doth not because he condemns us for it then is he a Minister of Antichrist according to his own confession But whatever he judge we are sent to turn people from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan to the power of God and herein we do as the Ministers of Christ did but that wee revile the Ministers of Christ as blind guides as saith he this is false again but such we bear witnesse against who preacheth for hire and oppresseth the Common-wealth and are in the steps of the proud Pharisees and all people that follows them are in darknesse as the Pharisees were and in the way of damnation because they are not in the truth who follows not Christ and yet such people are lightened with the light of Christ and that is their condemnation because they believe not in it and it is sufficient to the condemnation of all such 12. His twelfth Reason Saith he Consider also how sutable their Doctrine is to the interest and pleasure both of the Papist and the Devil why saith he they damn all the Ministers and Churches of CHRIST c. To this I answer A lying tongue is but for a moment though he makes lyes his refuge yet shall they be swept away Of the Ministers and Churches of Christ are we and such as are so they we own and are one with them though this man saith otherwise and it doth little appear that our Doctrine is sutable to the interest and pleasure of the papists for we finde them our enemies and Gods enemies and bears our witnesse against them as against the devil and do say that they are his off-spring and that the Priests of England are their off-spring such as are open lyars especially But if we should reckon we should find their Doctrine more agreeable to the papists in many things then ours are as I have instanced concerning sprinkling of Infants and other things but doth it follow that the papists and we agree because the papists declare against them out of cruelty and wickednesse and out of a murderous mind to divert people into idolatry and wicked superstition and we declare against them out of love to peoples souls that they should not alwayes be deceived and alwayes learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth and hath no other end to ourselves God is our witnesse but that people may be converted to the knowledge of God as I said before though the papists may hold some truth in words and cry against some sort of people out of a wicked end yet may not we therefore deny the truth as it is in Jesus neither must be silent in declaring against sin and wickednesse and let him say what he will concerning any advantage the Devil reaps by us it will but be the overthrow of his very kingdom Why but saith he If we do but unchurch all the reformed Churches the Papists will give us a fee I say it is a hard thing to unchurch them that never were truly churched and that we seeke to unchurch such as are the Churches of Christ this is utterly false and the papists fee and his reproach we trample upon them both together and let him take the papists fee as he pleads for it for it was they first that took tythes for a see and it is he now that strongly pleads for them to be maintained in his Ministry by them 13. His thirteenth Reason Saith he The Doctrine and practice of the Quakers is contrary to the experience and holy nature of the Saints why saith he they have found a renewed light and life by

doth condemn unrighteousnesse and bring war and a sword upon earth as Christs Doctrine did And this is the good where wee come Many are changed from wickednesse rudenesse and ungodlinesse to live soberly righteously and purely in this present world without offence towards God and men For to say We make people both to hate godly Teachers and people this is utterly false for we endeavor to bring people to the true Teacher Christ Jesus and to have fellowship with the Saints It 's true in the world our Doctrine doth make division and doth set a man at varience and doth set Father against Son and Son against Father even as Christ did and his Doctrine so he saith we do But again he belyes us in saying We bring people into confusion and abominable error or that we cast people into a malicious mood or tincture of bitterness this is also false and this is my Answer He that doth the will of our Father knows of our Doctrine whether we be of God or of our selves and to all the world besides we are unknown and desires to be manifest to every mans conscience in the sight of God and not to that wisdom which is of this world And though he scorn at such who are made to cast off their Points and Lace yet is not this more then any fruit that his Doctrine hath brought forth for as we do so did the Apostle exhort against all superfluity of naughtiness as Points and Laces are and it seems that such as depart from iniquity become a prey to such wicked mens slandering and scornful tongues and a maner to make Bookes of to send into the world 17. His seventeenth Reason Saith he It is no great encouragement to us to turn Quakers when we consider who are their followers very few experienced sober Christians turn to them saith he but such who are ignorant and ungrounded and raw professors c. Ans. To this I answer Let no man take encouragement from without to turn Quaker or to own the way of Gods salvation but let every one feel a measure of God in his own heart converting him from sinne unto righteousnesse and drawing his mind from the vanity and hypocrisie of this world to the truth and singlenesse of heart And he appears to be of the spirit of the Pharisees who said None but a company of poor people which were accursed followed Christ and so saith he in effect None but such as are ignorant and such like But what if there were not any other but such who owned the way of the Lord this is a confirmation of it rather then a cause of objecting against it when such who are ignorant are brought to the knowledge of God But yet his words are false for it is known that very many honest humble sober men and people who have all their dayes been sincere towards God in what they have known of him have and do own us and indeed all that ever owns God and Salvation shall own us for we are of God and he that is of God heareth us and the whole world lyes in wickednesse And such as are self-conceited and in pride and wise in their own eyes and in the wickedness of the world such are his followers and not ours though he falsely say it for such as follow Christ have we fellowship with and not with such as walk in darkness 18. His eighteenth Reason Saith he It is an evident judgement of God upon these people that turn Quakers and a punishment for their former sins c. Ans. To this I answer The Lord God his Angels and all his Saints and Servants I call to record against thee and they all shall witnesse that it is mercy and not judgement upon them that owns the way of the Lord And them that owned the Quakers in truth and sincerity have and do witness a remission of their former sins and forgiveness of them by Jesus Christ and not a punishment for them And Richard Baxter may please himself and some others with his reasonless Reasons as these are yet they are not worthy of the name of Reason they be so senseless and utterly false And though he railes against the Anabaptists as well as against us yet any man whose eye is open sees his folly turns it upon his own head And he may conceit himself in these things for a moment but the day of the Lord will declare it otherwise and that upon us mercy and peace shall be and not judgement nor wrath 19. His nineteenth Reason Saith he They are already in division among themselves as the contention between Nayler and Fox and their followers doth shew To this I answer Though an occasion may come and be taken against the truth yet wo unto him by whom it comes and to them who doth receive it for the testimony of truth abides for ever But as about that division he speakes of it hath been answered by writings several times and now I say It happened but as a tryal to the Lords people and not to destroy them though the enemy boasts himself because of it yet the Lord knows how to preserve his in the midst of temptation But these things are now at an end though a temptation presented it self yet it overcame not and truth is the same and the testimony thereof doth never change and all these refuges which the wicked flyes unto shall not cover them when the Lord appears 20. His twentieth Reason And saith he To make all their delusions more odious wickednesse they father it upon the Holy Ghost c. Ans. His words are utterly false yet we say we have received the Holy Ghost which teacheth us and leadeth us into all truth and by it are we lead out of all wickedness and delusion and all wicked speeches which he brands us withall and these things are his own for he is seen to be in delusion and odious wickedness and wicked speeches And saith he They speak against the DOCTRINE of the SPIRIT and cryes down the love of the Saints and against the Ordinances of the Ministers of Christ To this I have answered In the love union with all the Saints we are and Ministers of Christ but against Hypocrisie we declare such who profess what they are not and use their tongues and saith the Lord saith when the Lord hath not spoken to them and sprinkle Infants and saith it is ●n ordinance of Christ and singing Davids Experiences in Rime and Meeter with many other things which the Priests hath in their practice such things we deny to be Ordinances of Christ and them to be Ministers of Christ which do practice them and this we do say by the spirit of truth But that we prenounce damnation against Gods Church and holy Servants this is false again and is but the fulfilling the number of his lyes and though he charge us secretly with preaching another Gospel then that which Paul preached is false and if we