Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A43752
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From New-Gate, a prisoners just cause pleaded against all his persecutors and let the witnesse of God in all consciences be judge in this matter.
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Higgins, John, 1633-1667.
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1661
(1661)
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Wing H1952A; ESTC R18499
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5,840
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9
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near unto judgement and the wicked shall know it and feel the rod of his wrath even in their own hearts this is the true and living God whom the Nations in the ignorance of their minds make mention of but are estranged from him and therefore doth iniquity transgression abomination false worship and idolatry abound in this Generation and this hath grieved the Spirit of the Lord who is a Spirit and will be worshipped reverenced served and submitted unto in the Spirit and people being out of this all their outward observations and gatherings of assemblies and talking of Church and Church-worship is a practice not acceptable with the Lord whilst man is found out of the subjection to him in the Spirit therefore let none deceive themselves the Lord our God will indeed not be mocked but search your selves and see whom you yeild subjection unto within whether it be unto him that reprove for sin or unto him that leads into sin and so he unto whom obedience is yeilded the same is thy God and the day is come that people are to be tried and searched within for the Lord requires obedience there even in the heart that so man may be brought by the leading of his eternal power and Spirit out of the darknesse out of the spiritual wickednesse out of the house of bondage yea to be quickned and made alive unto God again and here is the new man brought forth in Gods image to glorifie his Maker to live unto him and to serve him yea to delight in the way of his Commandements But all that are out of this are excluded out of the Kingdom all wicked and envious ones persecuters and murderers swearers and liars and all that are in the transgression of the pure Law written in the heart these are shut out of Gods Kingdom whatever their professions are names and words and fair professions in outward appearance cannot administer an entrance into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ Therefore now come to that which is more excellent and acceptable with God even the Light and Spirit in the inward parts thereby to be led out of sin and transgression and all the works of darknesse out of wrath malice envy persecution and oppression for the Light and Spirit of the Lord leads out of these things into truth and righteousnesse meeknesse and patience into unity and peace with God and one with another and these are the true Christians that are thus led and thus purified from uncleannesse by the Spirit and power of God in the inward parts and here 's the true worship of God in the Spirit and here have the children of light that walk in the light fellowship with God and one with another in the light and in the Spirit and unto this must the gathering of the Nations be for all the Nations of them that are saved must walk in the light of the Lord which leads out of the separation uncleannesse and deeds of darknesse and brings back again unto God into the new and everlasting Covenant and here is the new and living way wherein acceptation with God is found And now to conclude This doth the Lord require from you all grieve not his Spirit provoke him not to wrath by persecuting of his Servants do them no harm they are as dear to him as the apple of his eye therefore oh take heed let not the guilt of these things lie upon your Consciences for we testifie of a truth whether you will hear or forbear that our God will visit for these things and behold this is the crying sin that draws down Gods judgement upon a people as in the dayes of old was it not so with the Sodomites who lived in pride and fulnesse of bread This God suffered long but when they persecuted righteous Lot this brought his long-suffering to an end and judgement from heaven was revealed upon them and this was an example for all that might follow after living in their ungodly conversation that they might take warning not to persecute the righteous least they perish by the same revelation of the righteous judgement of God Oh that men would consider of the things which belong unto their peace before the decree of God be sealed against them unto eternal condemnation And as for us who are at this day a persecuted people for Righteousnesse sake for the Name of Christ we have received the Testimony of his Eternal Spirit that wrath is not in him against us though he may suffer the enemy to exercise cruelty upon us for a season yet behold the Lot of our inheritance shall not be alwaies here Therefore look above all these things ye children of the Light ye Sons of Sions King and Daughters of new Jerusalem which shall be gloriously scituated even upon the Holy Mountain where none shall make afraid and the glory of the Lord shall be upon his people and with his Righteousnesse as with a garment shall they be covered Oh the infinitenesse of that invisible glory and eternal inheritance of the Saints which no mortal eye can behold Yet great things hath God revealed unto us by his Spirit and he hath sealed us for his own Therefore let all the Saints rejoyce in heart and blesse and praise and magnifie his Name who lives for ever And what if the wicked will be wicked still and the unrighteous hate to be reformed let us leave them to the execution of the eternal judgement from the Lord our God yet as we are moved in tender love to their souls let us warn them to bring forth fruits meet for Repentance and such as reject our message which is the message of the Lord their bloud be upon their own heads and the day cometh when this wofull lamentation shall be taken up by them How have we hated instruction and despised the day of healing Here followeth some examples of Gods righteous judgement upon them that persecuted his people in former generations CAin that old Persecutor about Religion was banished and termed a fugative and a vagabond in the earth because of his persecuting of his brother about Religion for Cain envied and slew his brother and wherefore was it because his brothers sacrifice was accepted and his was not And read the 19th chapter of Genesis and see and take notice what became of the persecuting Sodomites who beset Lots house where the Servants of God were and demanded them out of his house for to do unto them even as their wicked hearts were bent but the Angel of God smote these persecutors with blindnesse vers 11. and moreover the Angel said unto Lot Take thy Wife and thy Daughters c. and go forth of the City for the wickednesse thereof is full and it shall be destroyed and Lot did accordingly and Gods judgement was revealed from heaven in flames of fire upon the Sodomites vers 24 25. And consider King Pharaoh that great persecutor and oppressor of Gods people how God plagued him and his hosts of mighty men because of their grievous oppression of the seed that God had chosen and blessed therefore was Pharaoh and his mighty men plagued seven times and at last an utter destruction came upon them and Pharaoh and his host with all the Egyptians were drowned in the Red sea Exod. 14. 27. And consider what became of envious Haman who prepared a gallows for Mordecai who was more righteous then himself And Haman incensed the King against Mordecai and the Jews and gained an order to destroy the Jews throughout all his dominion but the God of heaven gave not license to this but confounded their conspiracies and turned their determination backward and Haman was hanged upon the gallows which he built for Mordecai Esth 5. 14. And thus Gods judgement was revealed upon him and them that persecuted those that were more righteous then themselves read Ester 3. 4. and 5. Chapters And in the daies of the Prophets amongst the Jews God revealed his righteous judgement upon them that persecuted about Religion because they persecuted the Prophets and just men whom God sent unto them therefore Gods wrath was kindled against them and the judgements written in the Book came upon them destruction upon destruction they were driven out of their Country and were captives in a strange land their Temple was destroyed and desolation came upon their Princely places and a voice of woe and misery and great lamentation was heard in all their borders and this people God often warned by his Prophets and Servants as this generation hath been before his irrevocable decree came upon them to utter destruction And take notice of Gods judgement upon Herod for persecuting and murthering of the people of God read Acts 12. And it came to passe that the Angel of God smote him and he was eaten up of worms This hapned unto a persecuting King Acts 12. 13. These examples of Gods judgement may serve to warn this generation least by their persecuting of Gods people they draw down the same judgements upon them for this is that crying sin which fills up the measure of iniquity and draws down Gods righteous judgement upon a rebellious people Pharaoh had a day and the Jews of old had a day of visitation before destruction came upon them but Gods love was not regarded and his judgement broke forth upon them And now England hath a day or a little time before Gods judgment be revealed unto destruction upon all his enemies except they repent The 25. of the 12. month 166â— In Newgate which hath been often termed a Den of Thieves but may be called now an House of Prayer John Higgins London Printed for Thomas Simmons at the sign of the Bull and Mouth near Aldersgate 1661.