Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	divine_a	reveal_v	revelation_n	1,705	5	9.2853	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A39764	A survey of Quakerism, as it is stated in the professed doctrine and principles of that party with a serious reflection on the dreadful import thereof, to subvert the very being and reality of the Christian religion / by a lover of the truth.	Fleming, Robert, 1630-1694.	1677 (1677)	Wing F1274; ESTC R20984	35,868	86

professors in this time be under an irrecoverable woe in the matters of Eternity when profession is so much turned into the form of godliness without the power thereof which should be nothing else when it is native but as the shadow appearing that must needs be because it cannot cease to follow the body Secondly As we must not despise or look lightly on such an amazing sight as that Party now is so it should concern us to guard also against any stumbling at serious godliness on this account but how to improve the same for being more fixed and confirmed in the good ways of the Lord when it is so evident 1. How one and the same spirit and with one concurrence to the same work moves in this Party with the most flagitious and open persecutors and though under some different form yet they do all vigorously unite in that common Interest to counteract Truth and Holiness to decry the Scripture cast reproach on the great Ordinances thereof and how to make that Ministry given by Jesus Christ to his Church contemptible and vile which as it may be seen is the very same work the most profligate Atheists are at and so must have from one airth their Incitements thereto 2. Whatever be of the falling in of some to that way who once seemed to love the Truth and embrace it yet is it not evident as to most of this Party how remarkable the earth hath been made to help the Woman by drinking in such a flood as the Devil had cast forth to ruine the Church whilst so many have thus parted with the Truth of whom no known or convincing evidence could be given that ever they had received it but a most discernible tendency in their way to such an infection had broke forth before the spots of it from that small regard they were known to have to the solid saving and substantial Truths of the Word 3. This sad subject with such shaking winds as now blow almost from every airth on the Church should it not press us to some further length than most seem to satisfie themselves with in a sure and solid founding on the Scripture when it is so clear that none can ossuredly know the Scriptures being the Word of God but may have a sufficient antidote against this deadly poyson and by these great Demonstrative evidences thereof must thus know 1. That it is undoubtedly a full and perfect Rule such as the whole race of the Saints to this day could not have wished it another thing than it is for their Counsel and Conduct within time and takes off all possible ground for the adding either Traditions or any Revelation thereto yea that it is such a Rule as manifests it self with that sufficiency of Light to all as none can reject this one evidence but these whose eyes the God of this World hath blinded since there is no want of Light in the Truth it self but from mens blindness and a defect in the ●isive faculty 2. It is thus they assuredly know how it is no dead Letter by that Divine Power and Efficacy thereof and to be no Historical Rule which is sharper then any two-edged sword to a dividing asunder the soul and spirit with the joynts and marrow Heb. 4. 12. that gives Law to the Conscience makes it tremble and searches in to the most secret recesses of the hearts of men 3. Thus also we know the Holy Ghosts speaking in and by the Scripture to be no private voice and such an Impression as comes in a divided way or by bearing witness to the Truth and Authority of the Scripture in any other way than by the Scripture and an imparting thereto its Power Efficacy and Majesty and enabling us to know and discern the same 4. That such are these great supernatural Truths revealed there as could only have been revealed from Heaven and never possibly could have been once thought of or conceived in the mind of Man by any reasonings or natural helps without Divine Revelation so as it is no pretended Light within can let us know what are the things of God further than it is derived from the Scripture 5. And is it not thus known also what an undoubted certainty is in the verification of these supernatural Truths in the experience of the Saints as they can know they live or breath which is not witnessed to some individual persons only as if from any advantage of Nature and Edification they might have it but in every time in all the Churches of Christ yea by the whole generation of the Saints hath still with the greatest oneness of consent been undeniably attested when it is so clear also How much a great part of professedChristians is wholly stranger thereto and how it is no less above mens reach by Nature to know or discern what thus belongs to the state of the Saints than for a Beast to know what concerns the state of Man and what advantage should it then be as this Party pleads for all persons to follow a Light within themselves Fourthly Though we must own no such austere mode or appearance of Mortification as this Party of the Quakers seek to amuse the World with being visibly stretched beyond the Rule of the Word yea so false and ridiculous a shew of strictness therein as is a reproach to serious Religion yet is it a clear and indispensable Duty to guard against conformity to the World in these sad extravagant fashions of the time so as Christians may let their Moderation be known to all and their faith of the Lords being at hand may commend the Truth by that true adorning which is in the hidden man of the heart and a meek and quiet spirit not by plaiting of the hair or putting on of apparel 1 Pet. 3 4. Which oft as a publick sign stand at the door to let others know what pride lightness and vanity dwell there as though they had not an eternal salvation to work out with fear and trembling or did not believe the third of Isaiah from the 16. vers to the close to be the Scripture of God and to have the same Authority the same theratning Aspect in this generation whic in had then on Israel yea is this a being accountable in the Improvement of what some have beyond others of the World as a Trust put under their hand now when it is such an hour of great Tribulation on the Churches I confess this ground I have last mentioned is such as may cause many in this age fear they be under a sad mistake in their Claim and Title to Heaven and hath oft put me to wonder what kind of peace many have on this account who seem to out-run others in a profession of the Truth Since if the Scripture be undoubtedly sure and no falling to the ground of the least Tittle thereof should not these clear discoveries which are there he as that hand-Writing on the Wall to make their knees smite

men in things pertaining to God 4. Not only is this Ministry and it 's perpetual use held forth but we see also a mediate call thereunto by the Church 2 Tim. 2. 2. The things thou hast heard of me before many witnesses the same commit thou to faithful men who may be able to teach others Where not only the calling Authority and Power is express but a necessary cognition by the Church of the fitness and qualification of those who should be set a-part to that work 5. I must here add since there is no possible access to deny that convincing seal which in all ages Christ hath put to this Ministry that they so much revile I may say without giving a lye to the Holy Ghost In these marvelous effects it hath had on the World to save them who believe which a Divine immediate power accompanying the same could only effectuate and how by the simplicity of the Gospel and foolishness of Preaching have the moist savage and rude been tamed the Conscience of the most daring and stubborn Enemies of the Truth forced to tremble under the conviction of an Authority more than humane join'd with it yea which none can debate by this way was the Pagan-World turned Christian Pos 7. It is known at what rate they disown and revile those great Scripture-Ordinances of Baptism the Lords Supper the Observation of the Sabbath and reading or hearing of the Word preached as being carnal and Commands of the Letter In which I confess the Devil knows his game and could have taught no more effectual way to gain Proselites than by such a mould of Religion suited and pleasing to the flesh but they must not think it strange 1. That their Bible is no guide to us I mean the Light within so much cried up as a sufficient Rule and when the Holy Ghost prefers the Scripture as more sure even to an immediate voice from Heaven That the Christian Church gives it a preference to any voice that can speak within the Soul 2. I am sure it cannot be known why Christians should part with those Ordinances injoyned by the express Authority of the great Law-giver upon such unquestionably moral and perpetual grounds and not part with the whole Scripture of God also 3. Why do they not also lay aside those ancient Ordinances of eating and drinking as carnal I am far from intending a jest here upon so serious a subject but does the enforcing necessity to keep up their natural Life let them know the perpetual use of the same as a duty and is there not a sure ground to know that none can be a Christian in earnest without an indispensible necessity of those blessed Ordinances of the Gospel for their spiritual life to keep close by the foot-steps of the Flock and to feed among the shepherds Tents by reading and hearing of the Word a spiritual observance of the Sabbath and that great sealing Ordinance of the Lords Supper Nor know we another way of getting beyond those Ordinances but one of two a being safe landed through grace in Heaven even there where no Temple is or a judicial arrest from the Lord of Induration which may be truly said to be an entring into the very Suburbs of Hell even in this life Pos 8. Such is the Doctrine of this Party as expresly owns a perfection in this life to be attained in which if they intend only a perfection in kind which is indispensably necessary to the lowest size of a Christian or a being perfectly justified and compleat in Christ we believe the same also but since they have no reserved sense here nor hide their intent and meaning that a perfect freedom from sin is in this life to be attained I must then ask 1. To which of all the Saints in the Scripture will they turn Who knew ever such a thing sure not to Moses unto whom the glorious God spake face to face not to that beloved Disciple who leaned on Christs bosom not to him who was caught up into the third Heaven whose sore wrestlings and groans under a body of Death are to this day on publick Record in the Church 2. Did the Church know any such thing in Isaiah's time But we are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousness is as filthy rags Isa 64. 6. or in those pure Primitive times of the Christian-Church if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and make God a liar 1 Joh. 1. 8. 3. Why are such observable failings recorded in Scripture of those to whom the Holy Ghost did bear that witness that they were perfect in their generation such as Noab and Job Is it not to shew what perfection that is which the greatest of the Saints can attain here 4. Nothing is more clear from the known experience of the Saints than this that the greatest Hights in Christianity have still kept them most low under the humbling sense of a Body of Death and that contrariety between the flesh and the spirit which doth never cease until Death once decide that strife but were any such thing attainable here I am sure none more visibly contradict its Truth than this Party and are at a greater disadvantage to pretend thereto except wrath passion reviling of others in the most reproachable scurrilous terms that can be exprest be some part of tht perfection they mean Pos 9. It is their professed Doctrine that the soul is a part of the essence of God without beginning and infinite A strange Position that the Heathens whose sole guide was the Light of Nature in their search of the souls Original could have no confidence to own though these things we know to be undeniably clear 1. That the soul of Man is one of the rarest pieces of the Creation of God 2. That in its frame it is a simple immaterial and active substance which is not compounded of Principles and therefore can be resolved into none 3. That the soul hath no cause of Corruption from any opposition of contraries as the body hath through the prevalence of heat or cold but to assert its being infinite and without beginning is a blasphemy almost beyond President even among those whom the Devil hath most visibly acted forth against the Truth since 1. This is the incommunicable propriety of the glorious God alone from whom and for whom are all things 2. This does deny the Creation of Man of whom the soul is the noblest part for to be created and infinite imply the greatest contradiction and are terms incompatible 3. Thus a part of the essence of God should go to Hell and the souls of the damned there must have the same Prerogative with the great former of all things to have had a duration without beginning I confess this Principle as most of their Doctrine is such as might make them Quakers in earnest and cause their Conscience to tremble with horror and amazement if upon any serious reflection they could see