Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
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A56054
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Propositions extracted from the reasons for the foundation and promotion of a Philadelphian Society which were read at the first meeting of the same in Westmorland-House, London / offered to the consideration of all Christians; and now publish'd for the preventing or rectifying of mistakes.
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1697
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Wing P3779; ESTC R33919
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4,445
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12
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PROPOSITIONS EXTRACTED From the REASONS for the Foundation and Promotion of a Philadelphian Society Which were Read at the First Meeting of the same in Westmorland-House London Offered to the Consideration of All Christians And now Publish'd for the Preventing or Rectifying of Mistakes 2 COR. vi 8. As Deceivers yet True LONDON Printed for and Sold by the Booksellers of London and Westminster 1697. 〈◊〉 â—â—ree â—ence THe REASONS whence these Propositions are Extracted may be found in the Theosophical Transactions by the Philadelphian Society consisting of Memoirs Conferences Letters Dissertations Inquiries c For the Advancement of Piety and Divine Philosophy Number III. For the Months of May and June pag. 195. PROPOSITIONS extracted from the REASONS for the Foundation and Promotion of a Philadelphian Society Which were read at the First Meeting of the same in Westmorland-House London Offered to the Consideration of All Christians TO all the Faithful in Christ Jesus where-ever Dispersed or Hidden Grace be unto you and Peace Love and Truth from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Whom we thank that for the Glory of his Name we have been thought by him worthy to suffer Reproach and to bear a Testimony for him before this Generation concerning the Blessed Hope of his Appearance to prepare unto himself a Peculiar People through his Spirit which may be made like to his glorious Image in full Sanctification according to his Will Who hath designed to fulfil his Work in you Throughout that ye may not fall short of the most Excellent Prize of the First Resurrection and to revive amidst you the Apostolical Frame of his Church and amidst as many as shall not put it far from them This is that which has occasion'd Satan who is always the Accuser of the Brethren to rage mightily and to raise many False and Malicious Reports that so the Truth might not be seen in the Mist Wherefore we have been obliged to Publish these following Propositions not so much for the Vindication of our selves as of the Honour of God and of the Truth of the Holy Scriptures I. The Church or Bride of Christ is to be made conformable to Christ throughout Rom. 8 29-12 2 Phil. 3 10.-3.21 1 John 3.1 2 3. II. This Conformity is the Adornment of the Lamb's Bride who is now call'd to make her self Ready Isa 61.10 11. Rev. 21.2 III. This Preparation and Adornation cannot be any otherwise but by the Holy Spirit of God John 4.24 Rom. 8.11 Gal. 4.6 Isa 44.3 Joel 2.28 Zach. 4.6 IV. This Spirit is One and thence the Church must be also but One. Herein consists the true Undivided Unity and Perfect Uniformity Cant. 6.9 Eph. 4.3 4. 1 Cor. 6.17 Ephes 4.13 Phil. 1 27.-2.2 V. This Spirit is Holy and thence the Church must be also Holy Herein consists the Virgin Sanctity of all the Members of this Church that is to be Redeemed out of the Earth Cant. 4.1 7. Rom. 11.16 Ephes 1 4.-5.2 7. Col. 1.22 1 Pet. 2.5 Rev. 14 4.-20.6 VI. This Spirit is Catholick and thence the Church must be also Catholick according to the most strict sense of the Word in an universal Latitude of Love without any Narrowness Partiality or Particularity of Spirit Gen. 1 2.-6.3 Joel 2.28 John 4 2â—-25 Luke 10 30-38 Acts 10 11-16 2 Cor. 2.10 VII This One Holy and Catholick Church is not barely Assisted by an Irradiation from the Spirit of Christ but is Actually and Vitally Informed by it as the Body is by the Soul Rev. â—â— -11.11.-21 6 -22 14. Rom. 8.6 10. 2 Cor. 3 6 -4.10 11 -5.4 Eph. 4.18 Gal. 2.20 Col. 3.3 4. Heb. 7.16 VIII This Vital Operation and Information being at present but in a very languid and faint Degree there must be a Resuscitation and Resurrection of the same in order to the Glorious Kingdom of Christ Luk. 18.8 Rev. 20.5 6. Acts 15.16 17. Ezek. 37 1-15 Rev. 11 1-12 IX The Resuscitation of this Spirit is to be Waited for 1 Cor. 12.31 Isa 40 31.-30 18 -49 23. Rom. 2 3. Mark 13.33 Rev. 3 3.-16 15. Eph. 6.18 compared with vers 13. X. It is to be Waited for not only Seperately but also Jointly Acts 1 14.-2.1 46. XI Such a Waiting is in obedience to our dear Lord and Master's Command John 14.16 Mat. 25.13 Mark 13.37 Mat. 18.20 This is also Confirm'd from the Practice of Christ and his Apostles and that too while they did not Recede from the Publick Temple-Worship XII It must be with these Qualifications 1. Humility 2. Resignation 3. Perseverance 1. Ja. 4.10 Rev. 3.17 18. 2. Rom. 8.27 Col. 1.9 3. Mat. 10 22-24 Heb. 6.14 Rev. 2.26 XIII It must be for these ends 1st Power from on High 2dly Wisdom from Above 3dly Divine Learning and Theosophy 1 Luke 24.49 1 Cor. 5.4 2 Tim. 1.7 2 Luke 21.15 Col. 2 3.-4.5 1 Cor. 12.8 3 Ephes 3.4 Phil. 3.8 2 Pet. 3.18 XIV It is lawful to Wait upon God for Power from on High or the Return of the Miraculous Deeds by which his Kingdom that has been hitherto withheld may come to be witnessed and proclaimed Luke 24.49 XV. It is lawful to Wait and Pray for the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation descending from the Throne of God Ja. 1.5 Col. 1 9.-3.16 XVI This is necessarily required in order to a right Government in all Spiritual Affairs Acts 6.3 2 Tim. 3.15 Isa 28 26. to the end XVII It is lawful to Wait and Pray for Divine Learning and to prefer it above that which is Human Phil. 1.9 Hab. 2.14 Isa 28.9 XVIII This Secret Learning vastly exceeds the Wit and Industry of the most sagacious Inquirers Job 28.7 1 Cor. 2.11 Psal 25.12 XIX It shall be given of the Lord to all the Members of this Church Jer. 31.34 Heb. 8.11 Isa 4 5. Ephes 4.13 XX. God is stirring up some Persons in several Countries to Wait in Faith and Prayer for these Ends and with these Qualifications till such a Pure Church may arise Germany Holland Switzerland France Scotland and England are Witnesses to the Truth of this Proposition XXI To which a Prospect of the Present State of Christendom has very much conduced Mat. 24. Mark 13. Luke 17. John 15.16 17. Dan. 7.8 and most of the Prophets XXII The many Divisions and Sects of Christianity all pretending to be the True Church can not be otherwise cured but by the Effusion of the Spirit Lam. 2.13 Jeremiah 30 17.-33.6 Ezekiel 11.19 Zeph. 3.9 XXIII The Insufficiency of aâ—… other Means and Methods have been hitherto experimentally Prov'd 1. Of Human Learning 2. Of Policy 3. Of Power Particular Proofs hereof are frequently extant in History both Ecclesiastical and Civil XXV Neither of which seperately or all conjunctly is able to heal the Divisions supply the Imperfections or remove the Corruptions of any one Body of Christians As 1. In the Church of Rome 2. In the Lutheran Church 3. In the Calvinistick Reformation 4. The Church of England XXVI The
Consideration of the Insufficiency of all Human Means with a deep Sense that Charity is waxen cold and that Faith is hardly to be found must needs be a good Motive to excite us to seek out and wait upon those Means which are Sufficient and especially to endeavour to keep warm the Former and to strengthen the Latter which is ready to dye Gal. 1.16 Zach. 2 13-4.6 Dan. 2.34 45. XXVII These Means are not Confin'd to a Party but are extended to All even as far as the Holy Catholick Spirit reacheth which passeth and goeth through all things And by the Effusion of this Spirit All shall be taught of God Isa 54.13 John 6.45 XXVIII The Oneness the Holiness and the Catholickness or Universality of this Spirit will not suffer us to Appropriate it to Any and therefore not to our own Society both With respect to Ordinary and Extraordinary Operations of the same Gal. 3.26 27 28. Col. 3.11 Rom. 10.12 1 Cor. 12.13 XXIX The Design of our Assembling is not to * In Pursuance of this Proposition it has been our Custom to advise Persons when Interrogated to Keep still in the Bond of Peace in the Visible Unity of the Church And even our Assemblies have been very far from being Grounded on Sectarian Principles as we are able to Demonstrate Divide but to Unite not to set up for a New Religion or Church but to keep Warm the Spirit of Love towards those of all Religions and Churches and to endeavour after the only Method of Reconciling them into a perfect and lasting Unity by the Power of the Holy Ghost Isa 58.12 XXX Catholick Love and Apostolical Faith are the two Grand Pillars of our Society and the main Designs which we labour Watch and Pray for both seperately by our selves and jointly in our Assemblies 1 Tim. 1.14 2 Tim. 1.13 Eph. 6.23 Gal. 5.6 1 Thes 5.8 XXXI The Primary Object of the Apostolical Faith is the Revelation of the Kingdom of God within the Soul Luk. 17.21 1 Cor. 4.20 Col. 1.13 XXXII This Internal Revelation of it is by Christ the Soveraign Head of the Church 1 Cor. 12.5 12 27 28. Heb. 1.2 XXXIII Which as it is diligently to be waited upon so is it to be held fast so far as it shall be received a Loss herein or Relapse being extreamly dangerous 2 Tim. 2.13.14 Heb. 3 6.-4.14.-10.23 Rev. 2.4 5 11 13 25-3 2 11. XXXIV Such a Revelation of the Kingdom of God in the Soul will constitute a Virgin Church representative of its Head in 1. in Christ-like Holiness 2. Truth 3. Power 1 Rev. 3.7 Lev. 11.44 Joel 3.17 Obad. ver 17. 1 Pet. 2.3 Rev. 20 6. 2 Phil. 4.8 1 John 5 20. 3 Joh. ver 3. 3 Acts 8.10 1 Cor. 1.24 2 Thes 1.17 XXXV The Members of this Church are to be Anointed with Christ and Consecrated 1. into the Priestly Order 2. into the Prophetical 3. into the Royal and Davidical 1 1 Pet. 2.9 Rev. 1 6.5.10.-20 6. 2 1 Cor. 14.31 Rev. 11 10.-18.20 3 1 Cor. 4.8 Rev. 5 10.-20.6 Zach. 12.8 XXXVI The Model thereof we do press after as Attainable and do not therefore rest in what we have attained Phil. 3.12 13 14. XXXVII The Perfection of this Model must be Gradual and the Beginnings therefore of it consistent with a State of Weakness and Imperfection Heb. 6.1 2. Acts 20.32 Jude ver 20. XXXVIII The Personal Appearance of Christ from Heaven is not to be till after there be such a Philadelphian Church on Earth to receive him Rev. 3.11 compared with 22.7 17. XXXIX Our Design is Apostolical abating only from what was of a Temporary Constitution or fitted to such a Particular Church Acts 1 26.-4 34 35 -15.13 to 30. 1 Cor. 7.25 XL. The Will of God must be done in Earth as in Heaven by the Inspiration of his Spirit Matth. 6.10 Heb. 10.7 XLI The Kingdom of God must come on Earth as it is in Heaven by Virtue of the same Inspirati Dan. 2 44.-7 27. XLII We receive the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament as the Foundation of our Hope and Faith 2 Tim. 3.16 2 Pet. 1.19 XLIII There are some Promises and Prophesies in them which have not had yet their Full Completion Rev. 17.17 Luk. 22.16 XLIV The Civil Government is an Ordinance of God as he is Supream Governour of the World and is accordingly to be submitted to Rom. 13.1 1 Tim. 2.2 There was written An Essay of Revelation in the Year 1695. by a Member of Our Society for the Resolving of this Question Whether Revelation or the Immediate Communication of Divine Knowledge be Now Attainable In which the Possibility Expediency and Necessity of Revelation both Private and Publick in this Present and Approaching Period of the Church is at large Handled Which proceeds upon these Postulata viz. I. That were ever one thing is United with another there must be some Likeness betwixt 'em which is the Cause of this Union II. That by so much the more any thing has of Likeness to another it may be the more firmly United to it Ete contra III. That where-ever two Things are so Vnlike that they cant be of themselves United together they must be United by something in which they both Agree IV. That the Works of God are Always in Just Proportion V. That the Scriptures have been Delivered down to us for the Reveal'd Will of God VI. That a Thing may arrive to that State for which it was Created and Design'd by God VII That Happiness is Within This Treatise is very large as taking in great Part of the Scriptures Whence the Publication of it has been hitherto Defer'd But it is now design'd to be Shortly put into the Press if the Bookseller shall be encourag'd to undertake it Philadelphian Constitutions August 23. 1697. Which were Read at Two Meeting of the Philadelphian Society in Westmorland-House London will be shortly also Publish'd Theosophical Transactions by the Philadelphian Society c. Number IV. For the Month of July 1697. are Now in the Press And the Rest of the Months having been hitherto greatly Retarded are design'd to follow with all Expedition FINIS