Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	holy_a	spirit_n	worship_v	3,077	5	9.0447	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65893	Truth and innocency vindicated and the people called Quakers defended in principle and practice, against invidious attempts and calumnies, being a just examination of two books against the said people, entituled, I. examined by G. Whitehead ...	Whitehead, George, 1636?-1723.	1699 (1699)	Wing W1969; ESTC R20356	65,800	86

somewhat resemble Conjuration And did not the Prophet Micah Prophesie against such Priests as Teach for Hire and such Prophets as Divine for Mony See Mic. 3.11 21th Charge Ibid. Truth 's Defence by G. F. and R. H. printed 1653. p. 101. It is dangerous to read viz. the Scriptures which the Prophets Christ and the Apostles spoke forth freely Obs Again what abuse this is in the Quotation for here they leave out the very Intent of the matter because it touches themselves as Persons Conscious 'T is not said in those general words that it is dangerous to read the Scriptures c. but it is dangerous to read and to make a Trade of that which the Prophets Christ and the Apostles spake forth freely and to give meanings to it contrary than it is And further it is said You wrest the Scriptures to your own Destruction Psal 56.5 These Men were willing to leave out what concerns their making a Trade of the Scriptures or of that which the Prophets Christ and his Apostles spake forth freely 'T is not said to be dangerous to all Men to read the Scriptures but to them that pervert them and make a Trade of them So 't is dangerous for any to read them for an unlawful end but not for any to read them for a good end For it is expresly said in the same page quoted Blessed is he that doth read and doth understand As to what they object in the latter part of their Quotation I answer that it is a great Evil to condemn either the Scriptures to the Fire or any other Books given forth from the Eternal Spirit of God the Evil in both is of the same kind tho' the Matter of Fact may differ in degree It was a great Evil and wicked Act in J●hoiakim King of Judah to burn Jeremiah's Roll or Book writ by Barack Jer. 36. but it would be a greater Act of Wickedness to burn all the Books of the Holy Prophets or the whole Bible There are Degrees of Robbery but all of the same kind 22th Charge p. 10. Edw. Burroughs p. 47. of his Works That is no Command from God to me what he commands to another neither did any of the Saints which we read of in Scripture act by the Command which was to another not having the Command to themselves Here they leave out the next words viz. I challenge to find an Example for it they were obliged every one by their own Command One was sent to Baptism and to preach the Gospel another was sent not to Baptise but to Preach the Gospel all these left out And then they go on with their Charge viz. And thou or any other who go to Duty as you call it by Imitation from the Letter without which was a Command to others in your Wills and Time your Sacrifice is not accepted but is abomination to the Lord for you go without the moving of the Spirit in your own Wills and Strength which God hates and which his wrath is upon Obs From what these Men have partially left out in their Quotation he intended Special Commands or Commissions as to Baptise to Preach or to pray c. which they that perform in their own Wills and Time and go to Prayer or other Acts of Worship or Devotion towards God without the Moving and Assistance of his Spirit 't is but Will-worship and they are not accepted therein but rejected of the Lord as Israel in their observing their Sacrifices Oblations Incense New Moons Sabbaths and calling of Assemblies and making many Prayers were rejected of the Lord and testified against by his Prophet tho' they imitated the Letter of the Law in these things Isa 1.11 12 13 14 15. But there are Universal and Moral Commands of Justice and Honesty and Prohibitions of the Contrary which are universally binding to Mankind but chiefly from Inward Light and Conviction And God has not left man without Light and Grace to oblige him therein it being Conviction that can Effectually only oblige to obedience W. P. who is also quoted in this Case against us out of his Quaquerism a New Nickname c. Printed 1673. p. 71 72. is further explanatory and distinguishing in this point as between Ordinary and Extraordinary Cases and I am persuaded these Adversaries cannot answer him in Justification of their Charge against us And therefore very partially quote him on the same Subject after these words viz. No Command in the Scripture is any further obliging upon any Man than as he finds a conviction upon his Conscience otherwise Men should be engaged without if not against Conviction a thing unreasonable in a Man They leave out these following viz. Therefore the Apostle when he wrote to the Churches exhorted them not to do those things whereof they were ashamed and to shun what was manifested to be evil and affirms That whatever might be known of God was manifested within for God had shewn it unto them To which I further add how can Man truly know that there is an All-seeing God who is Judge of all and that he is to be loved feared and worshipped And how can he truly believe the Holy Scriptures and obey the Good Precepts thereof without Inward Illumination and Conviction by the Holy Spirit Light and Grace in his Heart Charge 23. p. 10 11. A Shield of the Truth by James Parnel Printed 1655. p. 11. He that saith the Letter is the Rule and Guide of the People of God is without feeding upon the Husk and is ignorant of the true Light Edw. Burr p. 515. tells us That the Scriptures are not the Rule and Guide of Faith and Life unto the Saints but the Spirit of God that gave forth the Scriptures Obs These two Instances are both brought to prove that we slight or contemn the Scriptures which is very unjustly surmised For if they had honestly observ'd what both write upon the same Subject they might have seen there is no denial or slighting of the Scriptures As first J. P. on the place quoted confesseth that who are guided by the true Light cannot walk contrary thereto i. e. to the Scripture And Secondly E. B. on the place quoted also confesseth that the Scriptures are profitables and were given forth to be read and to be fulfulled and that the Spirit of God which is the Rule of the Saints Faith and Life leads them to walk in the fulfilling of the Scriptures and according to them Which therefore cannot Import any Contempt of them but the contrary And their Preferring the Spirit to the Letter and to the Scripture as the only or chief Rule of Faith and Life unto the Saints as it was before the Scripture was written this can be no undervaluing of the Scriptures seeing they testifie of Christ the Way the Truth and the Life and of the Spirit as that which guides true Believers into all Truth and even into a right Understanding and profitable Use of the holy Scriptures or Doctrine

Doctrine of Devils to Preach That Men shall have Sin and not overcome it while on Earth but Sin is the work of the Devil and Christ is manifest to destroy it 1 John 3. Therefore c. 'T is the Devils work to lead into Sin but 't is Christ's work to lead out of it Christ's Ministers are sent to turn People from Satan's Power to God's Power consequently from Satan's work and service they are the Devil's Ministers who Preach up Sin to continue term of Life and that it shall not be overcome nor perfect Sanctification obtain'd during life which therefore tends to keep People in Unbelief of Christ's Power and Work 13th Instance or Charge of Blasphemy p. 7. And Will. Penn in his Truth Exalted Re-Printed 1671. Laughs at the Church of England Men for confessing themselves Sinners and praying to God for Mercy Alas poor Souls saith he are not you at Have Mercy upon us miserable Sinners there is no Health in us from Seven to Seventy Obs Alas poor Sinners is not a sign of Laughter at them but rather of Lamentation and Pity over their miserable State who are always confessing but not forsaking their Sins You may see what Proofs of Blasphemy these Men produce against us 14th Instance or Charge p. 7. And Edw. Burroughs p. 33. saith That God doth not accept any where there is any Failing all who do not fulfill the Law and Answer every Demand of Justice Though none are accepted in any Act of Injustice or Omission of real Duty required yet coming under Judgment for the same and repenting thereof as they ought to do they obtain Mercy and Forgiveness of God for Christ's sake whose Grace though it Pardons Sins past through Faith and Repentance yet does not Indulge or Justifie any in their Continuance in Sin nor in wilful Sinning after Conviction Obs His meaning is First God doth not accept them in their Failing in Duty and in their not doing what 's Just as when some complain their best Duties are sinful and they do not answer or obey Truth in their Actions For our Acceptance is in Christ the Beloved and not out of Him 2. If Men seek acceptance by their own Legal Performances they fall short See James 2.10 But these Adversaries have unjustly left out the fore-going Words in their Quotation viz. But those that love God keep his Commandments and they are not grievous And these left out within the same Period Now doth God accept of any that do not love Him who do Injustice and Iniquity Now these Adversaries having opposed the Vrim and Thummim Light and Perfection Typified in the Brest-plate of Judgment Exod. 28.30 as testified and witnessed in the Gospel-Dispensation they proceed to other Charges to prove the People called Quakers Blasphemous in Principle 15th Charge p. 8. In Truth defending the Quakers written from the Spirit of Truth in G. W. and G. F. Jun. Printed 1659. p. 7. The Question being put Whether the Quakers did esteem their Speakings to be of as great Authority as any Chapter in the Bible 'T is Answered That which is spoken from the Spirit of Truth In any is of as great Authority as the Scriptures and Chapters are and greater Observe Here they have unjustly quoted G. W. c. leaving out the Annexed Explanatory Words which are within the same Period viz. As Christ's Words were of greater Authority when He Spoke than the Pharisees reading the Letter and they in whom that Spirit speaks not are out of the Authority of the Scriptures and their Speaking we deny Thus far the Answer Note here that the Comparison is not plac'd upon our Speakings nor yet the Authority distinct from the Spirit of Truth but upon the Spirit of Truth speaking in Man in the first place and through and by the Ministers thereof in the next place And surely the Spirit has not lost his own Authority or Power since it first gave out the Holy Scriptures In the next place that the Spirit of Truth immediately Ministring In Man or by any Spiritual Minister is of greater Authority Power or Efficacy than the Chapters are simply considered as without the Spirit And as to the Division of Chapters and Verses can these Men say That was done by Divine Authority I suppose not Yet we sincerely still acknowledge the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be of Divine Authority as given by Divine Inspiration and prefer them before and above all other Writings or Books and in no wise question the Truth of them But we must needs allow the Holy Spirit from whence they came the Preference and its Immediate Teaching and Speaking in the Soul as of greater Efficacy Power and Authority to that Soul than the bare Writing or Scripture without or only reading thereof though it contain the same Words immediately taught And so Christ and his Apostles living and powerful Preaching in and from the Powerful Motion of the Holy Spirit as being of greater Efficacy Power and Authority than the outward Writing or Scripture it self simply or abstractly considered as distinct from that Spirit Though the Words Preached and the Words Written may be the same As when Christ had opened the Scriptures unto his Disciples they said one to another Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us by the way and while he opened to us the Scriptures which concerned his Suffering and entering into his Glory Luke 24.32 But how many by reading Christ's Words and Exposition of the Prophets without his Spirit do ever cause Peoples Hearts so to burn within them The Gospel as livingly Preached came not in Words only but also in Power and in the Holy Ghost 1 Thes 1.5 For the real Authority Efficacy and Service the Holy Scripture has upon a Soul is from the Holy Spirit or Word of Life giving the true Belief and right Understanding thereof As Answered in my Treatise Intituled The Christianity of the People called Quakers Vindicated in Answer to Doctor Ford p. 13. And in Christ's Lambs Defended to the Reader p. 7. Their Inference in the Margent That they i.e. the Quakers have immediate Revelations equal with the Prophets and Apostles Is not truly inferred for we may have Immediate Revelation from the same Spirit yet not in the same Degree There are manifold Gifts Openings and Discoveries given by the Holy Spirit and yet some above and excelling others And so there are many Testimonies and Writings proceeding and given forth from the same Spirit yet some far excelling others as there are many Varieties in God's Creation And it ever was and is far from me to prefer any of our Books or Writings how true soever to the Holy Scripture or Bible 16th Charge p. 8. G. F. Gr. Myst p. 242. tells us that the Priest saith That the Apostles were Eye-witnesses and understood by immediate Revelation from God Inspired with the Gift of the Spirit more than any Man could hope for since and saith They do not pretend

These our Accusers appear most invidious against them as if influenced by some treacherous Judases or envious Apostates They begin to quote Mr. Bugg and Mr. Kieth as they stile them their Authority against us And what says their Mr. Bugg They tell us Mr. Bugg's Pilgrims Progress Chapters 7 8 9 10 11. give an account of their several Meetings and of their Fund Exchequer or Common-Bank And what says there Mr. Kieth to it seeing he is join'd with F. Bugg for a witness against us Mr. Keith say they who has been a Quaker above thirty Years more shame for him now to vilifie them in his Second Narrative p. 5. says I am not able to Print Books as they Quakers can they are many and have a Common-Stock I am but one To which we Answer we deny their Terms of Fund Exchequer or Common-Bank we know no Common-Stock we have that can properly be called a Fund or an Exchequer for improvement of a Stock or advancing and increasing Mony upon as a Fund Foundation or setled Bottom c. What Fund for Improvement can a Collection for poor be that is soon distributed and spent Tho' we have free and voluntary Collections in our Monthly and Quarterly Meetings for the Charitable Supply and Relief of the Poor and Indigent among us that they may not be Chargeable or Burdensome to our Neighbours of other Persuasions nor to the Parishes wherein they dwell Thus we relieve our own Poor and also pay our share or Proportions severally to other Poor of the respective Parishes and Places where our Friends inhabit And now as we are a People we must needs have divers Charges upon us as Our Poors Rents and charge of Meeting-Houses Rents and Reparations in many Places As also for the necessary Supply and Relief of our Friends when impoverished or disabled under or by extream Suffering and Distress in this or other Countries as in Ireland when they had greatly suffered by reason of the late War and of late in Scotland where in divers parts they have wanted Bread and Subsistence through the late Years great Failing of their Harvests And also for the Relief of our Friends who have been for many Years Captives in Algiers Macqueness and Sally under sore and miserable Hardships and Extremities whereby many have lost their Lives Upon these and other Occasions and Necessities relating to our suffering Friends and Brethren our Friends in this Nation who are capable have been free and willing without any Compulsion to contribute their Christian Assistance Charitable and Necessary Supplies and accordingly Distributions have been made thereof pursuant to these good and necessary Ends So that we have no Fund of Improvement nor any Tax imposed by any of our Meetings but the necessary Occasions tenderly recommended in the Love of God in these Matters and accordingly left to every ones free Liberty as God shall incline their Hearts to consider the Poor and Needy and Distressed c. And if these our Accusers who seek to Jealous and Criminate us in these matters were charitably disposed as Christians they would not render us Criminal Dangerous or Seditious for such Religious Acts of Charity and Christianity But would better consider the Primitive Christians Practice in such Cases than to misrepresent our Meetings wherein such Christian Care is taken as opposite to the Government This Savours rank of an Uncharitable Persecuting Spirit as their long Marginal-Note on p. 22 23. doth beginning with these words They have a Government within the Government independant from it and opposite to it This is like Judas and the Priests and the False Witnesses against Christ to make him an Enemy to Caesar thus they would make us the People of God called Quakers greatly obnoxious as if we promoted Regnum in Regno not only Independent but Opposite to the Civil Government which none of our Meetings are being all Peaceable and Innocent both for the Worship of Almighty God and Service of one another in true Christian Love in order to promote the real Practice of Piety Christianity and true Religion among us as a People and to prevent the contrary as much as in us lies by Warning and due Admonition against all disorderly loose Conversation Immorality and Profaneness tending to the Scandal of our Holy Profession And for such good Ends there were Helps in Government in the true Church 1 Cor. 12.28 and all in Subjection to Christ's Government who is Head and Law-giver to His Church and upon whose Shoulders the Government is laid And this is not opposite to the Civil Government in the Nation neither hath the King the Government or the Nation ever sustained any Hurt or Prejudice by these our Meetings or by the Christian Care or Service thereof and their being Monthly Quarterly and Yearly is for conveniency of the Times and due Notice and in no wise to Confront the Government no more than our First-Days and Weekly Meetings for our Meetings are Innocently upheld in the Name of the Lord for his Worship and Service and have accordingly been manifest these many Years under the various Revolutions of Government and we hope we shall in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ stand for and innocently Vindicate our Christian and Just Liberty therein against this Persecuting Spirit which unjustly seeks to Influence Authority against us and our Religious Exercise in the Practice of our Christian Religion But blessed be the Lord who by his Power hath better inclin'd the King and Government to Moderation and Gentleness towards all their Peaceable and Serviceable People As we do not assume to our selves a Government or Dominion over our People or their Faith nor place a Supremacy or Headship in Persons or Assemblies but in Jesus Christ our Head and Governour so we know no such Supream Assembly among us as gives Laws and makes Orders for the Government of our People and suppressing Books writ against us as is falsly suggested we know no such Supremacy or Dominion exercised among us though we have Christian Assemblies both general and particular held only in the Name and Power of Christ Jesus Neither have we our Laws and Orders for the Government of our People to make by Assemblies but to see those put in practice which Christ our Head and Law-giver hath taught us and revealed to his Servants and that agreeable to the Holy Scriptures of Truth and no ways injurious to the outward Government But for the promoting of Truth and Righteousness in the Earth and as Fellow-helpers in Christ provoking one another to Love and Good Works And as for Passing Censure upon Offenders so did the Primitive Christians And what have they against Passing Censure upon Offenders Why may we not as a Christian Society Censure Offenders and Disorderly Walkers and such as cause Divisions and Offences contrary to the Doctrine of the Gospel It is evident the Primitive Christian Churches did both Instruct Exhort Reprove Rebuke and Reject These our Persecutors over and over