Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
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A93309
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The unskillful skirmisher rebuked for blasphemy being a brief answer to to a pamphlet entituled, A skirmish made upon Quakerism.
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Sixmith, Bryan, d. 1679.
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1676
(1676)
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Wing S3924; ESTC R229399
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3,659
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7
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THE Unskilful Skirmisher rebuked FOR BLASPHEMY Being a Brief Answer to a Pamphlet entituled A Skirmish made upon Quakerism I have read over a Book put forth by John Cheyney called A Skirmish made upon Quakerism which he saith is a brief Confutation of a most gross Principle or Point of Doctrine maintained by one William Penn a Quaker A meer Brag as in time will be made manifest William Penn's Words are these following to clear his Position Such Commands are either relating to Ordinary or Extraordinary Cases by Ordinary Cases I mean such as chiefly concern Faith and Holy Life which are General Permanent and Indispensible By Extraordinary Cases I understand Moses going to Pharaoh the Prophets several manner of Appearances to the Kings Priests and People of Israel with other temporary Commands relating to outward Services and so we do say that what is commanded to one man is not binding as such to another But when the Lord shall say if thou sinnest thou shalt dye if thou keepest my Commandments thou shalt live be ye holy for I the Lord your God am holy quoting these Scriptures 1 Pet. 2.21 Heb. 13.7 2 Thes 3. And in these following Words saith These Precepts and Examples are obliging upon all why because they more or less meet with a Conviction in the Consciences of all for saith he I am perswaded none that has a reasonable Soul who has not out lived their Day and on whom the Night is not come amongst the Indians themselves but would readily say these are true and weighty Sayings for Faith in God and an holy Self-denying Life are necessary both to Temporal and Eternal Happiness This with much more besides a dozen pages in his Rejoynder of sober Confutation hath he bestowed to clear this Passage from such ungodly Consequences and in those Pages bringeth William Tindal that ancient Protestant-Martyr whom John Fox calleth the English-Apostle John Jewel Bishop of Salisbury and Thomas Collier an Eminent Man amongst the Western-Separatists in Confirmation of this Position which John Cheyney taketh no notice of But the very things he chargeth against the Quakers is he guilty of in every particular himself and greater Blasphemy did I never meet with in so few Lines then is asserted by Iohn Cheyney besides such Contradiction as none but a Novice durst have ventured to have published to the World The Apostle Paul who was a faithful Minister of Christ his Doctrine was as all his Ministers at this day is to turn People from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan to the Power of God Acts 26.18 Iohn Cheyney questions this Doctrine by saying What if the Light be idle negligent sleepy unfaithful bribed and will let the Sinner sin and dye in Sin The Scripture saith John 3.19 This is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World and men love Darkness rather then Light because their Deeds are evil for every one that doth evil hateth the Light neither cometh to the Light lest his Deeds should be reproved but he that doth Truth cometh to the Light that his Deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God Now J. C's Doctrine is quite contrary he saith The Light may be negligent idle sleepy will let men sin and die in Sin O horrid Blasphemy Job saith Those that do wickedly rebel against the Light Job 24.13 Is there any Number of his Armies and upon whom doth not his Light arise Job 25.3 David saith The Lord is my Light and my Salvation whom shall I fear Psalm 27.1 But Iohn Cheyney saith The Light within gives the Drunkard leave to be drunk the Worldling to be a Worldling the Impenitent man to be Impenitent when the Scripture saith The Life of God was the Light of men John 1.4 and John came to bear witness to the Light that all men through him might believe John 1.7 But J. C. rather bears witness against it saying The Light within takes Part with the Flesh and Satan against God and saith There is never a Soul in Hell but he may blame the Light within for if the Light within were faithful to God and the Soul it would not suffer any man to live in Sin and dye in Sin I do think greater Wickedness never came out of a Priest's Mouth Now in Contradiction to himself he saith It 's true I grant that without the Light within we could not come to the Knowledge of the Scripture which indeed is Truth for the Light of Christ was the Original of the Scripture and is and will be forever the Authority of the Scripture for the holy men of God spoke as they were moved of the holy Ghost in which is Light Life Power Strength and Ability to all that believe in the Light to perform those things that the Lord requires of them according to the Scripture of Truth But saith J. C. Penn and all his Partakers conceit strange things of the Light within and set it above the Scriptures and what doth he less in saying that without the Light within we could not come to the Knowledge of them and this is their very Principle saith he that the Light within should be our Rule and the Scripture inferiour to it Now let any moderate serious Persons whose Consciences are not given up to believe Lies consider whether that which giveth a right and true Understanding of the Scriptures which John Cheyney granteth we cannot come to know without the Light within which is the Light of Christ be not the more sure Word of Prophecy unto which we do well to take heed till the day dawn and the Day-Star arise in our Hearts as the Apostle saith for God is Light and in him is no Darkness at all and it is the Inspiration of the Almighty that giveth Understanding for we cannot think a good Thought of our selves much less do a good Deed for it is the Lord that worketh in us both to will and to do of his own good Pleasure I do affirm in the Name of God that it is preposterously absurd for any man to charge the Rebellion of wicked men to the Insufficiency of the Light within as John Cheyney hath done comparing it to a negligent drunken Coach man who sleeps and the Horses run Wood or he drives into Pits and Bogs so saith he the Light within takes Part with the Flesh and Satan against God and suffers the Soul to be sensual worldly and ungodly and so is at least the permissive Cause of the Sinner's Sin and Damnation This I do affirm is contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles for their Doctrine was to turn People from Darkness to Light from the Power of Satan to the Power of God Acts 26.18 In him was Life and the Life was the Light of men John 1.4 and this is the true Light that John bore record of that lighteth every man that cometh into the World John 1.9 and it is in this Light that we believe by which we are certainly perswaded that there is no Salvation nor Redemption from Sin but by him who is said to be the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World which doth reprove in secret when no Eye seeth as it is written All things that are reproved are made manifest by the Light for whatsoever doth make manifest is Light Ephes 5.13 And if we walk in the Light as he is in the Light then have we Fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all Sin 1 Joh. 1.7 And God who commanded Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts to give us the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ so that we dare not blame the Light of Christ within if men through their Rebellion bring Destruction upon themselves the Light is their Condemnation John 3.19 But if the Light within which should be man's Guide be so unfaithful both to God and man as through its Negligence and Idleness as John Cheyney blasphemously saith should give leave to sin then could not the Light be man's Condemnation but must condemn it self but I do affirm in the Name of the God of Israel that the Light with which Christ hath enlightned every man that cometh into the world is God's faithful and true Witness that never suffered Sin to go unreproved in the Consciences of those that hearken to it and many can set to their Seals that this is the Reproof of Instruction which is the Way of Life John Cheyney saith now comes Penn and a Sect of People called Quakers and cry up the Light within and tell us we must hearken to this in all things and further then this Light within shall teach and lead us we are to give no hearkning to what the Scripture saith Now observe he hath confessed that it 's true that without the Light within we cannot at all come to the Knowledge of the Scripture and if he would be faithful to what he grants to be true what cause hath he to find fault with the Quakers for minding and crying up the Light within whenas himself suith we cannot come to the Knowledge of the Scripture without the Light within But I perceive J. C. was ambitious to be seen to do something in print against the Light and the People whom God hath blessed but it is my Faith in God that it is to little purpose except to publish his own Shame and everlasting Contempt unless he repent for Truth is not his Covering but Falshood and Deceit which will be stript off him and he left naked and bare to all whose Senses are exercised to discern betwixt Good and Evil for certain I am he doth err not knowing the Scriptures nor the Power of God Many other things I have in my Mind against what he hath written but believing ere long he will receive a more full Answer from some that are more particularly concerned I conclude having nothing in my Heart but Love to his Person but I am an Irreconcileable Enemy to his pernicious Opinions of the Light within which will be too hard for him to strive against for the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the Light of the Lamb Rev. 21.24 which is the Light that the Quakers direct People to and exalt over all Warrington the 3 d. of the 8 th Moneth 1676. Bryan Sixmith THE END