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	worship_n	4,803	5	8.0593	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A35009	The first part of Babel's-builders unmasking themselves as appears by the following judgment from Barbadoes (promoted by George Fox his party, and subscribed by eighty two of them) : with a letter of G.F.'s, G.W's, &c. in answer thereunto, and observations thereupon : also a false prophesie of that lying prophet, Sol. Eccles : whereas the following discourse was formerly printed and privately disposed ... amongst those called Quakers, but finding some of G.F.'s party have since publickly exposed it with slanderous and false charges on the author, this second impression with some small addition, is now made publick ... / Thomas Crisp.; Babel's-builders unmask't. Part 1	Crisp, Thomas, 17th cent.; Fox, George, 1624-1691.; Eccles, Solomon, 1618-1683.; Whitehead, George, 1636?-1723.	1682 (1682)	Wing C6951; ESTC R10390	16,901	16

Nay but as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God this Spirit Christ said he would send should be in them Forasmuch as the foregoing Letter of G. F. c. to Barbadoes was produced as a proof of their denial of the said Paper I observe therein That they are more afraid of its Publication than ashamed of the Matter and do more object the subscribing the Paper than owning that Principle Viz giving up all to them as appears by their Words If it should come into the Hands of Opposers c. they would say we set up Arbitrary Power Implicit Faith c. but they say not so which are the plain tendency thereof But it is needful to know what they mean by the Universal Spirit being that is so often mentioned I take it to be the Opinion or Judgment of the Ruling Party or Foxonions among the Quakers because they exclude those who oppose their Orders as being Apostates and gone out from the Universal Spirit Also I take this Spirit of theirs not to be the Universal Spirit of God but a private selfish Spirit of their own because they say As for the Stubborn and Wilful that are against Men and Womens-Meetings the Vniversal Spirit cannot receive that Now those they term Stubborn c. are not against Mens and Womens-Meetings but differ about the Form and Power thereof they are only against Women having Meetings apart from the Men when they have no business requires it not against them in Cities great Towns and Places where they live near together and Occasions require but where they live remote from each other and have no business Also the Form of Marriages c. This is great part of the difference and the Case of those Persons G. F. c. term Apostates Bad Spirits c. And G. F. c. says The Vniversal Spirit cannot receive that I shall shew by Testimonies of Scripture and Friends that notwithstanding Differences yet Christians ought to receive each other and walk in Love as Brethren E. Burrough says Notwithstanding their difference in Judgment whether in Cases Substantial or Ceremonial yet they were still to be in Love and Vnity pag. 809. And every one to mind the Teachings of the Spirit in himself Hereby you may see that E. B. could receive in Love and walk in Unity with such as differed in Cases Substantial which is as high a difference as any about Womens Meetings can be Also W. Pen saith Address to Protestants p. 70. I cannot see how such Men can excuse themselves from great presumption c. who deny those Persons to be Members of Christ's Church that in Conscience refuse to subscribe any other Draught than their Lord hath given them Then how can G. F. c. excuse themselves who say Those that be against Womens-Meetings the Vniversal Spirit cannot receive Unless G. F. c. prove that such Dissenters have had their Form of Womens-Meetings from the Lord. And G. F. c. must admit them Members of Christs Church or prove they refuse that which the Lord hath given them or else G. F. c. are inexcusable and condemnable by their own Testimonies Also 2 Pet. 1.5 Give all diligence thereunto add to Faith Vertue Knowledge Temperance Patience Godliness Brotherly-Kindness Love for if these things be in you and abound ye shall not be unfruitful nor barren c. Wherefore give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure for if ye do these things ye shall never fail for an Entrance shall be ministred unto you into the Everlasting Kingdom Now I appeal to any sober Christian Whether all these Qualifications may not be in one and yet conscientiously dissent from a Form of Marriage or Womens-Meetings as order'd by G. F. If it can be as I am sure it may that one may be so qualified and assisted by Gods Spirit as to attain these Vertues expressed by the Apostle Peter and not comply with G. F's Womens-Meetings then a sure entrance is made into the Everlasting Kingdom and they are received by the Universal Spirit of God therefore G. F's c. Universal Spirit so often mentioned is not that of God nor of E. B. or Is P. nor the Spirit of Christ nor his Apostles for they said Judge not and that the Tree was known by its Fruit. But G. F. c. will judge and condemn for evil and gone from the Spirit altho no evil Fruit appears only Nonconformity to them Also where evil Fruit does appear as in this their Judgment yet he can say to them because they own his Form and Womens Meetings We know your Care and that you aim at the best things So that to give up to his Orders tho contrary to their own measures seems by him termed the best Things and they are manifestly declared the Epistle of Christ wrote with the Spirit of the Living God c. Whereby he seems to place more Vertue and Power in conforming to his Orders of Womens Meetings c. than in all Faith and Fruits of the Spirit expressed in the Scripture And where-ever G. F. mentions the Universal Spirit I take him he meanes the Spirit that set up and adores those Meetings and persecutes all such who cannot for Conscience sake conform thereto Now Christ said Whatever you would another should do unto you that do unto them Love thy Neighbour as thy self c. This is the true Universal Spirit to desire no more Liberty nor Charity from another than one would be content to allow them and Impose no more on another than one would have them Impose on ones self G. F. c. once cryed for Liberty of Conscience none must perform any Worship but as taught and led thereinto by the Light in their own Hearts but having gathered a People to themselves now say they Submit to your Elders and if not Conform to his Orders for Conscience sake then Wilful Stubborn out of the Vniversal Spirit and Truth Enemies Rebels accursed from all Eternity c. And it appears that the Subscribers and G. F. c. do differ for he says This would make the Belief which is in the Light and the measure of the Spirit in their own particulars not one with the Vniversal i. e. G. F's Spirit c. Indeed so it doth for there be many that believe in the Light and measure of the Spirit and its Sufficiency that are not one with G. F's c. Imposing Spirit which he calls Vniversal but against it altho the true Universal Spirit of Christ and in all His hath now as formerly Unity with the least measure in any Member tho for Conscience sake they may be of a differing apprehension in some things and therefore the Apostle He became all to all weak or strong and said bear one anothers Burdens and bear one with another and therefore he condescended to Baptise and Circumcise to win over and endeavoured the encrease of their Faith and Understandings

therefore it is not as you say most agreeing to the Wisdom of God to cleave to the Judgment of the general but to the particular Manifestation altho the Judgment general hath not Unity therewith For if a Particular may reprove the general surely he ought to cleave to his particular Measure for his own Belief and Practice altho the general have not Unity therewith for what is not of Faith is Sin much more what is contrary thereto For if any Meeting requires one to do or believe contrary to their own Measure whoever obeys them therein becomes a Servant to those Persons Meetings for his Servants ye are whom you obey Hereby you call such Men or Meetings your Master or Father contrary to Christs Command Oh Friends strain not at Gnats and swallow such Camels which the 82 seemed to have done That it is against the Principles of Truth is plain enough and needs no proof for by that we are taught to be guided by the Manifestation of Gods Spirit in our own Hearts to speak and act as thereby instructed and that the Judgment of Truth through a part of Christ's Members cannot become a Bond on others further than their Understandings are illuminated thereby These two Positions the Judgment aforesaid seems to contradict Also read E. B. and Is P's Works or any antient Friends they all direct to the Light in our own Hearts or Consciences as the only and sufficient Guide and Leader But your Judgment not only contradicts Scripture and Friends Testimonies but you have given such an unlimited Power to Meetings and not contented to give that to Men which never before was given since Protestantism but to Women also in which the Scripture is silent or what it says is rather against their having any Power or Rule but to be subject Nay this unlimited Power was one of the heavy weights in the Pope's Yoke that made it so uneasy to England in times of Popery neither can I find that ever in England the Pope or any Church gained this point by all their Stratagems Wars c. as you have granted Viz. the giving up all Spirituals and Temporals The Christian-State is said to be a glorious Liberty but your Judgment makes them Slaves and Vassals and will cause any Understanding Men to avoid submitting to such a Church that hath so unlimited a Power 't is much safer submitting to a Church which makes the Scripture their Rule for thereby one may know what they may or can require of one but yours after one hath given up all Spirituals c. may still require more without measure if you pretend or stamp such Requirings with the Name of the Universal Spirit of God as Experience teacheth hath been too frequent What is become of all our Protesting Fore-fathers according to your Judgment For you seem to have acquitted Rome of all their Blood for they had not only the Judgment of the generality of the Church but of the Magistracy and Law of the Nation against them which was of greater Authority than your Womens Meetings for which there is no Precept Precedent nor Law but against viz. their Form and Power I am ashamed that after all this Light and Knowledge pretended any should make such a long stride towards Rome which now is very unseasonable for if but one more such I know not but you may both too soon meet and embrace each other If any say we mistake you you do not give up to the Meeting but to the Spirit of God c. W. Pen's Address c. and other Testimonies I think answer that Viz. A Man may falsly believe as the True Church believes and if I believe only because She believes and not because I am convinced in my own Vnderstanding and Conscience my Faith is false tho Hens be true p. 146. Also E. Burrough saith Every one is to mind the Teachings of the Spirit of Christ in himself for to that he is to stand or fall p. 152. Also if a bare saying it is the Spirit without evidence will serve then the Pope may say so to Now that which further aggravates and makes this Judgmen the worse is that it should come from such Persons as G. F. c. writes the 82 Subscribers to be Viz. Manifestly declared the Epistle of Christ written with the Spirit of the Living God which Spirit hath given you Life and will bring you to the City of the Living GOD c. Aim at the best Things Viz. Give up all c. HIGH GROWN CRISTIANS OR G. F. c. HIGHLY MISTAKEN Thus what you have done seems to be to the dishonour of Truth and contrary to what you once professed for the sufficiency of Light in your own hearts was that Gospel you received and they Preached at first for all to cleave to and abide by and give up to But now to give up to the Requirings of others altho con rary to that what more like another Gospel Therefore I beseech you mind the Exhortation If We or an Angel from Heaven bring any other Gospel than that you have received let Him be accursed And avoid all such Questions as these are and the Propounders thereof for they are but foolish Questions yea worse and will gender to S●rife and BONDAGE therefore let no Men nor WOMEN especially rule over you nei her receive their Traditions for Doctrines further than manifested by the Truth in your own hearts and in the Scriptu es Are you so foolish as to believe that the R quirings of Men and Women-Mee●ings without Scripture-Evidence or manifestation by the Light in your own Hearts can give you acceptance with God wh n as Christ said to them that said they had Prophesied and cast out Devi s and done many mighty Works in his Name Depart I know you not c. And think you such unwarrantable Requirings and Implicit giving up can stand you in stead Nay this Perswasion cometh not of God but it is fulfilled as was prophesied in Scripture Some shall arise from among your selves speaking perve●se things Remember from whence ye are fallen and return to the measure of Truth in your own selves and arise and depart from such Judgmen s for fear it be fulfilled on you as was said against some of old When they knew God they glorifi'd Him not as God they became vain in their Imaginations and their foolish hearts were darkened Therefore I pray be not so soon moved and tossed up and down by these windy Arbitrary and Implicit Judgm●nts of men who have mens Persons and Orders in Admiration because of Advantage for such serve not Christ but themselves but mind you the Truth in your own hearts and according as the Apostle said Let every one be fully perswaded in his own Mind You must answer for your selves to God when it shall be said Who required these things at your hands Will any Men or Women or outward written Orders have greater Force than Moses and the Prophets