Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	speak_v	spirit_n	true_a	4,053	5	5.1525	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93152	A brief testimony against tale-bearers, whisperers, and back- biters shewing that where they are given ear unto amongst friends, neighbors, and relations, or in any Christian society, such can never live in peace, concord and unity / by William Shewen.	Shewen, William, 1631?-1695.	1686 (1686)	Wing S3418; ESTC R42470	8,434	31

hear thee thou hast gained thy Brother if he will not take one or two more with thee if he will not hear them then tell the Church or Congregation if he will not hear the Congregation let him be as an Heathen or Publican Secondly VVhatsoever ye would that Men should do unto you do so unto them likewise The true Observation of these two Precepts cuts off all VVhisperings evil Speakings Back-bitings Tale-bearings and the uncovering the nakedness and weakness of any Friend Brother and Neighbour before he hath performed his Duty as is set forth in the first Precept which indeed tends to the preservation of Love and Unity among Brethren and the contrary tends to Strife Division and Destruction No better Method can be laid down in a Christian Society to prevent a Breach and to maintain Love and Brotherly kindness than what is contained in this Precept the neglect and Non-observance of this by many Persons and Societies professing Christianity hath let in Animosities Strifes Debates Division Disorders and Confusion among them so that they have been scattered as with a VVhirlwind and have received the fruit of their own doings in their own bosoms as might be demonstrated at large throughout most of the Sects and gatherings of People in Christendom who only talk of and profess good words and good things but the Jews Turks and Indians may compare with them for good VVorks yea they have caused the name of God and the Christian Religion to be blasphemed scorned and slighted amongst them even because while they are talking of God Christ Love Light Holiness Righteousness and Religion they are envying hating biting and devouring one another and sheathing their Swords in one anothers Bowels having turned that Royal Law Do as you would be done by behind their backs whereas indeed the obeying these seven words is more than the Reading Hearing and Professing seven times seven thousand words There is no Society of People upon the face of the Earth though under the Profession of Christianity it self that have can do or ever shall live together in Love and Unity as true Friends and Brethren further then they Obey and Observe these two divine and Heavenly Precepts And as they do have or shall degenerate from the true Observance thereof they do have and shall fall into Strife Enmity and Division the High-way to Destruction And many have been Destroyed thereby even after they have attained to a good Degree in the Spirit of Love Simplicity and Heavenly Unity and all through Disobedience or neglect of those Precepts of Christ which he once taught and now Teacheth those who are his Disciples indeed to Observe and keep by the Asistance of his holy Spirit of Love which is the Bond of Peace and true Foundation of all Heavenly Concord and Agreement And this Spirit teacheth all that have it and obey it to be Circumspect and take heed of Letting in evil Thoughts evil Reports Whisperings and evil Surmises against any Friend Brother or Neighbour for it will eat like a Canker and if thy Brother Friend or Neighbour hath Trespassed against thee thou must not tell it first to others if thou doest thou art in some degree a Tale-bearer and a Back-biter and Transgresser of this Command of Christ which reacheth all manner of Trespasses and Offences that are private and relating to a particular Person offended or trespassed against which the Church or Congregation knows not of nor ought not except thy Brother refuse to hear thee But if any that is called a Brother Sin openly or is a Fornicator is a profane Person is an Idolator Drunkard or Extortioner c. thou needs not go to such a one and tell him his Fault betwixt thee and him nor to take others with thee nor to tell the Congregation this Precept doth not concern him his Trespass is not only against thee but against all he pretened to be in Fellowship with his wickedness being open and Manifest to all he is to be denied and judged of all and it is no Back-biting to speak the Truth of such a Man to others concerned though behind his back Every Member of a true Society who are gathered by the Spirit of Truth and lives in the Fellowship of it they are furnished with Courage and strength to defend each other to Believe well and Hope well of each other against all evil Reports Tales and Storys that may be raised and will let nothing in but upon good Proof or clear Manifestation and then tho it may bring Sorrow yet a Judgment is raised with Severity against the doing of Evil by such who are under the Profession of good such Hypocrites God will Judge to the uttermost their Damnation slumbers not yet such there have been are and will be under the highest Professions outward that ever were are or shall be among men until the Universal destruction of that grand Enemy of mankind It is an excellent degree in Christianity to attain to that state in Love which thinks no ill such can speak no ill nor do no ill against their Friend or Neighbour nor against any man the Tale-carrier Whisperer nor Flatteter can have no place with such a one his very Countenance drives them away having no part in him can give no entertainment to them He that seeth a Thief and consenteth to him is Guilty with him Tale-bearers Whisperers and Back-biters and their entertainers who defame and Rob a man of his good Name Credit and Reputation are greater Thieves than those that Rob a man of a little Money and Goods as it is written A good Name is better than precious Oyntment Eccles 7.3 A good Name is rather to be chosen than great Riches Prov. 22.1 He that raiseth a false Report and gets Tale-carriers to carry it abroad and these Tell-tales finds entertainers and receivers Who knows the extent of such things And who can measure the evil fruit of such doings Such evil Seed meeting with ground suitable thereunto grows and increaseth amain and according to the Phrase a man's Back is bitten his Credit wounded his good Name stained and defiled his Reputation impaired if not destroyed among such as are credulous of false Reports and all this is done as it were insensibly sometimes before he knows any thing thereof It hath not been without great cause that both God and men hath given forth Laws against such things He that professeth and obeyeth that Royal Law or Precept of Christ Do as thou wouldst be done unto cannot touch with these things nor shew any favour or countenance to any that are found therein I shall now Answer one Question and conclude this my Caution Warning and Testimony against raysing false Reports Tale-bearing and Tale-hearing having an aim for general Good therein hoping what I have said may be of some service for the stopping and preventing of such things which tend to the dividing and destroying all true Friendship and Soeiety The Question is this If a False Report be

raised and spread abroad received and entertained as a Truth being told so and received so as all false Reports and Tales are under the name of Truth which makes them the more mischievous what course is best to be taken in such a case that I may do all the right I can to the person concerned Answer When the Report comes to thy ear engage the person that brings it to bring forth his Author and so let it be enquired and pursued until the first Author be found and then le● sound Judgment pass thereon and this will be a means to stop and discourage Tale-bearers Back-biters and Whisperers And by so doing such will not again attempt to bring thee any more Tales Also in so doing thou wilt do as thou wouldst be done by according to the Law of God if thou dost otherwise the Law of God and Man is against thee and thou art not fit to be a Member of a Christian Society The Conclusion Now it being a Truth that Tale-bearing Whispering raising evil Reports and receiving and entertaining of them and the neglect of observing those two Precepts of Christ before mentioned are of such pernicious effects and evil tendency as to reveal Secrets separate near Friends beget Strife and Division destroy Society and Friendship make Wounds and Breaches and as an Vnrighteous Witness that puts forth his Hand against the Blood of his Neighbour and worse than Thieves and Robbers I say seeing it is so it highly concerns all that would be accounted vertuous and honest to keep clear of these things and to judge it in the least appearance thereof not only in others but in themselves POSTSCRIPT THere were Young People in the Primitive times that grew idle and wanton especially young Women as went from House to House and were Tatlers and busie bodies and medlers with other mens matters and speaking things which they ought not also they were prone to delight themselves in costly Apparel and platting the Hair and wearing of Gold c. all these things the Apostles and Ministers of Christ were troubled to see and hear of them and did exhort and endeavour to perswade to the contrary because it did not become Women professing Godliness and where these things are found now in with and upon People Young or Old Male or Female let them profess what they will they are infallible signs that they want the inward adorning of a meek and quiet Spirit that they are not like the King's Daughter That is all glorious within and that the loins of their minds are not girded with the Girdle of Truth when the loins of their Bodies are girded with rich and costly Attire and superfluous vanities and that the very Profession and Religion of such is vain who have not a bridle to their Tongues and are not restrained thereby from Tatling medling and speaking those things they ought not Now that all young people that profess the Truth may be kept and preserved out of these evils take the Counsel of Paul to Timothy Flee all youthful Lusts follow Righteousness Faith Charity Peace with them that call upon the Lord with a pure heart if you do but obey this Exhortation by the assistance of the grace of God to which you have been commended to be taught all good Lessons you can never fall into the aforementioned evils nor any other for when you come into each others company your words will be few and seasoned with Grace and the Fear and dread of God will be with you and you will set him alwaies before you then will your discourse tend to the edifying each other then instead of meddling with other mens matters or telling one another Stories you will tell one another what the Lord hath done for your Souls from the experimental work of his Spirit and Grace in your hearts according to the Manifestation and Working thereof And you will take heed of boasting above what you have attained there through and of speaking of those things which Christ hath not wrought in you so will you also be preserved from High-mindedness and Conceitedness which would lead to Pride your selves with Knowledge Openings Visions and Revelations which some of you may have had that you may not deck your selves with these things which are all Good Pleasant and Delightful in their Time and Season Yet they are not for Food nor Raiment all must receive their daily Bread from God and their Clothing or Covering must be his Spirit or a Meek and quiet Spirit where this is wanting the wo from God will come let the talk and Profession of Religion be what it will The Eye Mind and Heart must be upon God from whence every good and perfect gift comes and not upon the gift least you deck your selves there with and play the Harlot as some in former Ages has done And in this Age also and brought Judgment upon themselves to the utmost even after they have been made comely with his Ornaments with his Gifts and Graces Eat and Drank at his Table enjoyed his presence and heard him Teach in their streets yea and cast out many Devils in his Name Yet have become shut out of his Kingdom and have wholly lost the way that leadeth there to Again This hath befaln many especially young People in my own knowledge and remembrance since God gathered us to be a People for want of watchfulness and keeping low in the fear of God some hath fallen by flying aloft in airy Imaginations and Notions being puffed up in their minds and some by returning again and going down into the Earth like the Sow that was washed to the wallowing in the Mire again Now that you and all may be preserved herefrom and from all Evil from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit I commend you in the first place to the Grace Light and Spirit of God which hath appeared to you and shined in you and in the next place in the sence thereof to read Pauls Directions to Titus 2. and 3. Chap. Meditate and consider thereof and you may Receive profit thereby The Children of friends whose Parents hath taken care to instruct councel and perswade them not onely by Precept but by Example in life and Conversation to follow their steps and to walk after them in the Self-denial out of the pomp and vanities of the World out of the sinful lusts of the flesh lusts of the eye and pride of life which superabounds in the world these Children have had great benefit and advantage beyond what their Parents ever had and many Children Sons and Daughters have made a good use thereof and can bless and praise God that they had such Parents And these are come to the sence knowledge and understanding of the root of the matter in themselves viz. the Light and Grace of God within the New Covenant and Law written within and do walk therein and are taught thereby to the praise and glory thereof But many Friends Children keep only in the form in the outward Court and enters not within the vail comes not to the foundation which God hath laid do not know the work and operation of the Grace and Spirit of God upon their hearts minds and understandings to wash cleanse and Sanctifie their inward parts so knows not what it is to put off the Old man with his Deeds and to put on the New and to be renewed in the Spirit of their minds these grow not in Grace nor in the knowledge of the mysteries of God neither are they acquainted with the wiles and devices of the Enemy Education and Tradition being the chief ground of their Religion these will wither like Corn upon the house top There is another sort of Friends Children who after they have come to years and stature have slighted and turned their backs upon their Parents and upon all their Counsel Instruction Perswasion and Example Also as to Religion and have chosen their own waies walking after their own corrupt wills casting off the Yoke of Modesty Temperance Chastity plainness of Speech and plainness of Apparel which they had been bred up in while young with their Parents and are gone into the superfluity of naughtiness that is in the world to their own ruin in contempt disobedience and dishonour of their Parents which hath caused Grief and made their hearts sad and by so doing their hearts have become hard unthankful and unholy and without natural affection also towards their Parents contemning disregarding and disobeying the Commandments of God And all the Precepts and Exhortations Blessings and Cursings promised and threatned to the obedient and disobedient Children to Parents which are very many throughout the holy Scriptures and all the bonds of Nature that enjoyns Children to Love Honor and Obey their Parents such Children are nigh unto Cursing nigh unto a reprobate sence out of which it will be a Miracle if ever they return Repent and be Converted It is a blessed thing when young People and Children Remember their Creator in the daies of their Youth and come to live in the fear of the Lord and to have such Parents Masters and Tutors as are ready to Teach them Instruct them and put them in mind thereof not only by Precept but by Example also which Blessings if they slight neglect and undervalue in their youthful daies their sins multiply upon them Ignorance Darkness and hardness of Heart encreaseth in them to that degree that many times they become old in wickedness in their young daies such if they perish God and their Parents are clear and their Destruction is of themselves because they have despised the blessings of God and the blessings of their Parents who have had a tender care of them but when God makes them possess the sins of their Youth then will they cry out Oh that we had born the Yoke in our Youth Oh that we had hearkened to the Voice of God in our own Consciences and to the Voice of our Parents then should we not have Reaped such an evil Crop of our own Sowing And they shall then be made to confess tha● God is Just and Righteous in all his Judgments when they Receive the Fruit of their own doings and feel the Weight of their own Iniquity William Shewen THE END