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	gospel_n	preach_v	1,882	5	6.7867	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A46888	The strong man armed cast out and his goods spoiled, or, The poor man sitting at Jesus's feet clothed and in his right mind being a true convert's testimony of the power of the Lord in turning the soul from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God ... / formerly given forth in writing unto my relations and acquaintance the professors called Independents in Nottinghamshire, declaring the cause of my leaving their assemblies ... by James Jackson, formerly a parish priest and a teacher amongst the Independents and now ... made willing to take up the daily cross and walk with the despised followers of the Lamb in scorn called Quakers.	Jackson, James, fl. 1674-1708.	1674 (1674)	Wing J75; ESTC R34953	24,289	34

Good-will of God to the Poor and preached Peace to the Broken-hearted testifying the Love of God to Mankind in sending his Son to them to open their Blind Eyes and recover them out of the Snare of the Devil exhorting Men to believe in the Light lest Eternal Darkness come upon them And all that was done in his Ministry was not from any outward Encouragement or Reward but moved only hereunto from the Tenderness of his Pitty and Compassion to poor Sinners So it is at this Day all that are born of the Spirit are true Ministers of the same Gospel and publish it freely in the Constrainings of the Love of God which layes a Necessity upon them to minister freely without Expectation of Gifts and Rewards But do they deserve the Name of Gospel-Ministers who preach another Doctrine then what Christ or his Apostles ever did confidently affirming That the Doctrine of the Light within or to say the Light in every Man's Conscience is the Light of Christ this is Blasphemy but tell Men that Light which doth convince them of Sin is not the Light of Christ but Natural Conscience and therefore not able to sanctifie and save such as believe in it and obey it and yet they say There be some whom they call Saints and Believers in whom there is true Saving Light but as for the greatest Part of the VVorld they are altogether destitute hereof and yet though they make a seeming Distinction between Saints and Sinners yet they themselves confess they are Sinners yea and believe that they must be so while they breath upon Earth And thus are People held in Ignorance Unbelief and Confusion their blind Guides having caused them to err from the Truth for verely this hath been and is the Doctrine of these eminent Men. Qualif 5. That Gospel which Jesus Christ had preached and witnessed to in his holy Life he confirmed and seal'd by his Death in his Blood Now this Last is that which crowned and compleated his Ministry and the same Spirit is in all the Faithful at this day whereby Christ's Ministers are enabled to declare the Truth in the Life and Power of the Eternal Word without the Help and Assistance of acquired Parts Arts and Studies for to such saith Christ It is not you that speak but the Spirit which speaketh in you and thus declaring what they have seen tasted and handled of the Word of Life they are not ashamed of their Work nor afraid of Men neither will they conceal their Meetings in Time of greatest Danger nor slip out at Back-Doors to avoid Sufferings but are in a continual Readiness and Preparedness to forsake all that is dear to them rather then to turn their Backs upon the Work of God or in the least to prove Unfaithful by Denying or Betraying the Truths of Christ Wherefore now consider these things all ye Admirers of Men and give place to the Witness of God in your own Consciences and see if one of your Gifted Brethren Pastors and Teachers be thus qualified Object 4. But the Scriptures are very plain that Vnbelievers and Reprobates are without Christ as in Ephes 2.12 and 2 Cor. 13 5. wherefore though we do believe that Christ is in every Believer yet we cannot understand that the Light in every Man is the Light of Christ. Answ 1. Indeed one of these Scriptures at first Appearance seems to contradict all that hath been said before it will be therefore necessary to speak to them severally That in Ephes 2.12 plainly affirms That before Conversion they were without God and without Christ in the World And truly I can witness this Scripture fulfilled in my own Particular for I know the Time when I was without Christ and without God in the World when I lived in Sinful Pleasures and Delights fulfilling the Lusts of the Flesh with Greediness I lived then as if there was no God in the World yea without any awful Respect to the Eye of God and Christ And yet I can as truly affirm that at that Time the Light of Christ was in me testifying against my Iniquity And this may seem a Mystery that a Measure of his Light should be within a Man when that Man is without Christ yet I have experienced the Truth hereof and therefore testifie that its one Thing for the Light of Christ to be in a Man and another Thing for a Man to be in the Light of Christ and thus it is the Light of Christ may be in a Man and yet that Man out of the Light of Christ whereupon I affirm and declare that the Light of Christ is in every Man but no Man is in Christ till he be a new Creature And as to that other Scripture 2 Cor. 13.5 Know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates This Place doth not at all oppose what before hath been written if it be seriously considered but doth greatly confirm the Truth of this Doctrine If therefore by Reprobates be intended such as have sinned out the Day of Grace and done Despight to the Strivings of the Spirit of God as the old World did yea and as those eminent Professors whom Stephen reproveth saying Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in Heart and Ears ye do alwayes resist the Holy Ghost as your Fathers did so do ye Acts 7.51 And as Jerusalem which remained Impenitent in the Day of Visitation till the Things of her Peace were hid from her Eyes Luke 19.42 And as those Guests which had been often invited and yet refused to come making light of those many renew'd and reiterated Tenders of Grace entreating the Messengers spightfully and slew them wherefore the King was wroth and protested against them that none of those Murtherers should taste of his Supper Mat. 22. Or like that Fig-Tree which the Master of the Vineyard when he had come three Years expecting Fruit and found none required the Dresser to cut it down and cast it into the Fire Luke 13.7 And like those who had tasted of the Heavenly Gift and of the Good Word of God and of the Powers of the World to come but after to fall away and crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh put him to open Shame these bringing forth Thorns Bryars are rejected and are nigh unto Cursing whose End is to be burned Heb. 6.7 8. And such as the Lord complaineth of by the Prophet Jeremiah saying They are all grievous Revolters walking with Slanders they are Brass and Iron they are all Corrupters the Bellows are burnt the Lead is consumed of the Fire the Founder melteth in Vain for the Wicked are not pluck●d away Reprobate Silver shall Men call them because the Lord hath rejected them Jer. 6.29 And the Spirit speaketh expresly that some shall depart from the Faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils speaking Lyes in Hypocrisie having their Conscience seared with an Hot Iron and so are past feling 1 Tim 4.2 Now

Understand fully what we hold before thou contend against us lest if thou want this Patience and Wisdom thou oppose not so much our Judgment as thy own Conceit better it is to hear a Man's Mind with Meekness then hastily to guess at it Answ 6. Be not wedded to thy own Opinion nor Wise in thy own Conceit so as to build upon thy own or other Mens Judgments and rest satisfied therein because it is strengthned by Multitude Custom and Antiquity for undoubtedly many have erred grosly in those Things they have thought themselves Infallible better it is to cleave to the clear and naked Truths of God alone then to follow the Doctrines of the most learned and eminent Professors in the World when they hold not the Truth as it is in Jesus Answ 7. Reproach not this Doctrine saying It is New and Strange or that thou never heardst it so before for this discovers thy Ignorance rather then my Error and that which at present seems to thee to be a New Error being rightly examin'd by the Scripture will prove an Old Truth If therefore thou wilt needs reject whatsoever favours of Novelty how shall the Truths we yet know not be brought in and the Ignorance which yet remains be purg'd out Answ 8. This is the same Doctrine which was preach'd by our blessed Saviour and his holy Prophets Apostles since the World began and which was believ'd and obey'd by all the faithful Saints and Servants of God since the Creation the same which the Lord gave in Charge to the Israelites by the Mouth of Moses saying Behold I send my Angel before thee to keep thee in the Way Exod. 23.20 and to bring thee into the Place which I have prepared Beware of him and obey his Voice provoak him not for he will not pardon your Transgressions for my Name is in him but if thou shalt indeed obey his Voice and do all that I speak then will I be an Enemy to thy Enemies and an Adversary to thy Adversaries Numb 15.30 But the Soul that doth ought presumtuously reproacheth the Lord and shall be cut off from his People because he despised the Word of the Lord. Now what is this Word of the Lord It is not the Scriptures for there were no Bibles many Years after that time Deut. 30.11 to 14. Psal 119.9.105 but the LIGT WITHIN It is not hidden from thee neither is it far off but the Word is very nigh unto thee even in thy Heart in thy Mouth that thou shouldst hear it and do it Wherefore David affifirmeth that if a Young man take heed to this Word he shall cleanse his Wayes thereby and calls it a Lamp to his Feet and a Light to his Paths This is also testified by the Prophet Isaiah Thou shalt hear a Word behind thee Isa 30.21 saying This is the Way walk in it in which Path the wayfaring Men though Fools cannot err And our blessed Saviour doth confirm this Doctrine Mat. 6.35 Lu. 17.21 Acts 3.22 vs 23 26. saying Seek first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness which Kingdom he told the Scribes and Pharisees was within them Thus Peter preacht Christ the Light For Moses truly said unto the Fathers A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you him shall you hear in all things and it shall come to pass that every Soul that heareth not that Prophet shall be cut off c. Wherefore unto you first God having raised up his Son Jesus sent him to bless you in turning every one of you from his Iniquities Acts 26.18 and thus Pau● was sent To turn men from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan unto God Now is not this Darkness within and the Light within And is it not an inward Turning Acts 17.27 To seek the Lord if happily they might f●el after him and find him though he be not far from every one of us And doth not James turn men to the Light within writing to Sinners Jam. 1.21 Such as were in Filthiness and superfluity of Naughtiness Doth not he bid them receive with Meekness the ingrafted Word which was able to save their Souls which Peter calleth the sure Word of Prophecy 2 Pet. 1.19 unto which ye do well to give heed as vnto a Light that shineth in a dark Place But most take the Word for the Scriptures but we know no Word but Christ Jesus the Light and his Name only is call'd the Word of God Therefore say not in thy Heart who shall bring and reveal Christ unto us for the Word is nigh thee even in thy Heart and in thy Mouth Now this Word is Christ the true Light in every man Joh. 12.36 wherefore saith our Lord Jesus While ye have the Light believe in the Light that ye may be the Children of the Light As Abel being guided by this Light through Faith was enabled to offer up a more acceptable Sacrifice then Cain In Obedience to this Enoch walked with and pleased God By this Noah being warned moved with Fear prepared an Ark for the saving of his House By this was Abraham called to leave his own Country and his Father's House and in Obedience to this he departed not knowing whether he went Joseph being guided by this withstood the Temptations of his Mrs though enforced with Importunity Pleasure Profit Secresie Hereby Moses chose rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God then to enjoy the Pleasures of Sin for a Season esteeming the Reproach of Christ greater Riches then the Treasures of Egypt and endured as seeing him that is Invisible And what shall I say more for the Time would fail to tell of Gideon Barak Sampson Jepthah David Samuel and of the Prophets who by Faith and Obedience to the Light subdued Kingdoms wrought Righteousness obtained Promises stopped the Mouths of Lyons quenched the Violence of Fire Some were tortured not accepting Deliverance Others had Tryal of cruel Mockings Scourgings Bonds and Imprisonment and Death And is still the same at this Day for the Light within is the true Shepherd's Voice which all the Lambs of Christ hear obey and follow to the Hazard of all that is dear to them Object 2. But thou denyest the Scriptures to be the Word of God which is the Only Rule to judge of Doctrines and a sure Weapon to resist Satan and confute his Ministers for it is very observable that Christ made Vse of no other Means to overcome the Tempter but Only the Scriptures which are the Sword of the Spirit and the Word of God Answ 1 Plainly I deny the Scriptures are either the Sword of the Spirit or the Word of God That the Word of God is the Sword of the Spirit I own and witness that it is sharper then a Two-edg'd Sword like a Hammer and a Fire the Ax at the Root of every corrupt Tree and so are not the Scriptures yea the Word of the Lord