Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	body_n	spirit_n	worship_v	2,550	5	9.5500	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85173	A faithful discovery of a treacherous design of mystical Antichrist displaying Christs banners, but attempting to lay waste Scriptures, churches, Christ, faith, hope, &c. and establish paganism in England. Seasonably given in a letter to the faithful in and near to Beverley. Containing an examination of many doctrines of the people called Quakers in Yorkshire, together with a censure of their way, and several items concerning the designs of God, Satan, and men, in these things, recommended to the consideration of them who are in good earnest for Christ.	Pomroy, John.; Feake, Christopher, fl. 1645-1660.; Glisson, Paul.; Kellet, Joseph.	1653 (1653)	Wing F568; Thomason E699_13; ESTC R202092	45,783	67

not aware or observed not that it was ever since the daies of John the Baptist and that it was {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in them or among them and they knew not 2. Most true it is that where-ever the Kingdome of God comes with power and efficacy it sits down in the heart and doth subdue the thoughts wills affections and actions of Men to the Scepter of Christ But it comes near to many in the Gospel or outward message of peace though they know not the time of their visitation and again is taken away from a nation when the Gospel is taken away 3. We do indeed firmly hold against all the sonnes of formality that it is not talking of God but walking with God not the form of Godlinesse without the power that sets one further than the outward Court and that God is not worshipped in Truth if he be not worshipped in Spirit Also we hold that all the visible order and regiment of the Church as suited to the present Condition in the body is not of the substance of the Kingdom that cannot be shaken but shall cease at the second coming of Christ 4. Yet during the imperfect state of the Church as we mentioned before and the Love-conveyances from one member to another for the increase of the body there cannot be any thing trans-acted but in some form And for the standing forms of Gospel-appointments as Church-order Sacraments c. we judge them added to as appendixes of the Kingdome and they are unalterable by the wisdom or will of Man untill the appearing of Christ Their end is to testifie our blessed subjection of Jesus Christ as Banners and flags hung out to the view of the world to make known the People that own Christ crucified Also they are chanels of Spritual Grace Scripture and experience witnessing and may not be neglected under pretence of avoiding formality or present indisposednesse or dullness which many times is removed by a conscientious attendance upon these exercises Wherefore we conclude that to set up the form without the Power or the Power to jusle out the form of Godliness are both errors and is beside the Rules and practise of those Times which abounded in glorious gifts and wonderfull Grace who yet were most observant of and exactly conversant in Church order Pastors Teachers Elders c. Baptism with water the Lords Supper in the Elements Bread and Wine receiving in and casting out of visible societies by the Power of Christ binding on earth and loosing offenders when penitent continuing in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and publique Prayers and prophecyings as 1 Tim. 2. 1 12. 3. chap. 1. 8. 4. ch. 14. 5. chap. 1. 7. 9. 17. 19. 22. compared with 3. chap. 16. v. But it sufficeth not to our Adversaries to have left things in General but they also affirm that Presbyterians Independents Anabaptists and such differing forms are all in the Kingdom of Babylon and in the confusions of it TOuching which 1. It is our earnest desire that such so differing would not rigidly dwell upon their conceivments in Externals to make a breach in the Body of Christ which is but one by rejecting all though godly that are not in their way of Discipline Faith in Christ and Love to all Saints are joined together Eph. 1. 17. Col. 1. 4. 2. Yet we do abhominate those unjust aspersions of Babel-confusions cast on these effects of an inquisitive mind desiring to know the mind of the Lord which thou O vain man reproachest though thy conscience would tell thee if thou hadst not silenced it that there are many godly persons in those mentioned wayes who rest not in the form but in obedience to God as they understand exercise themselves therein having also the Power of Godliness 3. But it is observable they meddle not with Popery and Episcopacy c. for indeed these principles make all externals indifferent unlesse that they are more violent against Presbyterians Independents Anabaptists because they stand more in their light neither may Familism speak ill of its native Country and old friends We mean the Romish Antichrist Some indeed say that Pastors Teachers Elders Churches and such administrations ended with the Apostles age and that it is not for us to seek them but a more spiritual way 1. BUt its manifest Apostles were but to plant such as Apollos Timothy Titus c. came to water 1 Cor. 3. 16. Thus doth one enter into anothers labours one layeth the foundation and another buildeth thereupon v. 10. wherefore Paul according to the wisdome given to him ordered that in every Church or City where the Church was there should be Elders whose Place and work it was some to Rule well and some to labour in the Word and Doctrine Act. 14. 27. Tit. 1. 5 7 8 9 10. 2. Also we read of Teachers Ministers Churches Overseers Deacons where the Apostle of the Gentiles was not Col. 1. 7. 2 chap. 1. likewise the Angels of the seven Churches in Asia 2. and 3. of Rev. long settled And the Church in the wildernesse during the Apostacy from Primitive Peace and Purity hath witnesses that feed her 1260. Prophetical dayes or years Rev. 12. 6. 14. 3. But it is above controversie If our Lord hath given gifts to men they must imploy those Talents though they are not so eminent as in the Primitive times being according to the measure of the Gift of Christ and his Grace Eph. 4. 7. Rom. 12. 3 4 5 6. Now that the qualifications of an Overseer Elder Deacon may be found in these our daies is manifest if we consider the 1 Tim. 3. 2. c. Tit. 1. 6. as not conteining any extraordinary Grace That we must not expect them to be sent forth as the Apostles immediatly is manifest for though they are to have an open door in their own hearts Yet they are set down as such 1 That may desire the work 1 Tim. 3. 1. 2. Are called to it by the Saints and Eldership trying and approving them 1 Tim. 4. 14. 5. chap. 22. Titus 1. 5. And 3 such as are instructed for the further fitting them for their work 1 Tim. 4 6. 13 14 15. 2 Tim. 2. 2. likewise such 4 as being qualified in some measure yet through modesty or fear or other respects may be unwilling to feed the flock of God though called thereunto 1 Pet. 5. 1 2. reserving still the honour to the chief shepheard v. 4 and that this is a rule to be continued in the Church is evident 1 Tim. 3. 15. ch. 6. 14. So then though they have not these extraordinary endowments or miraculous operations it s nothing material for the Church and the doctrine needeth it not as at the beginning 2. Also that Timothy Titus and the Angels of the Churches and Elders after the Apostles never did miracles that we read of 3. Miracles also being in the last times signes of

Antichrist rather than of Christ 4. And signes being not for them that do believe but for them that believe not 1 Cor. 14. 22. 4. If the Saints have now as much need of those appointments as then nay more if we may say so then why should any seek to be loosed from their own Mercies We confess we have read and heard of seen and through Grace humbly despised the vain boastings of them who said they were perfect and were above hearing praying believing hoping speaking Great swelling words of vanity who have turned aside first from the holy Commandement and after that from the pretence of it which should awaken us to edifie one another on our most holy Faith praying in the Holy Ghost that we might not be led away with the Error of the wicked and so fall from our stedfastness It is most freely confessed that when things come to practise in this time which is neither dark nor day many doubts and questions do arise among many yet as some of us have tasted of the goodness of God in this way so we may not but acknowledge it and farther Pray until the day break and shadows flee away Turn O beloved and be as a roe or young hart on the Mountains of Divisions Surely the Doctrines of these Men which we oppose are levelled to subvert all Order Churches in whatsoever is done outwardly For they say its Babylon and all the worship and Teachers without are of the Beast and Anti-christ Judge us O Lord for why should Men in thy name rise up against thy Sonne and us for his sake 1. Rejecting thy care 2. Condemning thy Wisedom 3. And the Generation of the Just in all ages 4. To establish themselves and prepare a high-way to Paganism It is not a Pleasure to us Beloved in the Lord to open these painted Sepulcres but since we have begun we will proceed to shew yet more that you may see and wonder and beware They bid you Speak no more than you have experience of and than you live in VVE confesse it is and shall be to us for a Lamentation that the religion of very many consisteth in talking of God and Christ and Scriptures and Churches and is but a sound of words without knowledge and faith and so do rather darken than make manifest the Truth and because it is without obedience their conversations destroy their confessions And did these sayings aim at the reformation of this we should not dare to cross them but we have grounds from certain discourses personally had with some of this way to declare 1. That this is to silence you from ever mentioning the histories and prophecies of the Scripture Creation of the world Garden of Eden Adam Eve Flood Historie of the Church coming of Christ into the world the Day of Judgement Resurrection of the Body and such like which being Past or to come we can have no present experience of And some of us speaking of these Scripture Records have been blamed for speaking without experience 2. Or Secondly by this means all the Scriptures must be construed as Metaphorical in an Allegorie making the Creation an Allegorie and so the world without beginning Adam Eve the Serpent Paradise Cain Abel Seth Noah Ark Abraham Isaac Jacob Aegypt Wilderness Canaan Kings Prophets Records to be meer allegories Nay Christ his flesh and blood his life and death his Cross and Crown Scribes and Pharisees Jerusalem Herod Pilate Churches Elders Anti-christ called Babylon and Egypt c. and what not to be fulfilled in the Allegoricall construction of particular experiences But concerning Experience we are satisfied 1. That to speak without Experience in experimental affairs is to darken counsel as they do that speak onely from the hearing of the Ear Iob 38. 2. 2. But Faith is the Evidence of things not seen and a subsistence of things hoped for though its evidence be not of the nature of Sense Science Opinion or Experience being of things unseen by the sense not known from the search and rationall comprehension of Causes nor intertained from the Probable testimony of wise and holy Men nor tasted in the Presence thereof yet after a spiritual manner seen known and experienced by Faith in the Divine Testimony Wherefore having believed we also will speak of the sacred Records and gracious Prophecies which are delivered to us in the holy Scriptures of which and in which God hath caused us to trust giving us also the Earnest of the Spirit which as Josephs wagons to Iacob doth ascertain us of the Truth of the tidings And the gracious operations of the holy Spirit in our hearts from and by Scripture Truths gives us to believe the Histories and Prophecies interwoven to be also of Divine Authority 3. We do also judge the Word of Faith which is Divine Testimony to be more safe Certain and Constant ground to speak of and from than experience In this we are not for a dead Faith which is the fruit of freewill closing with the Word from the testimony of Man which leaves the mind wavering through carnal reasonings which cannot be satisfied But for a lovely Faith even the work of the Spirit with Power setling the mind on the Divine Testimony as such As for speaking no more than we live in if it intend not to stop the mouths of all those who dare not pretend to perfection and blamelessnesse but those who speak from Notion and yield not up their souls to the things which they deliver to others we testifie the same thing As for Allegories 1. We allow very many in the old Testament beside the Ceremonial Law which was a shadow of good things to come Persons Offices Places Actions Things which the Ecchoings of phrases wisely and warily observed give hints of and puts the beginning of every Allegorie into our hands as the Apostle took it in Gal. 4. from the 54. of Is 1. verse which yet must be wisely followed as Scripture Ecchos proceed to encourage yet not to impair the truth or use of the Letter and History Allegories being but accidentall thereto and a fruit of the incomprehensible wisdom of God that sets one thing to answer to another But in the New Testament although Jesus Christ spake many parables and used similitudes which he opened to his Disciples yet the Gospel Ministration properly so called not onely in the language thereof but in the Actions persons things thereof is in much plainnesse and not as Moses who had a veil upon his face but the Messias discovered himself by speaking plainly and without a Parable John 16. 29. his parables in his publique preaching being chiefly for judgement to the willfull Jews that seeing they might not see Matth. 13. 13. We gladly own Christ in us by his Spirit to crucify our flesh and raise us up in our hearts in this world and at his second comming our bodies in the resurrection to a new and spiritual life and

this we own as the Power of his resurrection and fellowship of his sufferings but we detest that doctrine that destroyes the Atonement in his blood and the Truth of his humanity and his personall body besides his mysticall the Church so taking away the representation of God in the Mediatour the Man Christ which a believing eye fixeth on and leaves the Mind which is far from knowing God in any competent certainty out of Christ to seek about for God as individuum vagum or something he knows not what and at it last may becomes to this Notion God is in all and all in God blasphemously adding that he is no other than the world or what he is in the world clothing himself with changeable appearances and so the mind proceeds untill it be spoiled with vain and blasphemous Philosophy We conclude that it is a sign of a rotten heart and a roving head to be loathing plain Scripture and longing after curious speculations and witty allusions though in this we prejudice not the modest searchings of those whose hearts are it may be more than ordinarily prepared and senses exercised to discern into the veiled Truths of the Scriptures as Heb. 12. 13 14. compared with Heb. 7. c. Moreover they admonish that we wait in silence untill God open our Mouthes WE answer if that were the intent of this Admonition to shew to man his dependance on God and that he especially that waits on the Word and Prayer take his goades and nailes from the chief Shepheard and pray in the Holy Ghost we should not appear further in this matter than to own it But we cannot but conclude from our observing the managerie of this Assertion and their practise that they would not have any to read teach pray in their families or in the assemblies but when the Spirit of the Lord doth lead them by strong impulses and irresistible Motions to such actions And he that doth otherwise is by them accused of Pharisaical imitation or stealing the word of the Lord from them that spake it with power Which we cannot close with 1. Because it is the will of God that the Gift which is in us should be stirred up as fire which sometimes is covered with ashes hitherto are referred the exhortations to diligence and improvement of Talents 2 Cor. 8. 7. 1 Cor. 9. 25. Mat. 25. and many other places 2. It laies wast the experience of them who have in the midst of infirmities and indispositions acted in the Faith of their duty and Gods promise and have been made blessings to others in their speakings wherein also they have gathered warmth and enlargement before their work was over Afflicted imprisoned souls have most need to be exercised in Prayer Temptations will abound from Satan and the weaknesse of the Flesh to hinder the profitable soul-inlarging exercises of prayers reading exhortations in Publique and private if we break not thorow those hinderances to close with the revealed command leaning on the Promise of Grace 3. Unlesse we think as this Doctrine implies that the motions of the Spirit are the onely rule of Duty which if so must be attended and obeyed without respect to the Scripture command saying not saying or gain-saying in the Letter of it there being by this doctrine no obliging rule but the Law of the Spirit Now if it be more moderately affirmed that the Scripture as written in the heart or the inward-heart-dictates as written in the word are the rule yet it will follow that if there be not a conjunction of the word and Spirit moving with inlargement there 's no rule or obligation actually and so no transgression to forbear though daies weeks and months passe over the heads of them that pray not or preach not though necessity is layed upon them in respect of their work and service and the call of the need of others 1 Cor. 9. 16 17. compared Mat. 6. 11. 1 Pet. 5. 2. 4. To the best of our understandings we judge the Assertors to be against any constant preacher or course of prayer so allowing every man or woman equall liberty in Assemblies to teach or pray and this they say is the true Ministry and all other by the will of Man notwithstanding 1 Tim. 2 12. It is indeed said you may all prophecy one by one but its said also Are all prophets we wish all the Lords people were Prophets The Assemblies of the Saints of old were constant and they had men who attended on the word and prayer who gave themselves to it prepared themselves waiting on God that they might act to the edifying of the Saints in love Act. 20. 7. Act. 6. 2. 4. 1 Tim. 4. 13 14 15 16. 5. This doth to our discernings tend to the establishing of the sayings of them who speak after their trembling sits with an extended voice as the Oracles of God and leaves us not the liberty of the Commended practise of the Bereans to trie the sayings of an Apostle by the Scripture The simple believeth every word Prov. 14. 15. But in this case we have learned that the spirits of the Prophets are subject to other Prophets for examination whether they accord with the Standing Vmpire of all questions the holy Scriptures But that they intend to magnify their writings and Epistles above or into an equality unto the holy Scriptures seems very probable in that they put their papers very diligently into one another hands but not so the Scriptures and do some of them say That it is alike for to take a sentence out of their letters and preach from it as to take a sentence out of Pauls Epistles We confesse we cannot find that ever man came to claim credit to the words that he spake but he was to give proof of it either by the mighty operations of the Spirit of God by him or by the Testimony of Truth given by them who did come with such works or else if he were a Prophet the event was to declare whether he were of God yet if the matter of his exhortation was to withdraw them from the known will of God Deut. 13. 2. though his signes and wonders should come to passe as the man of sinne shall abound with such 2 Thess. 2. yet hearken not to him for the Lord proveth you whether you will keep his commandements 6. The Experiences of many tempted souls may seasonably be heard in this matter who under the former pretences have waited untill their hearts grew so carnall that they had almost lost their savour had not the Lord shewed them that it was their part to give heed to their duty leaving the inlargements of soul to the incomes of the Spirit which graciously met them in the way of Gods commands As for the Accusations of Imitation and Stealing the the word of the Lord from others we shall say Take the mote out of thine own eye Who more notorious imitatours of Apostles and