Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	church_n	great_a	time_n	4,486	5	3.5288	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A64258	A loving exhortation to all kings, princes, potentates, bishops and people in the whole Christendom wherein is a distinction betwixt the true and false teachers ... / written by Thomas Taylor.	Taylor, Thomas, 1618-1682.	1666 (1666)	Wing T578; ESTC R17705	9,248	13

are they that Isaiah the Prophet of God in his time so grievously complains of also as one may read in the 56. Chapter of his Prophesie saying Vers. 9 c. All ye beasts of the field come to devour yea all ye beasts of the forest his Watchmen are blind greedy c. all looking for their own way every one for his gain from his quarter c. And against this sort of earthly-spirited Teachers it was that God sent his Prophet Ezekiel to cry wo against saying Wo to the Shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves should not the Shepherds feed the flock Ye eat the fat and ye cloath you with the wool ye kill them that are fed but ye feed not the flocks And so the God of this World through pride and covetousness had so blinded their eye and corrupted their hearts that they had neither will nor skill to help nor heal the poor diseased sick broken scattered souls of their hearers and therefore the Lord was glad to put them aside as Physicians of no value and became the Teacher of his People himself as one may read in the 34. Chapter of his Prophesie throughout Glory to the Lord who hath fulfilled his Promise to his Israel this day and is become the Teacher of his People himself whereby they come to be truly profited as it is written I the Lord thy God teach thee O Israel to profit But the fore-mentioned Teachers who have run in their Wills for self-ends and the Lord never sent them could never profit People at all and as Christ Jesus the Lord and his true Prophets in former times were troubled and opposed by such hirelings So also the true Apostles of Christ did not escape the trials and oppositions of that deceitful spirit by which they were acted For such saith Paul are false Apostles deceitful Workers Satans Ministers transforming themselves into the likeness of the Apostles of Christ 2 Cor. 11. Some of these were already come in his day And I know saith he that after my departure grievous wolves shall come in among you not sparing the flock also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them Acts 20.29 c. And as the Kingdom of Antichrist grew these perverse things were established for Doctrine by a Law For the very Name of Antichrist holds forth a spirit opposing it self to every appearance of Christ and of his holy Spirit and Anointing in man The true Apostles and Ministers of Christ drew the soul from men and self unto Christ and his Anointing in them to know that to teach them but these and all other false teachers draw from Christ and his Anointing within to look at Flesh and Form without which perfects not at all to God And of this sort also are they saith the same Paul which creep into houses understand the great stone houses called Churches as well as others and lead captive silly Women laden with sins led away with divers lusts ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth 2 Tim. 3. Of this sort saith Paul as shall come in the last perilous times even Lovers of their own selves Covetous Boasters Proud Blasphemers Unholy who say they are Christians but are not so in truth Fierce c. having the Form of Godliness but denying the Power thereof and these he exhorted true Believers to turn from and so in obedience to God those now who are come to know Christ and his anointing in them to teach them are turned from such And though these Deceivers have proceeded for a time to wit during the late night of Apostacy which Paul 2 Thess. 2. spake of to deceive many Yet now that the Light is risen again from under the earth they are manifest and can proceed no further Let none therefore now be so void of understanding as to brand the true Messengers of Jesus Christ in this day with the name of Deceivers Because they declare truth not only publickly but also from house to house by virtue of the holy Spirit only for so did the Apostles themselves and yet were no creepers into houses for creeping into houses denotes the work of the children of darkness who run without the Lord Jesus Christ his Spirit or Authority in their own wills for self ends as before leading about People in their silliness and sinfulness all their dayes as by woful experience in the late Ages of the World since the Apostles dayes hath been fully manifest wherein the World hath wondred after the Beast And as there were false Prophets among the People saith Peter even so also shall there be false teachers among you who shall privily bring in damnable Heresies c. 2 Pet. 2. But how may these be known may some say By their fruits saith Christ ye shall know them And of this sort are they saith Peter in the same Chapter who through covetousness with fained words make merchandise of People and by walking after the flesh in the lust of covetousness and uncleanness and despite of Christs Government even deny the Lord that bought them These are the presumptuous ones indeed who count it pleasure to ryot in the day time speaking evil of the worthy things that God works and makes manifest in his Children which these presumptuous ones know not And these false Teachers are of those whose eyes are full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin for how should they seeing their heart is exercised with covetous practises loving the wages of unrighteousness like Balaam as he to wit the Apostle Peter there speaks And therefore those that see not these are blind indeed and those that these Teachers can deceive may well be said to be without a foundation and hence it hath comes to pass that through such Teachers wickedness and Peoples ignorance the World hath been as a Wilderness And now therefore is the the Lord according to his blessed Promise bringing up that knowledge of himself and his Christ again that shall make the Wilderness a fruitful Field and sweet smelling Garden for himself to be glorified in And this knowledge of God shall cover the Earth as the Waters do the Sea And thereby shall all hurting and destroying be done away from amongst men Isa. 65. last as is this day witnessed amongst such where this knowledge of God hath place Glory to his Name for ever So now therefore all ye Kings Princes Potentates and Rulers of the Earth see in what Principle you stand and upon what Foundation you grow and whose work you are a doing whether Gods or your own True Magistrates are not a terrour to the good but to the evil But how can ye see the good and the evil truly asunder or know what to punish and what to protect if you come not to the Light Christ Jesus that true Light which lighteth every man that cometh in to the world as was said before to take counsel at him for