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	know_v	reveal_v	2,144	5	8.3094	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86340	Glory sometimes afar off, now stepping in; or, The great gospel-mysterie of spirit, or Divine nature in saints: not in that philosophical and humane sense, by effects and habits of grace, but after a more evangelical, divine, and mysterious manner of in-being. Opened, affirmed and cleared, and gloriously breaking forth through a cloud of subtil pervertings, carnal objections, and dreadful condemnings cast upon it; and closed up with an account of some principles, practises and wayes which have sealed up this mysterie, and thereby held down the saints in weakness, and shut up the world in darkness for so long a time.	Higgenson, Thomas.	1653 (1653)	Wing H1948; Thomason E687_9; ESTC R206885	45,476	57

Glory sometimes afar off Now stepping in OR The great Gospel-Mysterie OF THE SPIRIT OR Divine Nature in Saints Not in that Philosophical and humane sense by effects and habits of Grace but after a more Evangelical Divine and Mysterious manner of in-being Opened affirmed and cleared and gloriously breaking forth through a cloud of subtil pervertings carnal objections and dreadful condemnings cast upon it And closed up with an account of some principles practises and wayes which have sealed up this Mysterie and thereby held down the Saints in weakness and shut up the world in darkness for so long a time Administred through the hand of a Babe in the knowledge and fellowship of the Mysterie of Christ in us LONDON Printed for Giles Calvert and are to be sold at the black spread Eagle at the West end of Pauls 1653. GLORY sometimes afar off Now stepping in SECT I. IT begins to appear plainly to all men that light and darkness are the two great principles which have formed and given life and being to all the true and false Religions Opinions and Worships the two great Powers which have ruled and acted in all the turnings and overturning of Nations States and Interests and the wombs of all the Apostacies and Reformation Bondage and Liberty Arbitrary and Regular wayes which have been since the beginning of the world It doth not so plainly appear Job 38.19 but may be as truly affirmed what is said in one place that Light hath a way where or whence it is and darkness a place where it dwels that is all Scripture Faith Knowledge Gifts Administrations and Operations which are so many pieces or sparkles of Light do all come from an higher fulness fountain and Sun of Light and as Faith Knowledge and Gifts are to be accounted Light only as they flow from the true Light and have the true Light hid within them so they are no more Light if they fall short of God in like manner all Spirits Doctrines Principles and works of darkness do all come out of some root or first Principle which is the Serpents head the bruising whereof is the confusion of all the rest gospel- God in Christ and Christ in us the two fountains of all gospel-Gospel-truths gospel-Gospel-truths are many and various but may all be reduced under two great and supreme truths as the foundation ground and cause of all the Grace and Truth that is revealed and administred by the Gospel they are either the Mysterie of God manifest in the flesh of Christ or the Mysterie of Christ by Spirit dwelling in Saints the first of these is the producing cause of redemption justification reconciliation and of the whole work of Grace administred by Christ in his flesh the other is the operating cause of Union regeneration sanctification new creature and of all the gifts of Grace administred by Christ or Spirit in Saints As all promises truths and gifts of God in the Gospel do come unto us out of one of these fountains of Grace so our Knowledge and Faith of these many and various truths of the Gospel do come from our Knowledge and Faith in these two mysteries or fountains of Grace truths are either supreme or subordinate higher or lower truths in the Cause or truths in the Effect as subordinate and lower truths have their rise ground cause and reason in their supreme and higher so they cannot be fully believed nor understood gospel-Gospel-truths best known in Christ Christ best known in the Father but in their supreme and higher truth or Cause first we see Christ more darkly and imperfectly then through him we see the Father and the love of the Father to be the only cause and reason of Christs coming forth then from thence we look back again and see more clearly Christ and his coming forth and the work he came upon to be more and more precious and glorious Christ is known but darkly at first till the Divine mercies out of which he came be seen in him then both Christ and every work of Christ his obedience and sufferings life and death are seen and known in more lengths and breadths to be blessed and full of glory the Promises are all in Christ Christ is in the Father Christ is greater then the promises they cannot be known nor enjoyed but in Christ the Father is greater then Christ he cannot be known nor enjoyed but in the Father in like manner the fountain and cause of all spiritual light life and sanctification in the Saints is the Spirit dwelling in them those Saints that know not this in-being of the Spirit himself in them know little of that more glorious power those more rare and spiritual gifts and more Divine and ravishing enjoyments which some Saints are led forth into the actings state calling and fellowship of Saints are not known nor discerned by the world and very little discerned by most of themselves because they know not the Spirit of Christ to be in them So that if any were so spiritually knowing and would undertake a work so high and desirable as to make search into the Cause and Grounds of the little Light and much darkness that hath been for so long a time in the world and that in the dayes of the Gospel I humbly judge whatsoever other lesser reasons might be found that the highest reason and cause of all the humane inventions The cause of all the darkness that hath been and yet is upon the world and perverse disputings amongst all sorts of men of all the carnal Doctrines and Gospel-worships of Antichrist of all that Confusion of Law with Gospel letter with Spirit Jewish bondage with Christian Liberty Paganish morality with Gospel-holiness by our own Teachers of all the legality Childishness and weakness of gifts and grace in Saints fearing where no fear is unstable where they should be as mount Sion conflicting instead of conquering in mournings and complainings in stead of garments of praise and a Spirit of joy the greatest reason of all these I judge would be found to be the darkness that hath been upon these two great fountains of all Gospel truths viz. God manifest in the flesh of Christ and Christ by Spirit dwelling in Saints which as they are the great reasons of all other truths so they are the Light and Key into all the truths and riches of grace in the Gospel And for this cause I do here humbly offer what I have in my measure received from the Lord of my understanding and knowledge of this mysterie which is Christ himself in us as the Father is in Christ which as my natural reason and the disputings of flesh and blood could not see nor lead me into it but resisted and gain-said me in it and that Spirit that is mightier then I did by his own drawing and strengthening hand upon me raise me up above the reasonings of my flesh and this world in the conceiving and declaring of it so if any look into the

1 Cor. 15.28 one Father one God all in all From all which it is clear to him that loves to see the truth not through the mists veils or disguises of subtil chaffy distinctions of science falsly so called of glosses received by tradition of prepossessed principles rudiments or opinions of bitterness passion rash prejudicacy and overhasty censoriousness but as a child wained from all these breasts desires to see the truth in the simplicity purity and undefiledness of it to him it is clear with no other arguments then its own beams of light that the same glory or spirit or Divine nature which is in Christ is also in Saints he being not heir alone but they fellow-heirs with him SECT IX A Further testimony to the truth of this Mysterie is gathered from Ephes 4.11 12 13. Eighth testimony to the spirit in Saints And he gave some Apostles c. for the perfecting of Saints c. till we all come in the unity of the faith c. Col. 1.28 That we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus which perfection is Christ in us v. 27. Revel 21.3 Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them God himself shall be with them First Truth is that Mysterie that is to be made manifest that of God that is to be revealed Col. 2.2 3. the deep things of God that are to be brought to light In-dwelling of God himself in man is the end of all truth and administrations of truth called also the Mysterie hid in God the Mysterie of God and of the Father and of Christ treasures of wisdom and knowledge the end and perfection of which truth and of all light science knowledge administrations spiritual gifts and powers is the revealing and in-dwelling of God himself in them Secondly the way and maner how this truth is brought forth into the world is through various wayes of administration through doctrine divine worship revelation letter and spiritual gifts all which serve to administer truth and things in heaven to men on earth and as truth is brought forth at sundry times in diverse manners in different degrees of light and is sometimes more dark shadowed and legal after more clear naked and Evangelical so is the administration varied and changed from one degree of light to another Thirdly the spirit bringing forth truth through the administration gives unto men light and knowledge The end of spiritual gifts spiritual gifts and powers otherwise called illuminating and sanctifying graces which are given to this end that through them men may become changed sanctified and made capable to know believe glorifie and own that light and truth which is brought forth under that particular administration and as the administration carries in it more or less light grace and holiness so is the illumination and sanctification of Saints under that administration differing in the measure of light grace and holiness Measuring line of all administrations without and gifts within what it is Fourthly administrations do differ from and exceed one another in glory as they carry in them more or less of that highest end whereunto they do subserve and administer which is the compleating of Saints to one living holy Temple for the Lord and God himself dwelling in them in like manner the Saints do exceed one another in light love and holiness as their union and communion in and with God and God in and with them is in some more then others more compleat and perfected the Ministery of the Prophets had more glory then that of Moses the Ministery of John more then the Prophets he that is least in the kingdom of heaven more then all one excelled another as they had in them the nearer approachings and clearer dawnings of the Day and Sun of righteousness upon the world The end of all administrations and gifts Fifthly so that the end of all administrations without us and all spiritual gifts within us is to bring the Lamb and the Bride together the spirit and the Spouse into one to perfect and finish up the Mysterie which is already in Saints yet hid Ioh. 14.20 which is Christ in the Father Saints in Christ and Christ in Saints the present time is a time wherein Christ is gone to the Father hid in God as it were at a distance from Saints and therefore a time of darkness and of the shadows of the Night 2 Pet. 1.19 stretched upon the world administrations and letter without and gifts of grace within are as lesser lights or stars shining in this dark Night or world until the Lord himself come into Saints and swallow them up as an imperfect lesser and weaker glory is swallowed up of a greater and more perfect or the Morning-star of the Sun so that faith hope knowledge prophesies c. can no more abide when that which is perfect is come then the stars can abide in the clearest day 1 Cor. 13.8 9 10. These things thus considered do contribute their illustration to the further clearing of this Truth that the spirits in-dwelling in Saints which is now in them and shall abide in them for ever is somewhat higher then gifts and graces for these must be done away and if something higher it can be no less then the spirit and God himself dwelling in them SECT X. THE spirits in-being in Saints is further manifestly held forth in 2 Cor. 13.5 Know you not your own selves The ninth testimony to the spirit in Saints how that Iesus Christ is in you except you be Reprobates Rom. 8.9 Now if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his First no Creature no good God makes not happiness sin makes not misery unless within us no not the highest good it self which is God doth make man or his soul endued with virtue good or blessed so long as it is without the soul in like manner no sin nor unbelief nor spot defiles a man or makes him reprobate or miserable except it be within him if there be no light in the eye the body is darkness though the light shine round about the enjoyment of a thing is perfected in oneness with the thing God is Light Love and Blessedness yet as he is withomt me or separate from me so I neither see his Light tast his Love nor am blessed with his blessedness but as he is within me and is known loved felt and perceived by me darkness within makes darkness without the whole earth is full of his glory yet most men see not this glory in the earth without because they see not his glory within them the glory of nature men can behold because they have the eye of Nature Eccl. 3.11 or the light of Reason planted in them but the glory of God in nature they cannot see because they have not the light of God the spirit dwelling in them Secondly Gospel-truths as they are Doctrines preached by the voyce

living holy Temple for the everlasting and blessed God to dwell in Upon this ground I must thankfully and gladly own and affirm that the spirit himself dwels in Saints and is daily subduing them by dyings to themselves to the flesh and world to be a Temple for the Divine Nature in his admirable and blessed Being to dwell in SECT IV. The third testimony to the spirits in-being in Saints ANother witness to this truth is from Gal. 4.6 And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father Heb. 2.14 Forasmuch then as Children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same These Scriptures spiritually weighed together do cast a mutual reflexion each upon other and send forth this high and blessed truth Vnion of Christ and Saints is in substance 1. That the union of Christ and Saints stands in or is by a mutual participation each of others substance or substantial natures and not only each of others qualifications or habits And that this participation is twofold Of Christs partaking of the nature and flesh of Saints One of Christs partaking of the humane nature and flesh of Saints marrying it and taking it into union with his Divine Nature and in it as in the root head and first-born from the dead sanctifying all Saints to be a Virgin Spouse and Bride for himself of whom he saies in a figure Thou shalt be called Hephzibah Isal 62.4 Psal 132.14 for the Lord delighteth in thee and here will I ●●ell for I have desired it And thus Christ and Saints are become one flesh and one body Ephes 5.30 31 32. The other is of Saints partaking of the Divine Nature and Spirit of Christ Of Saints partaking of the nature and spirit of Christ Isai 54.5 through faith taking it into union with their own nature and in it receiving God their Maker the Lord of Hoasts to be their Husband and everlasting Bridegroom to dwell in them Therefore it is said He that is joyned unto the Lord is one spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 2. That the ground and reason of both these participations of Christ with Saints and Saints with Christ is one and the same in him and in them viz. in Christ who partook of the flesh of Children because one of the Children in Saints who partake of the spirit of the Son because they are sons Which relation of Christ to Saints ☜ as it was truly and really perfected in that kindly and natural product of his cloathing himself upon with our flesh the seed of Abraham without which he had neither really been in himself nor could have been truly manifest nor declared to be our Brother or one of the Children so the relation of Saints to Christ being the same and so of equal force and vertue and so hath like effect and operation is therefore truly and really perfected in that congenial and natural product of their cloathing themselves upon with his spirit the seed of God without which Saints neither really are in themselves nor can be truly manifest or declared to be the Brethren or the Sons of God I do therefore humbly affirm the Divine Subsistence of the spirit to dwell himself in Saints and not only by infused qualifications or habits and this partaking of the Divine Nature to be that which only makes Saints truly to be and principally denominates and declares them to be the Sons of God SECT V. The fourth testimony to the spirit in Saints THE fourth witness to this truth is from 1 Cor. 3.16 Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you Eph. 2.21 In whom all the building c. groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord. 1. All the Temples expressed and found in Scripture are either Idol-Temples 1 Chr. 10.10 2 Chr. 36.7 Ier. 50.2 Acts 19.26 27. Ioh. 2.19 21. Ezek. 41.1 which are three the Temple of Dagon the god of the Philistines the Temple of Bel and Merodach at Babylon the Temple of the goddess Diana at Ephesus in Asia Or Temples for the true God which are these the Temple at Jerusalem made with hands the Temple of Christs body the Temple of Saints 1 Cor. 3.16 the Temple opened in Heaven Rev. 11.19 the Temple revealed to Ezekiel in visions Rev. 21.10 being the same with the Temple opened in Heaven and is the new Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God The Temple at Jerusalem fulfilled in Christ and Saints 2. The Temples of the true God carry this account in them the Temple at Jerusalem was the type held forth God dwelling in flesh as the invisible mysterie of the Gospel in a dead shadow or external figure as the visible rudiment the shadow or rudiment was to cease and the mysterie to be truly fulfilled in him that was to come The Temple of Christs body and Temple of Saints or flesh of Christ and Saints was the anti-type The mysterie of God dwelling in flesh typed and prefigured in the first Temple is truly fulfilled and brought forth in these second and third Temples The Temple of Christ and Saints perfected in the last Temple opened in Heaven But so as in the flesh of Christ it is already manifest revealed and consummate but in the flesh of Saints it is as yet covered obscure and inchoate The Temple seen in vision by Ezekiel and the Temple opened in Heaven or the new Jerusalem which are the last Temples and both one are the perfection and full growing up of the second and third Temples into one living holy Temple for the Lord or the mysterie of God manifest in the flesh now in Saints yet covered and inchoate shall be in that last Temple revealed and consummate so that the first Temple had or held forth the Mysterie in shadow or letter the second and third had it in spirit and truth yet dark and covered as in Saints the last Temple takes off the darkness and covering from off the third and holds it forth revealed and consummate the first had the Mysterie but in shadow and so darkest the second and third had it in truth and more clear the last shall have it in perfection and so in the brightness of the perfect day Thirdly the Idol-temples and true Temples do agree in this those had in them their god their oracle and their graven image to whom all the Nations flowed together as to a god Jer. 51.44 The true Temples have their Oracle their Glory the true Divine nature and spirit dwelling in them without which they are not Temples and so are common and unholy the indwelling of the holy Spirit being that onely which makes them Temples and sanctifies them to be an habitation for God even as the body of Christ could not be called a Temple but from the fulness of the Godhead dwelling in it so the Saints are not nor cannot

as an enjoyment of me in spirit is more perfect and excellent then an enjoyment of me in flesh Ioh. 16.6 7. The sending therefore of this spirit was somewhat an higher thing then only in gifts and graces and it is yet more manifest when Christ said Joh. 16.22 I have many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now Christ in Saints a truth that could not be born in the day of Christs presence in flesh What some of those things were which could not be born he toucheth upon Joh. 14.26 which words in a full sense are as if he had said While I am with you in this state of flesh if I should tell you that as I am now I am in my Father and you in me and I in you you would not believe me nor bear such things howbeit when the spirit is come unto you he will reveal the truth unto you and then in that day ye shall both know and believe it that I am in you and you in me though now this knowledge of me being a knowing of me after the spirit is too high for you who yet know me only after the flesh and so cannot conceive while you see and know me only in and after the flesh how I should be in you or you in me or I in my Father Therefore the time being at hand appointed of my Father that this carnal and low estate you are in shall pass away and a more high and spiritual come forth for this cause I must withdraw in flesh that you may know and enjoy me in more glory and spirit Christs presence in flesh gives place to his presence in spirit God glorifies himself in man to glorifie man in himself for now you gaze upon my external form and love and know and converse with me as a man without you but then you shall know and converse with me as a spirit in you And now you see me alone as away from my Father and you look upon your selves and I and the Father as separate and divided Beings but then you shall know that my Father and I and you are one and perfect in one and that I am not alone but I and my Father in me and that you are not by your selves but I and the Father in you Which though all this blessedness and union be already so in you and in me yet you neither know it to be so nor is it manifest that it is so nor are you able to bear my words should I tell you more of it therefore I must withdraw that he may come into you who will let you see all this to be so and more then I shall now tell you of or you will believe And now what is the sum of all Are all these things the withdrawing of Christ in flesh to make way for his appearance in spirit his taking them off from desires to enjoy him in flesh and drawing them up to desire his coming in spirit his laying forth the unprofitableness and lowness of the one and the expediency and glory of the other his shewing their enjoyment of him in flesh to be carnal their knowledge and light carnal Joh. 16.22 and many things that is the whole volume of the heavenly mysteries of the Father in Christ of Christ in Saints and Saints in Christ was too high for them And on the contrary the enjoyment of him in spirit so high and clear that they should know all mysteries and all truth which in the time of his presence in flesh they could not bear I say again are all these things no more do they come to no more then the sending and dwelling of the spirit only in gifts and graces Or rather do they not all make up this truth and present it to us with open face that Christ sends the Comforter the Spirit himself to dwell in Saints in his own Divine Nature SECT VIII The seventh testimony to the spirit in Saints A Further testimony to this truth is from Rom. 8.17 18 19. And if Children then heirs heirs of God and joynt-heirs with Christ 1. That which the Father hath of old ordained and prepared for them whom he loves is to glorifie man in himself that is to raise him up into a state of the highest happiness and perfection that the Creature can be capable of or that can be communicated from God to the Creature which is for a man to possess the glory of God within him so as the Eternal Fulness of the Divine Nature and Love doth manifest it self and flow into him in such a divine manner of full glory and perfect brightness All objects and appearances dye out of us as God appears in us that all objects and appearances of other things knowledge thoughts and imaginations are all done away and swallowed up by the appearance of him who is all even as the light of a dying spark is swallowed up of the burning flame and the Lord alone is the only thing seen felt and embraced by them any sight or vision taste or possessing below God himself cannot stand with the glory laid up for us because there the light of Eternity or of the eternal Godhead will open it self in us through us and over us as the eyelids of the morning and then he shall no longer be hid for we shall see him as he is It were not glory nor happiness if there were any covering to obscure or hide God from us that we could not see him surpassing and gloriously reigning over all And this seeing of God as he is Seeing God as he is how to be understood which is the glory laid up for us must not be conceived nor understood after an humane manner or after the vain Philosophy of this world to be a contemplation of God as of some glorious appearance or shew of him without us but it is the Divine Nature it self dwelling in us and filling our seeings tastings and knowings with nothing below besides or less then himself he will set his own glory in us and love it in us and us in it and will always behold himself in us not his image only as something distinct but himself and so as he will be our joy we shall be his joy he will be our Husband we shall be his beloved Spouse he will give us nothing but himself and we shall taste of nothing but himself his love unto us is like a fire it will burn up whatsoever hath ever separated between himself and us we shall be so in one another that he will be in us as a burning fire and we shall be in him as a fire of love his delights to Eternity will be spent upon us and the great deep shall be opened unto us and we shall be a Temple for God and he will be a Temple for us Such things as these are some of that glory which is laid up for them that love him which is now in this