Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	father_n	spirit_n	worship_v	16,413	5	10.3152	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A79837	A full discovery and confutation of the wicked and damnable doctrines of the Quakers. As also, a plain vindication and confirmation of sundry fundamental points of the Christian religion, denyed or corrupted by the enemies of the truth in these times. Published for the benefit of such weak Christians, who are not so able to discover and oppugne the dangerous doctrines of subtil seducers when coloured over with fair words and pretences, and so are more apt to be taken in their snares. Whereunto is annexed an excellent discourse proving that singing of Psalmes is not only lawful, but an ordinance of God. / By Jonathan Clapham, a servant of Christ in the work and labour of the Gospel at Wramplingham in Norff.	Clapham, Jonathan.	1656 (1656)	Wing C4407; Thomason E498_7; ESTC R206047	81,821	100

dead even Jesus which delivereth us from the wrath to come 1 Thes 1.10 Let all that professe the Name of Christ take heed of such as preach another Christ then whom they have received and look upon them as Deceivers and Anti-christs as for us we have not so learned Jesus Christ SECT III. The Quakers deny the Doctrine of the Trinity THis charge will not be denied by the Quakers for in this they speak out and do not seek to conceale their opinions they acknowledge not one God subsisting in three persons See Sauls errand to Damascus p. 12. and the sword of the Lord drawn c. p. 4. where this doctrine is called a lie by them Let me therefore shew this to be an abominable errour contrary to the doctrine of the Scriptures to deny three persons subsisting in one God and prove this fundamental article of our faith against their cavils This I cleare from Scripture by these gradations or steps 1. The Scriptures speak clearly that there is in the divine nature three in one or a Trinity in Unity whether these three may be called persons we shall discusse afterwards 1 John 5.7 There be three that bear record in heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one Here is in this Scripture three numbred and their several names set down and yet it 's said they are but one not only agree in one as in the next verse but they are one See Mat. 3.16 17. Mat. 28.19 2 Cor. 13.14 John 14.16 Where are also three counted the Father and I saith Christ and the Spirit of truth and these are distinguished the Spirit is called another It might further be shewed as there be three numbred in Scripture and their several names set down so the Scripture speak also of distinct properties and operations peculiar to each of these three and incommunicable to other The Father begets and not the Son the Spirit proceeds and not the Father c. so the Sonne took flesh and not the Father nor the Spirit II. It 's most evident that this Trinity in Unity or three in one is not a meer notional thing subsisting in the minde and apprehension of man alone but eternally subsisting in the divine being it self it 's a thing founded upon Scripture as before was shewed not a fiction of reason it had been if there never had been any created minde to apprehend it Nor can it be only three names given to one and the same personal being for the Scripture gives more names then three to God there are ten several names given to God in the Old Testament as some observe besides those in the New Testament and further the Scripture counts them as distinct in subsistence and not only in name John 8.17 18. Christ and his Father are counted for two witnesses now one person cannot be two witnesses though he have two names Nor doth this Trinity subsist in the divine nature only as wisdome justice and goodnesse are in God for these attributes of God are no otherwise distinguished then according to mans apprehension of them because our finite and compounded understandings cannot comprehend the glorious perfections of a single and infinite essence but by distinct properties or attributes in themselves they do not differ one from another the same also may be said of Gods decrees but now this distinction of three in one is founded in the very divine being it self as before was shewed Nor yet further are we to understand this three in one to be only three manifestations of God grounded upon some offices or external dispensations to the creature in time there hath been more manifestations of God to man then three since the creation God was manifest various wayes to his people to Moses in the bush and in the mount to Israel in the wildernesse in the pillar of fire and cloud to the Patriarchs to the three children to Daniel to John c. Besides this distinction was in God from eternity before there was any creature made to manifest it unto Christ is the eternal Sonne of God distinct from the Father eternally and before he was made flesh the Spirit was distinguished from Father and Sonne from eternity and not only when he was manifested in descending on Christ in the likenesse of a dove or by falling on the Apostles in fiery tongues See Prov. 8.21 to 31. Mic. 5.2 Joh. 1.1 2 3. Joh. 17.5 Col. 1.15 Gen. 1.2 2 Pet. 1.21 Mat. 1.20 these are all to be exploded as dangerous errours and have been ever rejected by the Church III. Hence it will follow that this must be a Trinity of persons or subsistances in the same divine being three persons subsisting in one God nor let any cavil at the word person for it is a Scripture word Heb. 1.3 if they will stand to the received translation if any will plead the word is more properly rendred there subsistence then person we will not stand upon that so they acknowledge three subsistances in the same divine being for this is all we argue for but how vainly is it to except against the word person so commonly received amongst the people of God and not scrupled at by any but such as have erred dangerously in other things what is a person if we look upon the notation of the name but per se una a thing that hath a subsistence by it self or if we respect the definition of the thing we understand no more by it but an intelligent compleat incommunicable independent subsistence and according to our common custome of speech the word person doth expresse more excellency then the word subsistence singly taken doth the former we ever apply to a reasonable being the other we use to apply to inferiour creatures a beast may be said to subsist though it is no person IV. Yet is there no multiplication of the God-head for still we acknowledge one God one simple undivided essence Deut. 6.4 Isa 44.6 8. Isa 45.21 22. John 10.30 1 John 5.7 If any shall object how can these things be it seems a contradiction for to say there is three persons and yet but one divine being and therefore shall reject this doctrine because they cannot comprehend it I answer it were extreame arrogance for a poor worm to do thus to reject what God hath clearly held forth in his Word because he cannot comprehend it what Art or Science is there in the world but there are many mysteries in it that novices cannot comprehend and can we expect to be more knowing in the things of God that are so high and mysterious above the reason and understanding of man Let sober spirits count it their safest way to beleeve what is clearly revealed by God though they cannot yet comprehend the nature of such mysteries Neverthelesse we do not count it a contradiction to say there is light heat and power in the Sun and yet there are not three Suns but one or that in the soul

his last part in the world it 's likely he will use his utmost subtilty in deceiving Our great care therefore should be to preserve our selves from the errours of the wicked and to take heed of the leaven of such seducers how many cautions hath the Scripture given to us herein when Christ had foretold of those seducers Mat. 24. he bids Take heed that no man deceive you and believe them not this being the end of his forewarning us that we might be forearmed against them Heresies are reckoned amongst the fruits of the flesh Gal. 5.20 and are therefore sooner drunk in by people then the precious truths of the Gospel for we cannot receive these without the special help of Gods Spirit to let them in to our hearts how soon did the Arian heresie over-spread the world only one Athanasius visibly withstood it All the world wondered after the Beast and worshipped the same Rev. 13.3 4. Popery soon over-ran the West and North parts of the world and Mahumetanisme the East and South even there where those famous Asian Churches sometimes were seated are now the impure Temples of Mahomet no gangrene sooner over-spreads the natural body then errours and heresies do the Ecclesiastick body 2 Tim. 2.17 What care then should Christians have lest they be infected with the same Adde hereunto these are no lesse deadly to the souls of people then gangrenes or plagues are to their bodies such doctrines eat as doth a canker or gangrene saith the Apostle heresies may prove as damnable to men as moral wickednesse 2 Pet. 2.1 lesser errours indeed men may hold and yet be saved whilest they build upon the right foundation Though they build hay or stubble thereupon they may be saved yet so as by fire 1 Cor. 3 13. their spirits may be scorched their peace and comfort lost but to miscarry in the foundation is damnable who can reckon up the evil consequences of false doctrines they blind the mind and extinguish the true knowledge of God they harden the heart they undermine the comfort of Christians and destroy the Churches peace they mortally infect the inward vitals of Christianity and outwardly deprave the conversation corrupt principles wil at length produce corrupt practises they provoke the Lord to have a controversie with a people where they are tolerated Rev. 2.14 15 20. and will exclude men the Kingdome of heaven Gal. 5.20 21. Let not any Christian therefore look upon the errours and heresies of the times as things of small concernment but make it his great care to be preserved from the infection of them as men do in the time of pestilence to be preserved from the same I shall for the benefit of such humble and sincere Christians as fear the infection of the errours amongst us and are willing to use such preservations against them as the Scriptures afford collect from thence a few antidotes of special use for that end the blessing of the Lord accompanying them Directions showing how Christians may be preserved from the errours and hreresies of the times I. Labour to be rooted and grounded more in the truth if you would not be shaken with every wind of doctrine Col. 1.23 2 Pet. 2.14 it 's ungrounded and unstable Christians who commonly are seduced who never saw on what grounds they took up their Religion but take it on trust from others and then when they meet with such arguments against the truth as they cannot answer they yeild to errour whereas that may be neverthelesse a truth Mat. 22.29 though they cannot defend it therefore search the Scriptures more and labour to see how the principles of the Christian faith are established upon them and be not ashamed to learn your Catechismes wherein you have the fundamentals of Christianity extracted out of the Scriptures and plainly set down even in the Primitive times they had such first principles of the oracles of God Heb. 5.12 and forms of wholsom words 2 Tim. 1.13 for the better grounding of weak Christians and the greatest proficieo●● did first begin there and therein are contained such truths as may exercise us in searching further into all our life time Luther that eminent servant of Christ professed himself a Scholar in the Catechisme Had the Quakers ever been well grounded in the first principles or rudiments of Religion how is it possible they should so soon have been turned from the truth and denyed the doctrine of Christs humanity of the holy Trinity of Justification of Sanctification of the resurrection of the dead c for my part I know but few of them if any that I can judge ever had any clear distinct knowledge of these things and could tell how they were confirmed by the Scriptures Let therefore weak Christians if they would not be seduced use this direction conscionably give diligence to be setled more in the truth and to get a clear knowledge of the great doctrines of the Gospel such things as be fundamental and necessary to be known unto Salvation are clearly set down in Scripture that weak Christians if they study them with humility prayer and diligence may attain the understanding of them as for more difficult points that they cannot yet comprehend let them not too much be troubled about them but waite till God reveale the same unto them and in the meantime it s far safer for them to adhere in such things to what is commonly received by the people of God and embraced by the Saints in all ages Cant. 1.8 to follow the footsteps of the flock of Christ then to be led away by pretenders to new-light the Scriptures having given so many Cautions to beware of seducers in the last times This first direction is given by the Apostle 2 Pet. 3.17 18. Beware lest ye also being led away with the errour of the wicked fall from your stedfastnesse but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ II. Rest not in a notional embracing of the truth but receive it with love and obedience and labour to finde your hearts bettered therby and then you shall not so soon be induced to desert the truth and embrace errours when men receive not the truth with love they are soon brought to beleeve lies 2 Thes 2.10 but when men taste the sweetnesse of the wayes of God and are in love with Gospel truths for that goodnesse they find in them they will hold them fast such as have experimented the efficacy of the doctrines of faith changing and renuing their hearts quickning their spirits pacifying and comforting their consciences and quelling their corruptions will not be easily induced to exchange them for errours but it 's those that never found those benefits by the same that so soon part therewithal Let therefore the truths of Christ dwell in your hearts and season them as leaven labour to finde your hearts molded by the same and changed into the image of truth the more you grow in grace the more