Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	jew_n	spirit_n	worship_v	2,654	5	9.6923	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A54022	The ancient principle of truth, or, The light within asserted and held forth according to true experience and the faithful testimony of the Scriptures also an appeal to the witness of God in all consciences which is the more sure word of prophesie, the testimony of the Scriptures without, or the voice and testimony of the light and Spirit of God within in the heart / by Isaac Pennington.	Penington, Isaac, 1616-1679.	1672 (1672)	Wing P1150; ESTC R28786	29,086	98

The Ancient PRINCIPLE OF TRUTH Or the Light Within Asserted and Held forth according to true Experience and the Faithful Testimony of the Scriptures Also An Appeal to the Witness of God in all Consciences which is the More Sure Word of Prophesie the Testimony of the Scriptures Without or the Voice and Testimony of the Light and Spirit of God Within in the Heart By one once greatly Distressed but now at length in the Tender Mercy of the Lord effectually Visited and Redeemed by the Light and Power of Truth Isaac Pennington Printed in the Year 1672. THE PREFACE THe true Ministers of the Gospel the Ministers of the new Covenant were ordained and appointed by God to be Ministers of Light Ministers of Righteousness Ministers of the Spirit Mat. 5.14 2 Cor. 11.15 and Chap. 3.6 And this was their work and service even to preach the Light to deliver their Message concerning the Light which they heard of Christ and were sent by him 〈◊〉 preach as is recorded 1 John 1.5 〈◊〉 that they were to tell men what the Light was and where it was to be found and to turn men from darkness to Light from sin and unrighteousness to purity and righteousness from the spirit and power of Satan to the Spirit and Power of the living God Dan. 12.3 Act. 26.18 that so they might come from under Satans authority power and kingdom of darkness into the light wherein Christ reigns as King Priest and Prophet unto and over all his who is faithful in all his House as Son and Lord of all distributing Life Righteousness Mercy and Peace to his whole Family as they abide in him and walk in subjection to his Spirit So that there is no condemnation to them that are gathered unto Christ engrafted into him and who abide in him walking not after the Flesh but after the Spirit who is the Quickener Guide and Rule of all the Children of the new Covenant For Christ is the Way the Truth and the Life in and to them all and is made by God all in all unto them He is their Shepherd their King their Captain their Vine their Olive Tree their Leader their Door their Path their Rule their Righteousness their Holiness their Wisdom their Redemption their Altar their Sacrifice their Priest their Prophet their Sabboth their Light their Day-spring their Bright and Morning Star their Son their Shield their Rock and their High Tower What shall I say God hath gathered together all things into one even in him whose Spirit Life and Light Eternal is the one Substance which answers all the Figures and Shadows of the Law and they are all comprehended and fulfilled and end in him So that he is the end of the Law for Righteousness to all that believe in him And he Ministers Righteousness he Ministers Truth he Ministers Life he Ministers Salvation he Ministers Power he Ministers Pure Heavenly Wisdom and no good thing will he with-hold from them that come unto him in the Drawings of his Father and follow him whithersoever he leads and obey his Gospel which is Everlastingly new and living Now this precious Ministry hath been withdrawn and hid from Ages and Generations in the long Night of the great Apostacy and thick Darkness And how could it be otherwise for men being in the Dark and having Erred from the True Spirit and let in a wrong spirit and built up wrong Churches and having not known the True Wilderness nor being willing to flee into it whither the True Church fled and was Nourished by God with the true Food even with the true living vertue and Nourishment all this Dark Night of the Apostacy I say how could they come at the true Light the true Spirit the true Power from which the true Ministry is which did not visibly now appear but was with the true Church in the Wilderness So that there hath been a true Church all this while which the Gates of Hell have not been able to prevail against as to her inward Temple and Altar nor over the Worshippers which have worship'd therein although they have gained the outward Court God having severed it from his inward building and given it to the Gentiles in spirit who are not true Jews who are not Worshippers in the Spirit and in the Truth Rev. 21.1 2. But now at length blessed be the Lord the long Night of Darkness araws towards an end yea is come to an end in many Spirits and the true Light is broken forth again and shineth again inwardly in many and the true Mninstry is revived again and the everlasting Gospel the Everlasting Covenant of Life Mercy and Salvation in and through Christ Jesus the Light and Life of men preached again For now it is not only outwardly read that God is Light But the Message hath been received and persons chosen and sent forth by God to publish it and to turn men from Darkness to Light and from Satans power to God And blessed be the Lord the publishing of this precious Testimony in the power and authority of the Most High hath not been in vain but the Captivity of many hath been broken by the Power of Light and the power and strength of Darkness inwardly overturned by it O how hath the strong man which kept the House before the stronger then he appeared in the name and authority of his Father I s●y how hath he Trembled at the inward and Spiritual Appearance of him that was stronger than he and how have the pillars of the old building been shaken How hath the witness of God been reached to in mens spirits how have the dead been raised the blind eye opened the deaf ear unstopped the dumb tongue loosed the Lame caused to leap as an Hart and the tongue of the dumb to sing the inward Spiritual Leprosie cleansed and done away forever the wounded healed the broken-hearted bound up and what hath not the Lord done inwardly and spiritually for his people who have been sensible of his appearance and gathered by his Spirit and Power to the true Shiloh who is the true Shepherd the Land of the living the holy City and Temple the Light of the City the Life of the City the Gates and Wall of the City the King and Kingdom both for his Life his nature his Spirit is all and in all Ah what do we desire to have but Christ the Seed and this Seed sown in our Hearts and abiding in us and his Life righteousness and glory his holy Power Dominion and Kingdom springing up in it And as in the Apostles days there was the Seal to their Testimony in peoples hearts where their Ministry was ordered by the Lord and was received even so it is now O how doth the witness answer in mens hearts and Consciences and they that keep to the witness and its Testimony not hearkening after words to the wisdom of the flesh how do they become living Epistles to be seen and read of all men as the

blessed Apostles was a Vision given of the glory of Christ and of Moses and Elias with him not in the mind or head as Daniels Visions were Dan. 7.1 but the excellent glory did appear and Christ Moses and Elias were really there together on the mount which is more then a prophetick Vision of a thing and Christ was cloathed with and swallowed up in the glory For God the Father did set himself to honour and glorifie him so as never man was glorified before and the Voice came the certain Voice What Voice could be more certain from the excellent Glory This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased 2 Pet. 1.17 And this pure Vision of Glory even of Gods thus appearing and Christs thus transfiguring they saw and heard the Voice which came from Heaven when they were with him in the holy Mount Now were ●he Prophesies of the Prophets that Christ should be born in Bethlehem and ●hat he should be thus and thus c. equal to this in evidence and demonstration Why was John greater then the rest of the Prophets Was it not in that he was chosen to be the immediate Fore-runner and Preparer of the Way and could point with his finger to the Messiah And yet is not this immediate testimony from the excellent Glory greater then the testimony of John 4thly Consider Whether Christs own Words in the Flesh to his Disciples were surer then this Voice from the excellent Glory If I should extol the Words of Christ in the Flesh above the words of the Prophets which testified of him should I therein do the words and testimonies of the Prophets any wrong He was the Son he had the fulness of Life the fulness of the Spirit the great authority and vertue of God his Father God saith the Apostle who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in time past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last dayes spoken unto us by his Son Hebr. 1.1 2. seeming to exalt and magnifie Gods speaking by his Son and the Way of this Ministration above the Ministraon of the Prophets which Ministration was first by him in flesh afterwards in Spirit which is properly called the Ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 Now consider whether this sure word of Prophesie from the excellent Glory so immediately from the Majesty on High was not intended by him as a seal to the Faith of the Disciples as a seal to Christ's appearance in Flesh and to what he had taught them which was sometimes in Parables and not so fully understood by them and whether this was not more bright more ravishing more certain more establishing then his common Presence and Appearance among them and then the words which he from the Father not the Father so immediately himself spake to them For that which is given to confirm a thing is in order of nature and for evidence sake more certain and clear then that which it is given to confirm 5thly Consider Whether the Voice of Gods Spirit and Light within in the heart be not more clear and certain to him that hears it then any Word or Testimony from without Is it not a surer Word of Prophesie then this Relation or Testimony of the Apostles of what they heard from the excellent Glory yea is it not surer then any Testimony of the Scriptures or then all outward Testimonies put together 6thly Consider Whether they who are turned from Darkness to the Light even to the inward Manifestation of Gods holy Spirit ought not to give diligent heed unto it until the day dawn and the Day-Star arise in their hearts Lastly Consider What is the difference between this Light shining as a Word of Prophesie in the dark place and the day dawning and the Day-Star arising in the heart Is it not the same Light only further revealed and shining in it's glory in the holy and pure place The Apostle Paul excellently openeth the thing Coloss 1.25.20 27. First he speaketh of the Word in general which he was to fulfil or fully to preach Then he sheweth how this Word is a Mystery hid in the Gentiles for so the Greek vers 27. is even in them that believe not the Word is nigh there the Instruction and Commandment of Life nigh there But in those that receive the Grace and believe in the Light and so become children of the Light and walk in the Light as God is in the Light in them Christ is risen and they are risen together with him and he is in them the hope of glory So that the day hath dawned there the Day-Star hath arisen and they know not only a Measure of Grace from Christ but Christ himself arisen dwelling living acting walking in them and they in him Let these things be duly considered of and equally weighed in the holy Ballance and then I dare appeal to every serious and sober heart and mind Whether the inward Light the inward Word the word nigh in the mouth and heart and the holy living testimony thereof the voice of the Witness within of the Prophesie within be not surer to that man that hath it and hears and knows the voice of it then any outward voice or testimony whatsoever Object But some may object thus or after this manner I am satisfied that there is a Word nigh in the mouth and heart to which Moses did direct the Jews and the Apostles the Christians and that this Word doth enlighten the mind and doth separate in the mouth between words and words and is a swift Witness against the bad words and a Justifier of the good words which come from the truth and uprightness of the heart and are seasoned with grace I also believe that this Word is quick and powerful in the heart separating and dividing between the thoughts and intents there and that the testimony thereof is surer and clearer as to the hearts in which it shines and to them whose spiritual ears are opened to hear its voice then any words and testimonies from without And I am satisfied also that they who are the Sheep of Christ do thus hear the Shepherds Voice and do know both the Voice behind them when it comes after them to reprove their wandrings and direct their minds into the true Way and also the voice before them when the Shepherd who is the Leader putteth forth his Sheep and goeth before them and they follow him for they knew his Voice John 10.4 Yea I have had the experience hereof in my own heart for I have felt that work within and that living sweet testimony of Gods Spirit in my own heart which hath been more to me then all that ever I heard or read from without so that I can truly say with the Samaritans John 4.42 Now I believe not because of the testimonies or words I have heard from without but from the evidence and demonstration of Life and of Gods holy Spirit in my own heart Nor can I see how the