Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	place_n	spirit_n	worship_v	2,835	5	9.1263	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A59954	A small treatise concerning evil thoughts and imaginations and concerning good thoughts and heavenly meditations ... / by W. S.	Shewen, William, 1631?-1695.	1679 (1679)	Wing S3423; ESTC R33809	29,991	66

Christian Religion Now the true Christians Worship is in the Spirit and in the Truth not in the Letter nor in the Form barely but was before all Letters and outward Laws and Prescriptions were before all inventions were before all errors and the spirit of them was This was the Worship in Paradice when mankind neglected this worship he fell into evil into invention into error Sin was the occasion or cause of the Law the labour of the Prophets and the coming and suffering of Christ which was the cause of the outward Law and all other dispensations of God for the recovery of lost man And before he can witness a return out of his lost estate he must come again to the same Worship in the Spirit and in the Truth even the Truth in the inward parts for that is it which God loves to the word in the mouth to the law in the heart and the fear in the inward parts from all fear towards God taught by the precepts of men from all traditions of men of corrupt minds from all devices and inventions of men This is the blessed estate the true Christian is come into and is the end sum and substance of all holy Writings Forms and holy Traditions Ministrations and Dispensations before the Law under the Law and the Prophets Wilderness Jerusalem and Temple-Worship which stood in divers bodily exercises outward works and services variety of Offerings observing of Times Days Months and Years Meats Drinks outward Washings and Purifications New Moons Fasts Feasts solemn Meetings and general Assemblies once a Year at Jerusalem all these things were but shadows and typical And this is the antitipe and † The substance of all shadowy Services under the Law substance shadowed forth by them all To come to the Worship in the Spirit in the Truth to Mount Sion the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to come to the general Assembly and Church of the first-born written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all and the spirits of just men made perfect c. and to know the heavenly City that comes down from God out of Heaven even Jerusalem the Mother of all the living Citizens thereof whose Law and Covenant is spiritual and writ in their hearts whose love fear and obedience to God is engraven in their inward parts and from hence ariseth the true Worship in the Spirit and in the Truth And this is the Worship the Primitive Christians came to and were exercised in they prayed in the Spirit not at any set time or appointed place only but at all times and in all places according to the Exhortations pray always pray continually pray without ceasing I will that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath or doubting always breathing to the Lord in Spirit though never a word be uttered in the closet when the door is shut the Lord heareth and answereth this Prayer and many times they were and are also led forth to pray in words publickly but mostly for the sake of others and in the behalf of others as Christ Jesus did The true Christian is also a preacher of Righteousness not only in Words Sentences and long Sermons at set times and appointed places but in life and conversation † A true Christian is always preaching in this he is always a Preacher a Teacher of that which is good always as a candle burning and set in the right place his lamp trimmed and his light shining always as a City upon a hill as the salt of the earth and light of the world to season and give light to others by holy example which preacheth lowder than words The true Christians singing or rejoycing is also in the Spirit and in the Truth and not in iniquity and with a good understanding he needs no art not invention to bring words into Meeter or Rhime that they may make a pleasant sound and a joyful noise The Christian Musick is not made by Art and Air. his Musick doth not stand in outward sounds made by Art and Air but his melody is in his heart in the spirit in the inward man in the hidden man of the heart which is the antitipe and substance of all outward musick used in the time of the Law under the first Covenant in the Worship and Service of God and as far exceeds it as the substance of a thing doth the shadow thereof And he that hath this heavenly inward rejoycing and pleasant melody in the heart will never invent to himself instruments of Musick like David nor delight in the sounds thereof Where this heart-melody is lost the outward invented musick is set up among Jews Gentiles and Apostate Christians for the true Christian is come to know Christ Jesus as a Prince of Peace as a peaceable Saviour as the Consolation of Israel and joy of generations as a giver of peace which the world cannot give nor take away which far surpasseth all the delights of the sons of men which by nature art and invention they can attain unto Now the Spirit of God is universal and the Truth is universal and the true Christian Worship that stands in it is also to be universal that is at all times and in all places not only when people meet together in a solemn manner to wait together upon God and to he or his word preach and be preached and to hear a Prayer Psalm Song or Hymn even from his own pure motion and Spirit one hour in seven The true Worship of God stands not in any outward observation of time or place or any bodily exercise therein but in doing the will of God bowing in his Spirit and obeying the voice thereof or one day in seven which is good and profitable in its place but every hour and every day bowing in spirit worshiping in the Truth which makes free from all error from all evil from all vain observations literal traditions and humane inventions about the Worship of God from all carnal Ordinances as Musicks Meats Drinks Washings Feasts Fasts Days and Times which ends vanisheth or perisheth with the using though holy and significant in their first institution these things are not to be touched nor tasted no nor so much as handled by the true Christian these things are but beggerly elements and worldly rudiments which had a beginning and must have an end And the root or cause of a Christian which is Christ is the end of the Law and all the types and shadows of it and fulfils all the righteousness of it of the Prophets and of John also and is a bringer in of a better hope a better Law a better Covenant a better Worship which Hope Law Covenant and Worship is inward and spiritual and not outward and carnal formal nor traditional and all that are come to this worship in the Spirit and in the Truth which is one pure eternal principle of light life and power and have their hearts tendred

Therefore my mind is in good will to mankind having received knowledge and understanding of the means God hath ordained for the good and salvation of mankind And being something acquainted with the two great mysteries of Godliness Iniquity and the way and working of each to impart and signifie something of the same in a few words to instruct and inform those to whom this my testimony may come how they may attain thereunto and how they may come to be rid of those troublesome companions viz. Evil Thoughts and Imaginations that do may or shall arise in their hearts whila corrupted and how the same may be purified and made a holy habitation for God as it was before sin entred before Innocency was lost before the Serpent deceived the weaker vessel when all was good yea very good The way that leadeth thereto I affirm and declare to be as followeth and whoever thou art that hast a mind or desire to find that which is lost observe believe and receive what I say or write as Truth not received or learned by Tradition but by the experimental powerful work and operation of the Spirit of Truth in my own Heart Mind and Conscience and what I have said or shall say is and shall be according to the Holy Scriptures and witnessed to by them for I cannot write contrary to them being in unity with them with the just mens spirits that wrote them First then know thou O man whoever thou art and whatever thy thoughts and imaginations are how far soever thou art run into corruption darkness and degeneration from the state of innocency purity and holiness yet there is a measure of Divine Light attends thee though thou art darkness it-shines in thee in order to show thee thy way out of it though thou art degenerated and run from God into the earth yet this pure light Spirit of God follows thee and calls thee back again and thou mayst in this state hear it as a voice behind thee saying Return return this is the way come and walk in it this is the kindness and love of God to thee in his Son who is the light of the world and lighteth every one that cometh thereinto If men would hear and obey the voice of the Son of God Death Hell nor the Grave could not hinder them from Salvation if thou hear and obey this voice of the light of the Son of God though thou wert dead in sin and buried as in a grave thou shalt arise and come forth and live before him the bars and gates of Hell shall not be able to retain thee But if thou slight and despise the Light of God that visits thee and shut'st thy ear against its voice it will be as a thousand witnesses against thee while thou rebellest against it and art found following thy own thoughts and imaginations and doing the thing that is evil for this Light I speak of is the eye of the Lord that runs too and fro through the earth beholding the evil and the good and that discerneth the thoughts and intents of the heart 't is the word that 's nigh in mouth and in the heart which is quick and powerful sharper than any two-edged sword piereing even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit and of the joynts and marrow this is the candle of the Lord that searcheth Jerusalem and gives light to the sides of the earth and corners of the world from whom the shadow of death cannot hide nor the Rocks and Mountains cover or defend for be that formeth the Mountains and createth the winds and declareth or sheweth unto man what is his thought that maketh the morning darkness and treadeth upon the high places of the earth the Lord the God of Hosts is his name This is the Spirit of truth that convinceth the world of sin and that sets mens sins in order before them and reproves and smites in secret for evil and that brings to judgment the hidden things of Esau from this eye or light of the Lord thou canst not hide thy self no more than Adam and Cain could though thou shouldest hate the light which sheweth thee thy thoughts and love the darkness so as to dwell in it No hiding from the eye of God yet the light or eye of God will pursue thee and find thee out Hell nor the utmost parts of the earth and darkness cannot secure thee from the * Mans condemnation is just because he hates the light the way and means of Salvation just condemnation of God because thou hatest the shining of his light and stopest thy ear against the voice and teaching of it and lovest the darkness and dwellost in it while thou doest so thou choosest the way of death and neglectest the means of salvation that God hath ordained for this is the condemnation of the world that light is come into it and men love darkness rather because their deeds are evil Now as the first step towards restoration and everlasting happiness thou art required † The first step in the way to life or towards everlasting happiness to turn thy mind from the darkness in which thou dwellest to the light Eye or Spirit of God and to decline the power of Satan that works in the darkness and embrace the power of God and when thou dost but begin to do so thou wilt find the scales to fall from thy eyes by degrees and the veil to be taken off thy heart and the setters and chains of darkness to be loosed and the prison doors opened so when thy candle is lighted and thy eye opened thou wilt discern thy way out and see the Angel of the Lord go before thee and guide thee in the same And thou wilt also perceive what is in thy house and clearly understand what hath lodged in the dark room of thy heart and when thou comest to see things as they are † Mistake in the understanding concerning the nature of things that do present themselves before mankind is the cause of error Thence it is that some call darkness light and light darkness thou wilt receive wisdom to give them names according to their nature and to judge righteously concerning them and as thou lovest this light thou wilt be enabled by it to divide betwixt thought and thought and begin to make conscience of a thought and to hate every vain thought and when thou canst not be easily rid of them nor remove them from their old lodging-place thou wilt breath and cry to the Lord in the Spirit as one of old did who was burthened and oppressed with their company Search me and try me O God and know my heart try me and know my thougts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting This is the cry which the Lord hears and will answer in due and needful time And Jeremiah's cry to Jerusalem was Wash thy heart from wickedness that thou