Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	heart_n	spirit_n	word_n	8,255	5	4.2520	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29604	Silent meeting, a wonder to the world, yet practised by the apostles and owned by the people of God, scornfully called Quakers	Britten, William, d. 1669.; Fox, George, 1624-1691. Concerning gathering in the name of Jesus.	1671 (1671)	Wing B4826; ESTC R9144	10,828	17

Silent Meeting A WONDER To the VVORLD Yet Practised by the APOSTLES And Owned by the PEOPLE of GOD scornfully called QUAKERS Printed in the Year 1671. Silent Meeting A WONDER to the WORLD c. READER HAving formerly passed through a twofold Ministry First As a Gifted man in the National Secondly As a Baptist and now brought to wait on God in silence it is a wonder to many upon which the Lord hath led me forth to publish this Paper and make it a free gift unto those who desire some satisfaction concerning Silent Meeting in which I wait on God for a Purer Ministry if he please to bring me unto it or if I fall short like Moses to dye in Mount Nebo Deut. 32.49 and only see it afar off his blessed will be done I preaching first in the National Ministry for hire selling my Sermons at my best Market and afterwards being took off from that Merchandizing becoming a Baptist and preaching freely without selling did now think my spiritual condition to be very good but the Eternal God Jer. 48.11 who empties from vessel to vessel to take away all the carnal taste did not suffer me many years in this estate who by a further discovery of himself brought me back to silence that I should wait with the despised remnant called Quakers And as one alone from the tumult or outside of a wood can easily hear the clamours and outcries within so I being come forth of the Forms and Forests of the world unto a holy silence by the power of Jesus Christ within me could the better discern to see and view the various Sects and Forms in their Congregations how unlike the most part were unto the true spouse of Christ which with a heavy burden on my spirit I beheld their Parochial Assemblies to appear something like Nebuchadnezzars Image in the golden head Dan. 2. but upon a through observation in the Life Fruits and Conversation as the iron and clay barren fruitless and empty having the imitations and forms of Godliness but denying the power of Christ in leading forth the Creature When thus like the returning Prodigal Luke 15.17 I came to look on my self within I saw how I had sed on husks but God my Father had bread enough And al hough Arts Sciences teaching for hire getting of mony with such carnal delights quieted flesh a while as a Rattle or Pipe doth a Child for a time without the breast yet now that immortal part seeing its emptiness and coming to the true hunger and thirst after righteousness nothing but an eternal God would satisfie to give that bread flesh and drink of Life John 6.51 53. whereby a poor soul may grow in grace and in the knowledge of God But those that live and depend only upon outward Forms and visible Things the same deceive thousands who thereby fall short of what they imagine I now see that he is no true Minister of Jesus Christ but who is led forth by his Spirit and such we rejoyce to hear declaring the things of God Otherwise upon meeting we sit silent with the tongue yet having a heart full of praises where we worship God in Spiri and in Truth John 4.24 2 Cor. 6.16 who makes our bodies Temples for the same Spi it not speaking by hear-say and humane Ar●s but lay all that down when earthly thoughts ear hly words and earthly works are all laid aside and the Temple within us is ready the Light of Christ shining in it and the Lord with a further manifesta ion of his Love enters it by his Eternall Power whereupon we can truly say That the Lords presence is amongst us feeding of his Flock and making us feel the power of an endless Life As one must come forth of the house which intends to see it round about so we in obedience to God being separate and come forth from the world can the better see how the major part of the People come o their Wo ship as to a Market 2 Cor. 6.17 drest up in their fashions with their tongues in carnal discourse both going thither and returning back the eye gazing upon vanity and filth the ear ready to receive such stuff as defiles and the heart as an Anvil to forge within whereby they come not enquring like the Sspouse of Christ Cant. 1.7 or as a People to do the work of God as a true Wise to rejoyce in her Husband but as an Harlot that wantons and sports her self yea if they stay a while for their coming together what scoffing playing quarreling carnal talk unseemly behaviour and sinful actions are taken up amongst them woful experience can testifie And among such People I poor wretch did once spend some time seeing them words which they paid for but did not keep them using pleasing expressions and speaking by hear-say as others did and not upon experience from Christ within me but by imitation as Players on a Stage assume the Name and act the Persons of Princes Nobles c. but being come off and unmasked they are no such men yea I was perswaded ●hen that flesh must sin and have its lusts fulfilled while I wa● in the body not seeing that all filthiness of flesh and spirit must be cleased or else holiness cannot be perfected in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 and with comfort I write this Truth That I have found and felt more of the Lords presence in one Silent Meeting than I have done in a hundred Sermons preached by me in times past and though then I did deliver them with much zeal But this is A WONDER TO THE WORLD Who have given their money for that which is not bread Isa 55.2 buying the Letter of their P iests that chide them for sinning yet say They must continue sinner while they are in this Body telling the People that God must do all for them and in them yet bid the same People to get Faith get Repentance c. so that the new Creation in making a New Creature is a Mystery unto them that are thus ignorant 2 Cor. 5.17 which affirm that People must live in sin until they die as if God had laid a necessity upon the Creature to offend him therefore they own no Light within nor Power of Christ within 2 Cor. 10. v. 5. whereby to bring each thought in obedience but rather like the Athenians they mock at what they understand not Acts 17.18 Take heed therefore both you that sell Scripture Letter for money and you Hearers which think you buy it for thus Simon the Sorcerer thought with his money to purchase the Gift of God but his deceit deceived himself and he went without it Acts 8.20 And do not think that speaking hearing and reading the Scriptures sufficeth to make you wise unto Salvation 2 Tim 3.15 but consider how it must be by faith in Christ Jesus So except Christ in Spirit be within to work Faith and Obedience the seeing hearing or reading