Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	scripture_n	speak_v	word_n	9,140	5	4.5911	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A74947	Rayling rebuked: or, A defence of the ministers of this nation: by way of answer to the unparrallel'd calumnies cast upon them in an epistle lately published by Thomas Speed merchant of Bristol, unhappily become the Quakers advocate. Wherein, some Scriptures are opened, and diverse things objected by the Quakers, examined and answered. With an hortatory epistle prefixed to fasten Christians to Jesus Christ in these un-glewing times, wherein so many play fast and loose with him. By William Thomas minister of the Gospel at Ubley.	Thomas, William, 1593-1667.	1656 (1656)	Thomason E883_5; ESTC R207300	68,071	90

that though they have no Law without them yet they shew the work of the Law writen in their hearts and are a Law unto themselves W. T. I know not what there is in this second Article unlesse it be a double untruth 1. If he say as he doth that the Teachers of this Nation ●ay to the charge of Quakers the bare affirming of that which is here put down that is one untruth let him produce those Ministers that blame any man for saying what the Scripture saies in both these places But 2. If he mean as his fellowes do and as himself seems to do by his former words that such heathen-knowledge is a sufficient guide to the Father or to blessednesse that is another untruth for the Scripture speaks truth when it saith The invisible things of God are clearly seen of men even of Heathens not so as they may be saved in that way for how could they without the knowledge of a Christ which neither Nature nor creature reveales but So that they are without excuse Rom. 1 20. To shut up this therefore in brief If he say that men that never heard the Word of God have light enough to help them to heaven let that be his charge for he that believes not shall be damned and how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard Mark 16. 16. Rom. 10. 14. T. S. 3. They say that Christ did not mosk nor impose an impossibility upon his poor Lambes when he exhorted them to be perfect even as his heavenly Father is perfect c W. T. I answer 1. The Scripture exhorts us to many things that we have made our selves unable to do because however we are not able yet it is our duty to do them And God hath reason to claim his right though fallen man hath lost his power 2. Yet we may be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect to wit by way of imitation and as aspiring to perfection We may be perfect as God though not as perfect as God as the Aire is light as the Sun though not as light as the Sun There may be and should be an inchoate and a progresive but there cannot be here an absolute perfection and it is blasphemy to think that we shall ever be perfect as God is perfect that is an inequallity 3. Neither doth Christ intend any such thing there as either perfection infinite or equal with God or perfection absolute and equal with the Word of God it is evident by the context and that therefore which is in the verse he cites that he speaks of a comparative perfection in opposition to Publicanes who love those that love them and salute their brethren only and thence he infers without any such mocking as this Fabler feigns if there were not a plenary perfection this serious exhortation Let it not suffice you to be perfect as Publicanes are perfect but labour to be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect that is make him your patterne and aspire to that perfection that appears to be so eminently in him while he makes his Sun to rise on the evil and the good yea gives his only Son not for the comfort of his Friends for he had none among fallen men but for the salvation o● his enemies Rom. 5. 10. T. S. And that the same Christ spake truth whenas he bear witnesse of Nathaniel that he was an Israelite in whom there was on guile John 1. 47 W. T. Christ does not say there was no sin in him but only that there was no guile in him which imports not absolute perfection but sincerity To have no guile in the spirit doth not prove that a man is perfect or no sinner but only that he is a pardoned sinner Psal 32. 2. T. S. As also that Paul did not designe that which was impossible when he laboured to present men perfect in Christ Jesus Colos 1. 28. W. T. The Question is not whether men may be perfect in Christ Jesus in a way of justification but whether they may be perfect in themselves in a way of sanctification this latter though Ministers labour still that people may be carried on to perfection cannot be attained here but is reserved to the last day 1 Cor. 1. 7 8. 1 Thes 3 13. Jude v. 24. If the Scriptures which he quotes be rightly understood t is his own charge still not ours we shall never charge him for saying any thing the Scripture saies in the Scripture sense but if his and the Quakers meaning be under such expressions of Scripture to affirme a perfection without sin then let them take their charge from the Apostle which is that they are therein lyars 1 John 1. 10. Yea while men plead perfection and sinlesnesse God himself professeth he will plead with them and every such person as they are because he saith I have not sinned Jer. 2. 35. Let Christians therefore go on and bear up to perfection but never boast of perfection no man can do that reasonably that either knowes himself or that knows Scripture that is that knowes how high and perfect the rule is and how imperfect and defective himself is being compared with that rule Our duty here is to be alway perfecting but it belongs to our wisdome to know that we can never be fully perfected till the last day wherein our soules shall be among the soules of just men made perfect 1 Cor. 13. 9 10 11. Heb. 12. 23. Mean while they may fear and tremble to think of the perfection of Quakers as is related by one thatbest knew them being once far entered into their way who relateth this of them that They are people bereaved of former wayes and means wherein the Lord doth work faith knowledge and enjoyments in the hearts of his children and of all those former excellent things which were brought forth in them by the power of truth and of the use of those waies of walking wherein they have manifested any love or obedience to God They are people b reaved of all things of this nature and they reckon it their happinesse and their perfection so to be T. S. 4. Theydo not blush to say that Christ and the Apostles spake as they meant in the Scriptures and therefore they deny our meanings and interpretation as needlesse c. W. T. Quakers have reason to blush if they know how at such a consequent as here they bring in For it is as if one should say God spake as he meant by Moses in the Law therefore there was no need that Ezra and the Levites should give the sense and cause them to understand the reading Nehem. 8.8 O● that God by the Prophet Isaiah spake as he meant and therefore the Eunuch had no need of a guide for the understanding of his Prophecy Acts 8 30 31. Or that Christ spake as he meant and therefore his expounding afterwards was needlesse Mark 4. 34. May

If ye will go whither will ye go to Arians enemies to Christs Person to Ranters enemies to his Precepts and Purity to Quakers enemies to his Ordinances and Officers If it seem evill to you to follow the Lord you may go after such companions But doth that seem evill Is it evill to follow the chiefest good or can you follow and enjoy him and not hear his voice and attend his Ordinances Know that nothing but the words of eternall life will make an eternall Disciple If others be gone let them return to you but do not you turn to them Finally look to your selves and desire the Lord to look to you that we loose not the things we have wrought but that we may receive a full reward Joh. 2. 8. Thirdly I have one word more It is easy and obvious to observe that many poore profane Creatures who have nothing of the power of godlinesse in them yet blesse themselves in this that they be not Separatists Anabaptists Quakers which they that are such have cause to look upon as a sad fruit of their falling a way I shall therefore earnestly move those Christians that have not been removed as others in these tottering times to expresse the power of that truth in their whole soules and lives to which God in so great mercy and with so great power hath held their hearts which I do the rather mention 1. Because that is the way to keep for ever the truth hitherto kept for faith that is the doctrine of religion is held in conjunction with a good conscience If you put away the conscience you will make shipwrack of the faith It is the life of religion that preserves the light 2. This will put to silence the ignorance of foolish men whose most plausible argument against a right religion is an unrighteous conversation 3. This is a course to confirm those that yet stand firm who shall receive the most familiar operative conviction of the soundnes of your religion and theirs in matter of opinion by the efficacy thereof in the holines of your carriage for that which is the truth of God indeed is described to be a truth which is after godlines That is it teacheth to live Soberly Righteously and godly They who have been taught as the truth is in Jesus put of the former conversation and put on a better Yea 4. By this you may possibly regain those that are inpart departed for why should not that good conversation that is one meanes to bring an Heathen to be a Christian be a means also to bring a revolted Christian to be a right Christian And to those who are so revolted I am next to speak which I confesse is a very heavy task not only because their going back is so godlesse for to be without God and without a teaching Priest and without Law go together and how farr they put away the two latter wherein God is injoyed their writings shew I say therefore not onely because their going back is so godlesse and thereupon so grievous to think and speak of but also because their return I meane of the chiefest of them is so hopelesse and the more hopelesse because their hearts are so high In these dayes they that have got a new opinion are like prodigals that have newly got their portion they go into a far country from their fathers house and when they have done that think none in a more noble condition then themselves But because all are not gone alike and that God who hath perswaded Japheth to dwell in the tents of Shem can perswade those that be gon furthest yet to goe their way forth by the footsteps of the flock and againe to feed beside the shepheards tents That is to walk as they were wont with the true sheep after the true shepheards I shall therefore offer such assistance as I can give and which the Lord can make to take by opening the causes of declining and adjoyning the remedies The causes are either within or without 1. Within I And the great cause and sum of causes within is the corruption of nature If the prince of this World adventured on our Saviour himselfe in whom hee fonnd nothing no marvel if hee presume hee shall be successefull with us in whom hee findes so much I meane so much of that pravity which makes so much for his purpose In particular there is within us 1. An unbelieving heart the very character whereof is that it departs from the living God these are the dayes wherein Christians do not only professe that they can live without but pretend to be above ordinances which is an height so strange that we may be astonied at it so shameful that we may blush and be confounded at it so dangerous that we may feare and tremble at it What Above that which Christ himselfe hath ordained them to be under and that to the end of the world as his way to their happiness would they ever do this if they did believe either the promise of life made to hearing or the threatning of unavoidable destruction denounced against despising But when men be of this minde that no good or comfort is to be had in ordinancecommunion perhaps because themselves have wanted it for that they did not rightly humbly and patiently seek it no marvel if there be ordinance-desertion when men change faith into fancy no mervail if they change Religion into frensy 2 Tim. 3. 9. 2. An unstable heart led away with diverse lusts that is light desires inconstant and alternant motions longing after every thing and pleased with nothing long How many be there whose light is weak but lusts affections cupidites strong No marvail if with such a new man and a new matter like new wine work mightily and if such Athenian eares be quickly turned from the Truth to Fables 2 Tim. 4. 3 4. 3. A carnal heart wherein there is a great desire to hear Ministers of parts for their Parts not but that parts are to be regarded for their good use and because by greater and quicker abilities Gods Word is opened more clearly to the understanding or prest more powerfully upon the conscience thus to love parts that is for the Word and the good service they do in the things of God is very good but on the other side to love the Word for the good Parts that in regard of the Christian that is so taken mistaken is a dangerous thing and in-regard of the Word of God a dishonourable thing To have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ with respect of Parts is much alike as to have it with respect of persons such are easily wafted thether where there is more of the parts though lesse of the Word and truth of God for it is for the great Parts of men that they go rather than the good Word of God This is

it that undoes great Cities that people fl●ck to publick Ordinances as it were in way of recreation as if Paul and Apollo and Cephas that is various Ministers of different gifts were sent by Jesus Christ to please mens several humours and that they may run from one to another for their better content and not as the truth is to deliver unto them from God a ●aw of faith and life which they ought to hear with a trembling spirit as that whereby they are to be guided here and accordingly to be judged at that last and great day 1 Thes 4. 1 2. Mark 16. 16. John 12. 49. 4. A carelesse heart taking the Doctrines of good Ministers on their words without observing their grounds and examining as the noble Bereans did those Scriptures whereupon they did build the doctrines delivered to their hearers Hence it comes to passe that though the Word be delivered to them yet that and their hearts are not delivered to it but to the Minister that is the deliverer of it upon this followeth that which is worse to wit that when other Teachers step in especially if they make shew of much holinesse and deliver contrary things to those they heard before they take those also upon their words that deliver them and let go the former truths sell these and buy those no wonder for we may say one mans word is as good as anothers to wit if the Word delivered be taken on the bear warrant of the one and the other 5. A proud heart and a foolish Hence the Jewes formerly sought life in a way of legal righteousnesse to wit for want of knowledge and because they were fooles as to suffer themselves to be bewitched and withall for want of humility and because they would not submit themselves unto the righteousnesse of God Papists since have troad in their steps no mervail for proud man would fain be his own Saviour and the Quakers go far this way for howsoever they seem enemies to that pride which we all condemn by some outward and bodily neglects wherein the Papists go beyond them yet they and the Papists both discover and display a far more dangerous pride in lifting up as they do an inward light and their inherent pretended perfections yea in all Sects and deviding parties height of Spirit hath a great part Gal. 6. 12. 13. John 3. 9. These are the causes within unto which may be added Secondly causes and occasions without namely these 1. Christians forsaking their fellow Christians Apostacy in Religion begins or at least begins to be setled and to shew itselfe in separation and breach of communion when the Apostle saith Let us hold fast the profession of our saith he saith soon after Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together but exhorting one another for good Christians by mutual exhortations and communications are not only a comfort but a guard one to another It is observed that they that Quakers prevail with are either ignorant persons and raw professors or meer Notionalists full of brave words but that have little of the power of godlinesse or else men of separating spirits Hear what he saith that was for a time and in a great part one of them I doe not hear saith he nor know any that have been well grown and experienced Christians maintaining a close communion together according to the exemplary waies of Christ and his Apostles that are thus overcome and betrayed by the subtil Wiles of the Devil 2. Their forsaking the Ministry Sheep without a shepheard are easily made a prey to the Woolf as Joash was when Jehojada was dead and the Galatians in Pauls absence Let Christians that have departed from their first principles cōmune with their own hearts and enquire whether they staid so long with their first Pastors as seriously to seek from them a resolution of their doubts and to see whether all reasons of running away might not have been answered But no marvail if they go out of the way by those that are unfaithful that never enquire the way of those that are faithful yea that forsake their proper guides What would the Deputy have done when Elimas the Sorcerer sought to bewitch him if Paul had not stood by come in with his charmes Observe therefore that the first work of Seducers that they may prevent all preventions of prevailing is to make their new Disciples abhor their old Teachers just as good-fellowes handle the Prodigal that is so as to make him detest his Fathers house that they may make a prey of him yea they do so new mould their spirits as that they make them open their mouths in out-cries and curses against those now for whom to speak in Pauls language they would once have pluckt out their eyes thus as somtimes Achitophel counselled Absolam to go into his Fathers Concubines in the sight of all Israel to make the difference between him and his Father irreconcilable by that odious act and thereby to secure himself So do Seducers teach their followers a minister-reproaching-language and usage that so they and their former yea and all sound Teachers may be at an everlasting difference and by that means their hold may be the more firme Gal. 4. 7. Joh. 9. 24. 3. Their forsaking at length the ordinance of God and the outward exercise of religion both in the publick congregation and in their own Families Now when Christians leave the Word which is the builder up of Saints Acts 20. 32 and the Sacraments that are their Confirming Seals Rom. 4. 11. And Sabbaths that are the cement of Religion And that Prayer that is the Christians keeper Jude v. 20 21. sweeping the house for the Devil by sweeping out holy exercises Luke 11. 25. no marvell if they be ruinous unstable shattered and even lost creatures To adde a little more now I am engaged in this argument The precedent distempers partly arise from and partly are fomented by such furtherances thereof as I shall now subjoyne To wit 1. Satan himselfe who is as a Murtherer so a Lyar from the begining that is not only a teller of Lies and a maker and moulder of untruthes but also a maker of lyars and an instiller and promoter of all those falshoods that are in deceived and deceiving men If there be a man appointed of God to be deceived to his destruction I le perswade him Saies that Murtherer If he be asked where withall I l'e be a lying Spirit saith that liar Many talk much of Spirit but Christians must not be soon shaken in mind by such Suggestions nor suffer men to impose upon them by the name of Spirit for perhaps it may be the spirit of Ahabs prophets There is a saying cited out of Luther that will give every man reason to raise a suspicion upon the pretensions of extraordinary revelation it is this Verily God must bee incessantly implored with