Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	peace_n	spirit_n	unity_n	1,812	5	8.9331	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A62877	True old light exalted above pretended new light, or, Treatise of Jesus Christ as He is the light which enlightens every one that comes into the world : against the sense both of the Quakers, Arminians, and other assertors of universal grace, whose light is proved to be darkness / delivered in nine sermons, by John Tombes, B.D., and commended to publick view by Mr. Richard Baxter.	Tombes, John, 1603?-1676.	1660 (1660)	Wing T1824; ESTC R21431	110,239	95

grace hereby Do they hold that common supernatural light outward and inward objective and inherent is given to many at least of the unsanctified that live under the preaching of the Gospel And who contradicteth them in this Do they hold that as the Sun is appointed in nature to be the light of every man that cometh into the world though some parts of the earth were never illuminated by it and blind men partake not of its light and the night or shutting our eyes or windows may exclude it so Christ is by office the Sun in the world of grace giving men actually all the gracious light they have and being sufficient himself to enlighten all and giving them an illuminating Word which is sufficient in its own kind to do its own part though many are blind and many for their sin are deprived of the communication of this light Why all this we maintain as well as they Do they say that all this light within us and without us is to be hearkened to and obeyed Why what man did they ever speak with that 's a Christian that denieth it But if they make mans Reason in faculty or act or any of this inward light to be Christ personally within us and deny any Christ but such a one that is essentially one with such a light that is with every wicked man we abhor this Infidelity and blasphemy and marvell that such hellish darknesse should have the face to assume the name of light If they maintain that the common Reason of the world is sufficient to bring men to the Faith of Christ without any other kind of light from the Spirit or written or preached Word I would fain be resolved in these few Questions Q. 1. How comes it to passe that all Nations that never heard the Gospel are utterly void of Faith in Christ when the Nations that have the Gospel do generally know him more or lesse Q. 2. Why did not the world believe in Christ even generally before his coming if Reason was then a sufficient Light Q. 3. Why did Christ preach himself while he was on earth if the people had all sufficient Light before Q. 4. Why did he send his Apostles to preach through the world if the people had sufficient Light before Q. 5. Why did he set Pastours and Teachers in his Church if all have a sufficient Light within them Q. 6. Why do the Quakers go up and down teaching men their own Doctrines if all men have sufficient Light already Q. 7. Why do they cry out against us as being in darknesse when all men have sufficient Light within them Q. 8. Will they pray for more light and grace or not If not they are impiously proud If yea then it seems they have not yet light and grace sufficient Q. 9. Whereas they say the light within is sufficient if obeyed Our Question is Whether it be sufficient to make men obey it For that 's the grace that we are speaking of that causeth men to hearken believe and obey For Faith is not of our selves but it is the gift of God And mens hearts must be opened as Lydia's was Act. 16. to hear and receive the truth revealed Now to say that the Light or Grace which is given to cause us to Believe and Obey is sufficient if we will believe and obey is ridiculous as if Christ should have said to Lazarus I will raise thee if thou wilt first raise thyself Q. 10. But how can any Light be sufficient were a man never so obedient to reveal that which is not manifested by it or by any Revelation that doth accompany it No Light or Revelation among the Heathens in America doth tell them that Christ was incarnate dyed rose ascended or intercedeth for us or is the King Priest or Teacher of the Church or will raise the dead and judge the world How then can their light be sufficient to help them to the belief of this I think it 's past controversie that no man hath sufficient Grace for salvation till his last breath For if God adde not more for his preservation excitation and perseverance all will be lost But this point which Quakers most insist on the Reverend Author hath very judiciously handled in this Treatise and therefore I shall say no more of it The truth is here opened to the shaming of their errours with great Scripture evidence which impartially considered may easily convince all that believe the Scriptures and make it appear that the Light that is in these men is Darknesse Luk. 11. 35. Though the difference and too-eager Disputations between the Reverend Author and my self about the point of Infant-Baptism be too well known yet it is our desire that it be as much known that we desire to hold the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace as Members of the same Head and Body uniting our force for the common Truths against the pernicious adversaries thereof And though we own not in each other or our selves the discerned errours of doctrine or life which through humane frailty we may be guilty of Neverthelesse whereto we have already attained we desire to walk by the same Rule and mind the same things hoping that if in any thing we be otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto us Phil. 3. 15 16. I think it is time for men that have any sense of the common interest of Christianity and Reformation to lay by those contentions that have brought us so low and almost made us a prey to the common Romish adversaries The Lord grant it be not too late The two great works of the Jesuites in England are to procure Liberty for the Profession of Popery and to weaken if not take down a fixed able Ministry They cannot do this work of themselves without the help of men professing a zeal for Reformation But how much they have promoted it by such hands and how much they are likely further by them to promote it I had rather lament with daily tears than open to a generation of deluded souls that will not believe they are doing the work of the Devil and the Pope till they find themselves in Rome or the Inquisition It astonisheth me to foresee if a wonder of mercy do not prevent it how these contetious souls will be worryed by their consciences and ready even to eat their flesh when they see by the conjunction of forreign and Domestick Papists the Cause of Christ once trodden down in the hand and see how they betrayed the Gospel of their Posterity into the hands of tyrannous Idolaters and how the familistical Juglers of these times made use of them to set up Popery Which ●ow is the work that is already so farre carried on that all our endeavours if united are like to be little enough to prevent We are not so childish as 'to fear lest Quaking should become the National Religion We know these squibs will soon be out But those that animate

them have Italy and Spain and Austria and France Armies and Navies and swarmes of Fryers and Jesuites at their backs and I take their Liberty and Dominion to be words almost of the same signification But let the Curse of the Almighty Defender of his Church yet follow the underminers of his holy Truth and confound the builders of this Babel And never let the Deliverances in 88 and from the Powder-plot be buried in the ruines of an ungratefull apostatized Land When you hear that among our Rulers it shall be endeavoured that Liberty for Popery shall be granted and secured from interruption from any future Parliaments then remember what I say and let the consciences of those that have betrayed us be awakened and let them see then what friends they have been to our Religion and whither their uncharitable perversnesse hath brought a miserable Land I have already told the Episcopal Brethren that Bishop Usher and I did fully agree in half an hour and therefore it is not long of us that our wound is yet unhealed And though I never treated with Mr. Tombes about such a matter I am confident that he and I should agree in one daiestreaty upon termes of communion charity and forbearance among those of our several waies And therefore if we yet continue unhealed let the shame and horror lie on them that are obstinate in their uncharitable waies And that it should be harder to agree with the Congregational Brethren is incredible Why then is there not long ago a setled concord among all these That yet there should be a frustration of all Assemblies and endeavours to these ends and so easie so necessary so Christian a work should be yet undone yea obstinately resisted after so many years experience and opportunity till we are all ready to be devoured by the common adversary this is our astonishment and Englands shame and especially of some that have been the hinderers and will cost the consciences of some men dear when God ariseth to judge the earth and vindicate his honour which they betrayed by their self-blinding and Church-troubling Pride Reader as I invite thee to the perusall of this Treatise for thy edification so do I most earnestly intreat thee if thou beest a divider to study the nature of holy Charity and Catholick Unity and follow us that desire to lead thee to the Love and Concord of the Saints And to further this work I intreat thee also impartially to peruse Mr. William Allen's Retractation of Seperation which if thou wilt do with a Christian frame of spirit then go on to destroy the Church by divisions and further their work that would betray us to the Papists if thou canst If our wickednesse have not caused God to passe an irreversible Decree of departing from us and leaving England to be a stye of Romish abominations he will yet cause his people to retreat from their divisions and presently to hear the Voice of Peace For which I shall daily pray and groan and labour according to my power and if God deny it me and tell me this is not a world that 's fit for so great a mercy I hope I shall long the more for Heaven and cry and wait for the glorious appearing of the Prince of Peace Come Lord Jesus come quickly Amen Richard Baxter October 17. THE CONTENTS SERM. I. Christ the Light SEct. 1. Of the Evangelists scope method the reading and meaning of Joh. 1. 9. Sect. 2. Christ is the Light and the term Light explained Sect. 3. Christ is Light as the Prince of life Sect. 4. Christ is Light as the Lord of Glory Sect. 5. Christ is Light as cause of Peace and Joy Sect. 6. Christ is Light in respect of his Purity and Wisdome Sect. 7. Christ is Light in respect of Truth and Grace Sect. 8. The application in a double Use to see the estate of men without Christ and to draw our eyes to him SERM. II. Christ the True Light Sect. 1. Christ no counterfeit Light Sect. 2. Christ more then a typical Light Sect. 3. Other Lights not Lights in comparison of Christ. Sect. 4. Christ the Original Light Sect. 5. Christ the perfect Light Sect. 6. Christ the effectual inlightning Light Sect. 7. Christ was the true Light in respect of the Truth of his Word Sect. 8. Application by way of vindication of our selves from the accusation of Quakers as if we denied the Light John 1. 9. and warning to shun false Lights SERM. III. Christ the inlightning Light Sect. 1. Christ inlightens all things with their natural light as Creatour Sect. 2. Christ inlightens the world with the knowledge of God as the Prophet of the Church Sect. 3. Christ as High Priest enlightens with the Light of pea and joy in God Sect. 4. Christ as King of Saints enlightens with the Light of glory Sect. 5. Christ enlightens by his natural power as Gods Son and by special commission as sent of God Sect. 6. Christ enlightens by his Preaching Example Spirit Apostles now in this time by his power and glory in the world to come Sect. 7. Christ enlightens by reason of his own lustre and his Fathers design to shew him to the world Sect. 8. Application by way of inference that we are to bless God for Christs enlightening and all that are Christs are children of Light SERM. IV. Men coming into the world need Light from Christ. Sect. 1. The necessity of Christs enlightening is asserted because of the blindness which is in all at birth Sect. 2. Universal corruption at birth is proved from Joh. 3. 6. Sect. 3. Vacuity of Light without Christ enlightening is proved from Rom. 8. 7 8. Rom. 3. 9 10 11. 23. 1 Cor. 2. 14. Mar. 7. 21 Jam. 1. 14. Sect. 4. Vacuity of Light without Christ enlightening is proved from Gen. 6. 5. 8. 21. Job 14. 4. 15. 14. 25. 4 5 6. 11 12. Psal. 51. 5. Jer. 10. 14. 17. 9. and experience Sect. 5. Every man needs enlightening by Christ by reason of the many evils consequent on sin Sect. 6. Application to make us sensible of sins evil and the worlds vanity and to provoke us to seek a treasure above and Light from Christ to comfort us SERM. V. Every man hath Light from Christ to make him inexcusable Sect. 1. A natural Light from Christ is yeelded to be in every man and the opinions of Free-willers of its sufficiency are set down Sect. 2. The opinion of the Quakers concerning a Light in each man is enquired into Sect. 3. Some Light is in the most barbarous yet the knowledge of the most refined Gentiles may be conceived to come from some acquaintance with the written Law or Tradition from Adam Sect. 4. The Light without the written Word which was in the Gentiles in the utmost extent of it was imperfect Sect. 5. The Gentiles Light by nature served to restrain from sin and to leave men inexcusable Sect. 6. Application to justifie us against