Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	rule_n	scripture_n	word_n	4,530	5	4.5831	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A48300	Something by way of testimony concerning Clement Lake of Crediton in Devonshire with something he wrote in his life time by way of answer unto John Flavell, independent preacher of Dartmouth.	Lake, CLement, d. 1689.; Flavel, John, 1630?-1691.	1692 (1692)	Wing L186; ESTC R32449	16,488	34

tho my Answer were sound yet not very Acceptable for it was in Scripture terms It is true I am utterly against it that Scripture should bow to vain Philosophy and to be wise above what is written and also it seems one thing not liked my forsakeing those People with whom I have walked it is true while they walked I walked with them but when they grew weary and sat down must I be blamed for not doing as they did because I walked still and that by the Footsteeps of the Flock according to there own adivce and cannot set down or turn back There is one thing that I have observed of the like nature and is counted rather a Vertue then a Vice in others which is this in the time when the Sheepherds fled and the People scattered the Cross of Christ appearing the People crept in under the Wing of the Church of England for shelter I do not say to avoid the Cross of Christ look they to that sheltered they were and fed too with such food as they had to give them if not wholsome why did they use it What made them there Why did their Stewards permit it if they found the Bread of Life there Why are they drawn off again was not this permitted by thee and others if not approved and why was it to keep the Children quiet that they might not Cry for Bread when the Stewards would not give them any for the Lyon was in the way was it good Bread then and is it Husks now Now they will feed these People themselves or rather these People must feed them for their Bread now yeildeth a good rate and if they will not come up to the price we will go to another Flock Well now these People must leave those with whom they have walked and be blamless but blamed if they will not leave them surely I must needs say that they all dealt very disingenously with the Church of England to leave them now they have most need of them as I have told many to there Faees and not only so but rejoyce in there Ruin which is an ill requital for there former kindness but enough of that In thy former Letter thy Charges were drawn and in thy last Letter I expected proof of what was then Charged but I have failed of my Expectation and of fare dealing too for the first Bill is lost and a new Indictment is drawn up which is not fare it yet lieth on thee to prove it or bare thy shame In thy first Letter we were Unchristianed by thy false Accusation and lying Slanders no small Evil for a Minister of Christ to be found guilty of to unchristian such a body of People with a bare say so it is a Spot but not of God's Children they are Children that will not lye and it hath caused my Heart to grieve that such a one as thy self should be the author and spreader of them so that many in this place who have had thy Person in admiration have been doing the same evil Work having an Implicet Faith much like a Generation of men who believe as the Church believeth and it is true because the Church saith it and so they did believe it and spread it because thou said'st it But now the Refuge of Lyes is sweeping away People having had oppertunity of hearing Friends and Conversing with them in this place thy Folly now appeareth and thy Assertions are found to be Lyes tho' John Flavell have said it Hicks Faldoe and others for the Earth is lightned with the Glory of the Lord and we would that all men knew us as we are and then let them judge for we are not ashamed of our Principles But to leave the first and come to the Second Charge or Indictment He cannot be a Christian that rejects the Scripture as a Rule But what I have yet found I may say to thee as Nathan to David Thou art the Man for by what Rule are we thus falsely accused and abominably slandered And it is a rare thing this day to find many such as thy self to Slander us Ignorantly and not Malitiously But to the matter of Fact what was Abel's and Noah's and Enoch's Rule Leader or Guide before the Scriptures were written was it not the Spirit of God and the same Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures in time and moved the holy men of Old who spake as the Spirit gave them utterance even the same Spirit of Truth that Christ promised should be given to his Disciples and remain with them and lead them into all Truth John 14. 16 17. chap. 16. 13. We own and honour the Scriptures above all other Writings in the World and they are profitable for Doctrine for Reproof and for Correction and Instruction in Righteousness 2 Tim. 16. We own we are not of the same mind with an Assembly once gathered that the Scriptures are the only Rule then ●arwell to the Spirit of God say I We do believe that it is not in the Power of men to deprive the Saints of their Rule Leader or Guide which i● the Spirit of the Lord But if the Scriptures be the only Rule then it is possible that men may be deprived of their Rule by their Enemies Matth. 11. 17. No man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son shall reveal him And now I will appeal to all the Faithful in those late Years when their Teachers fled from them when trouble came and Preaching and Hearing became expensive had not a Remnant been taught of God had they not had the Spirit of the Lord to lead and guide and instruct them what had become of them Had there not been Springs in the Desert and Rivers in the Wilderness streaming from the Lord to refresh those distressed Souls what had become of them 3dly He cannot be a Christian that affirmeth Perfection or freedom from Sin on this side Heaven How is the Scripture rejected here and made to bow down to the experience of men who are taught by their Teachers that it is impossible to have the Works of the Devil destroyed and so make void Christ's Coming when something there is that cannot be parted with and therefore a Cry is made damnable Doctrine to have Sin destroyed I shall first lay down that God hath commanded it Gen. 17. 7. Walk before me and be thou perfect Matth. 19. 24. If thou wilt be perfect sell all All must go if God call for it or no Perfection he had done many things and that from his Youth up and many Sins doubtless were slain and the man dead to them A brave Professor for our days but one thing must be kept a Wedge of Gold a Babylonish Garment he had great Possessions and that he could not part with for Treasure in Heaven the pretiousness of which he had not the Experience of by Faith and this made him go away sorrowful doubtless he liked not the Doctrine of Perfection like the

Mouth opened to bear witness to the Truth of God that Christ is able and willing to save from all Sin and to keep us from failing if men believe in his Power and keep to it for it will be to all men according to their Faith but if men do not yea will not believe Christ is that he that can yea and will do these things for them they shall dye in their Sins and where he is gone they cannot come 3dly He cannot be a Christian that maketh no distinction between the Godly and the Wicked or Ungodly This Saddle best fits thy own Horse on whose back I shall set it look to the Epistle of thy Book called The Saints indeed where no difference is made between the Godly and the Ungodly the one so Confers Prays bewailes Corruption talks of Experience open their Condition neglect the watch over the Heart and does often fall into scandalous Sins as the Wicked do What difference dost thou make between the Godly and Ungodly Hearts except it be in this that one shall go to Heaven and the other to Hell tho they thus live no difference in the Life except it be that the Godly so called by thee are worse in their Lives for by their example they make fast the bands of death upon both the former are cruel and shed the Blood of other Souls fall often into Scandalous Sins and for proof David is brought He committed Murder and Adultery Did he fall into this often was it the Practice of his Life was not the remaining part of his Life spent in mourning and watching and warning against and praying against all Sin and did he not declare his abhorrance of it by his abstaining from it all false wayes he did utterly abhor and did he utterly abhor it with his Tongue and not abstain from it in his Life surely his remaining Years were far different from the Life of the Wicked and so were the Life of other Saints after their falls and therefore take this Charge home to thy self who pleads for Sin term of Life and Unchristian others who plead for purity of Heart and Life and a ceasing from Sin and a Freedom indeed by the Truth Be not offended because I spake forth the Words of Truth it is for the honour of my Saviour Christ Jesus And it is my Testimony that I bare against the Devil and Sin and the Pleaders for it that he can that he doth that he will save from Sin those that believe in him and come to him and receive him in all his Offices to them he will give Power to become the Sons of God and what is that but to cease to do Evil and learn to do Well And now for the proof of thy Charge for which we are Unchristianed and that we make no Difference between the Godly and the Wicked is this that Christ inlightneth Every one that cometh into the World with a saving Light I would fain know whether Saints be Born Saints If not but all are by nature Children of Wrath Enemies to God by wicked works as I believe they are Then whether that Spirit that strived with them and convinced them of Sin Righteousness and Judgment and brought them out of the state of Darkness Enmity and Rebellion and turneth them or leadeth them from the power of Satan to be lead giuded and governed by the Power of God be not the same Spirit that is striving with and in the Wicked to reclaim them and whether it would not reclaim them if they did follow it and obey its Reproofs Instructions and Counsels God gave his Good Spirit to the old World and others and doubtless willing and sufficient to save them if they had not resisted and rebelled against it it was Gods Good Spirit that was saving which was given to rebellious Israel but they Rebelled and Vexed it that it could not dwell in them and it is the same secret still Voice that cryeth after or in Man and Woman This is the Way walk in it Return Return why will you Dye But by Rebellion against and Resistance of Grieving Vexing and Quenching its Motions it ceaseth to strive and wo then to that Soul when left to commit Sin with Greediness And as I have said formerly I say again if in any thing thou supposest I am beside the Truth signifie it to me in a few Lines who desireth and prayeth for the coming of God's Kingdom in the Hearts of the Children of men Clement Lake Crediton the 28th day of the 10th Month 1687. THE END