Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
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A28894
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A looking-glass discovering to all people what image they bear by which the true Jew is known from the false, and the Christian in nature from him that is so in name only ... : with directions for such as live in error, how they may leave their error, how they may leave their error ... : with a few words to informers who make it their work to inform against their neighbours for meeting together peaceably in the fear of the Lord ... / by a follower of Him, Edward Bourne.
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Bourne, Edward, d. 1708.
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1671
(1671)
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Wing B3847; ESTC R28496
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17,816
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28
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and are guided by the Spirit of Truth as Abraham was such are the Children of the Promise who are accounted for the seed of Abraham Abraham he kept the Commandments of the Lord and they are the true Jewes who do like Abraham herein the Lord said of him hat he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him see Gen. 18.19 he said they shall keep the Way of the Lord c. Now what is it to keep the Way of the Lord but to be led and guided by the Spirit of the Lord as Abraham was and they who are led by this 'T is they I do affirm to be the true Jewes and not others viz. Not such as walk contrary to it and do rebel against it the Apostle said He is not a Jew who is one outward neither is that Circumcision that is outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inward and Circumcision is that of the Heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter whose praise is not of men but of God Rom. 2.28 29. Now they who are led by the Spirit of God at this time as Abraham was led by the Spirit of God then to the Circumcision that was outward in the flesh so are such now led to the Circumcision within of which the outward was a Figure So that which God requires of People is that they do as he makes manifest unto them they ought by the measure of his own Spirit which he have given them to profit withall and leads them unto by his Spirit Now if they do what the Servants of God did as is Recorded in the Scriptures if they be not led thereunto as they were by his holy Spirit he may say unto them who hath required this at your hands This is the Comforter which Christ said to his Disciples he would send which should lead them into all truth and blessed are they who do walk according to this Rule viz. Who are led and guided by the holy Spirit of the Lord God in what they do and not they who do gainsay and resist it See what became of Dathan and Abiram Corah's Company who gainsaid this holy Spirit they were swallowed up of the Earth Moses who was guided by the Spirit of the Lord God prayed the Children of Israel to depart from the Tents of those wicked Men and to touch nothing that was theirs lest they should be consumed in all their Sins Now let they who shall read these lines consider whether there be not too great a Multitude that do resist this holy Spirit now not regarding how God did punish such before though these things were written for their admonition there are too many whose Sin are like Sodom and Gomorab whom God over threw And though this sore judgment was written with many more that befel the disobedient and rebellious that they who should come after them should not do as they did yet what small regard do they take of the same Well though the Lord God be slow to wrath and of great kindness and do suffer long and bear long yet his long-suffering will come to an end and his great kindness will come to an end with such if they do not turn to him and amend their wayes and their doings while his Spirit strives with them when that ceases to strive with them and the things that belongs to their peace comes to be hid from their Eyes then they may wish they had never been born when their misery comes upon them this was the state of the miserable Jewes after God had long strove with them over whom Christ took up a lamentation see and seriously consider Mat. 23.37 And do not deceive your selves by perswading your selves it shall go well with you though you follow your sinful Lusts and Pleasures and the imaginations of your own foolish Hearts do you think you whose Mouthes are fuil of Cursing and Swearing and Bitterness and live in Drunkeness and Whoredom and are Envious and Persecutors of the Righteous and Just that Dathan and Abiâ—â—â—m whom the Earth swallowed up and the Sodomites whom God overthrew were greater Sinners I tell you nay but except you repent you shall as Christ said likewise Perish Object But some may say Are there any now that we are to departs from their Tents And to touch nothing of theirs lest we be consumed in all their Sins if there be Who are they or What be they That we may beware of them Answ There are such now whose Tents are to be departed from or dwellings They are those who have sold themselves to do wickedly whose life is in Sin and do make it a sport to transgress against the Lord by breaking his holy and Righteous Laws who serve other gods then the Lord God who made the World and all things therein contrary to his holy Command who follow after Covetousness contrary to his holy Command who are Murderers Adulterers and Swearers Exod. 20.3 contrary to his holy Commandments and are Haters of that which is good and Persecutors of the Righteous contrary to his holy will and appointment and do not as they would be done unto and so are contrary to Christ who gave this Commandment Now such as are found in these things and do live in these things and in whatsoever by the Light of Christ in them they see to be evil it is they whose Tents are to be departed from and nothing of their's is to be touched none of their Sins must People love to live in lest they be consumed in the same Therefore be warned in the fear of the Lord to depart from such and touch nothing that is their's do not Sin like them in any of these things lest you be consumed therein So to be a true Jew is to be guided by the Spirit of Truth us was Abraham the Jew the Father of the Faithfull And now let it be consider'd what it is to be a True Christian IT is said in the holy Scriptures that all are not Israel that are called Israel So I say though there are many that are called Christians yet there are none of these true Christians but who are guided by the Spirit of Christ Jesus who said Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and you shall find rest unto your Souls So 't is them who are guided by the Spirit of Christ which leads to meekness and lowliness of heart that are the true Christians and not those who are biting and devouring on another who live in Pride and High-mindedness Nor those who are fighting one with the other and Slaying one another and Persecuting one another about Religion and Church Worship these are not the true Christians these are guided by Cains Spirit who slew his righteous Brother Abel because his Brothers Works were better them his These
have the Name but are out of the Nature They want the Nature of true Christians and so are like them who said They were Jews But did lye see Revel 3.9 The true Christians are guided by Christ's Spirit which leads them to love one another and their Enemies also and to bless such as curse them and not to overcome evil with the same but to overcome it with that which is of a contrary Nature to it namely that which is good and not to swear at all but to spake the truth without swearing in obedience to Christ Jesus who saith Swear not at all but their Yea is Yea and their Nay is Nay without an Oath as Christ teacheth so they are such as hear his sayings and do them and so differ greatly from them who call Christ Lord and yet do not the things which he saith and so the true Christians are subject to Christ Jesus in doing whatsoever he commands them the Spirit to Christ is that which they be led and guided by that holy Spirit which calls to follow peace and holiness with all men without which no man shall see the Lord though he be called by the best name and do profess never so much of Christianity Thus in shore I have shewed what it is to be a true Christian Object But it is commonly objected that things can never be well in Church or State which People who are contrary the one to the other in their Worship may have liberty to Worship God in their particular manners every particular sort of People viz. The Papists The Episcopal men Those called Baptists and those called Quakers c. Which must all have liberty to follow that which they think best This cannot do well say They We shall never do well until all are brought to one Uniformity in their Worship c. Answ Can you do better herein then the Apostle and Servant of Christ Jesus councelled in such Cases as these Who said Let every Man be fully perswaded in his own Mind in what he doth For whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin Now as the Papist would have liberty to Worship God in that Way which he judges best so the same liberty he would have must he give to another The Episcopal Man must do the same and so the rest And lay aside all Forcing and Compelling and Persecuting about these things and who are in the right Way let them make it appear by their Meekness and Gentleness and Patience c. And so let them by their sound Doctrine and good Conversation convince them that are contrary minded if they can so long as all these are peaceable and do nothing that tends to the disturbance of the Common Wealth nor to the injury of any Person but do onely Worship God as they judge they ought What shall Men take on them to judge in such cases and to Punish in such cases if such err in their Worship seeing it belongs to God to judge and Punish for the same Now if Men take this upon them do not they do what they ought not seeing the thing belongs to God and not to Man to do thus If any err herein they ought to be admonished that they may desist from their error and close which the Truth by which they see their error Christ said who is to be heard in all things If thy Brother offend tell him between him and thee if he hears thee thou hast gaind thy Brother see Mat. 18.15 16 17. if he do not hear take one or two more with thee if he do not hear them then tell the Church if he do not hear the Church then let him be as the Heathen or the Publican he doth not say Persecute him Burn him for a Heretick but let him be as the Heathen or the Publican Further Christ speaking of false Prophets said Believe them not But did not bid his Followers to Persecute and Destroy them And further consider Christ's Parable concerning the Tares which the Enemy sowed while Men slept and what the Housholder said to his Servant thereupon that informed him of the same see Mat. 13.24 25 26 27 28 29 30. Which plainly shews that such should be left to God who err in point of Religion and Church Worship to be judged by him for the same who is the judge of all the Earth and will do right So let all have liberty to Worship God as they are perswaded in their own Minds they ought and not be barred therefrom so long as they be peaceable and do nothing that tends to the disturbance of the Common Wealth or injury of any Person viz. Whilst these things cannot be justly charged upon them and this is Gospel liberty and till this be given viz. Liberty of Conscience in things relateing to the Worship of God it cannot be well in Church nor state Now if any err herein not willingy but do it because they judge they ought and are sincere herein towards God doubtless God will when he sees it best for such discover their error to them and lead them therefrom and guide them in the right Way by his own Spirit which doth not nor cannot erre so here is no liberty desired for People to live in drunkenness or in stealing from any or to offer violence to any Person c. if any do after this manner let them be restrained and punished as God by his holy Laws has appointed which answers that of God in all Peoples Consciences Here is shewed how People may know what spirit they are of whether they be the Children of the Most High God or the Children of the Devil c. THis must be by what is brought forth by them for by the Fruit is the Tree to be known whether it be good or otherwise For a good Tree saith Christ Bringeth forth good Fruit But an evil Tree evil Fruit c. So by what is brought forth may it be known or judged of what spirit People are or by what spirit they are led and guided Now the Children of God are led by his Spirit also the Children of the Devil are led by the spirit of the Devil The fruits of the Spirit of the Lord are these viz. Love Joy Peace Gentleness Goodness Faith Gal. 5.22 23. Gal. 5.19 20 21. Meekness Temperance c. And the fruits of the spirit of the Devil or the Works of the flesh are these viz. swearing upon any occasion whatsoever when People know by that of God in their Consciences they should not swear at all Drunkenness Lying Fornication Envy Malice Persecution Fraud Dissimulation Idolatry or any thing else that a Man may set up in his Mind and love more then the Truth whether it be Covetousness or whatsoever it be for all these are Idolatry and all these are evil fruits So who are in these things they cannot be said to please God nor to be of God who is the Author of all good in this said John The Children of God