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	worship_v	2,123	5	8.9605	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65829	An epistle for true love, unity, and order in the Church of Christ, against the spirit of discord, disorder and confusion &c. recommended to friends in truth, chiefly for the sake of the weak and unstable minded ... / by Anne Whitehead, Mary Elson.	Whitehead, Anne, 1624-1686.; Elson, Mary, 1623 or 4-1707.	1680 (1680)	Wing W1882; ESTC R24551	11,014	15

Consciences and leads into the S●●●ness of Mind not only in faith but also in sound Judgment and Practice and in the Testimony of Christ Jesus hath been confirmed in us the true Re●●●●●er and Guide of the Conscience void of Offence but now where Self-will is put for Conscience 't is sensibly felt to be a gross Mistake And such are in Christian Charity to be pitied and better informed and indeed much Travel hath been for that so that the Mis-led in a contrary Judgment might be helped and reduced back into Unity and our peaceable Fellowship in our wholesome Practices in the outward Affairs of Truth but that which adds to our Sorrow that though they still ery The tender Consciences yet woful Experience demonstrates it far otherwise where Prejudice hath so hardned that there is not so much softness left for the Reason of Truth to take Impression or to receive that which pertains to Love and good Works which is one end and product of our Meetings distinctly and respectively the Men Friends who discharge their places to whom the Godly Women always give the Pre-eminence as Brethren and Women Friends in their places not seeking Rule over one another but that we may be Furtherers of one anothers Joy and be each others Crown of rejoycing in the Lord meets in the Fear of the Lord as in the Light of Christ Jesus in our Consciences we received so to walk and do according to the Order of his Spirit in which Christ is Present in our so meeting together and the faithful can feal to the Testimony of it to the Glory of his Name forever But wherein doth this great and heavy Imposition on tender Consciences consist One thing is say some Womens Meetings are imposed Why do you compel any contrary to their Freedom No all are left to the Measure of Truth in them which is one and the same in all Consciences but Informing Instructing and Exhorting that every one be found in the Unity of our Duty according to our Measure of the Light of Christ Jesus received to walk in it as Members of his Body to discharge our Office and Servants in Christ Family to do our Service as the good Women of old were Helpers in the Work of the Gospel in such things as are proper to us as visiting and Relieving the Sick the Poor more especially and Destitute amongst us that they be helped a also the Poor Widdows and Fatherless Orphans that the Distressed in all things be rightlyanswered the Children at Nurse be rightly educated and well brought up in order to a future well-being in the Creation Again we being met together the Elder Women to instruct the Younger to all wholesome things Loving their own Husbands and Children to be Discreet Chaste Sober keeping at Home that the Word of God we profess be not Blasphemed c. with many other Matters pertient to us as a Meeting whom the Lord blesseth with his Power and Presence to sustain and bear us up against all our Opposers Again It is Imposition saith the Workers of Dissention for Marriages to offer their Intentions to the Consideration of the Womens Meeting But pray consider in the Reason of Truth a Marriage hath an equal Concern in the Woman as in the Man and 't is as reasonable to consider the Women may have as near a Concern in that matter with the Woman as the Men on the other Part. And farther 't is said ' T is Imposition to go more than once to the Brethrens Meeting But say we that are in our wholesome Practices in these Matters and our Consciences bear us witness in the sight of God our Eye is to the Honour of his Truth therein therefore cannot encourage or allow People we are concerned with to hasten or run together in Marriage without due Care and Weightiness and that we are satisfied they are clear in all things touching their Marriage as they ought to be and for which end there ought to be a special care over Young People to whom the Aged had need to be Examples both of Gravity and good Order that Christ's Yoke be not cast off by either nor any false Liberty of the Flesh set up encouraged or soothed among us wherefore when they have proposed their Intentions to one Meeting for them to consider 't is but reasonable they have time to make Inquiry and Search into the the Matter so as they may be satisfied that all things are sweet savoury that so far aswe can we may be approved of by all in such publick Affairs Yea But you will have such to come the second time who are known to be clear Yea 't is but reasonable that such should manifest their Patience and Subjection as good Examples to others in these Needful and wholsome Practices that are of good Report And therefore we cannot approve such in their willful Endeavours to confound the Unity of our Order in this matter under pretence of a burden to their Conscience for it was no burden to come once for that Meeting in it self being Good Just Honest and of good Report answering the Light of Christ Jesus which is one in all Consciences as well in the Ignorant Blind Mis-guided and Erring because they will not be informed the Light is the same there to reprove and inform as it is in the Conscience ruled and guided by the Light Therefore pray consider how that can contract a burden viz. the going twice to such a Meeting as before-mentioned how it can cause a burden on the Conscience that is rightly informed though it may be weak but rather contradicts the Self-will that brings Bondage and blinds the Consciences And are not such rather by their opposing Will justly under the Reproof of the Church and that Endeavours may be that the Understanding of such be opened and brought to a better Information in their Consciences For from the beginning we believe God's Witness in all Consciences is one and its Reproofs of one Nature and Tendance and its Instruction● tending to one and the same end and leads all as they are guided by it into one Way which allows of no false Liberty Yea but you are gone from the Beginning for you had not this Way in the Beginning say the Opposers Pray consider above tweny six Years ago in the South Parts we were a very little handful of People gathered into the Belief of the Light of Christ Jesus so as it is that very Principle of Life in us that we through Obedience to it might come to know God as it is Eternal Life to know him and rightly to worship him in his Spirit and to be led by him into all Truth and in Testimony of his own Spirit in these our Practices which since the Lord hath called us to as we are a People called and gathered by the Lord. Pray Consider I speak the Truth of my Knowledge and my Conscience beareth me witness in what I have or shall say in this

AN EPISTLE FOR TRUE Love Unity AND ORDER IN THE Church of Christ Against the Spirit of Discord Disorder and Confusion c. Recommended to Friends in Truth chiefly for the sake of the Weak and Unstable Minded for Information and Encouragement in our Christian Unity and Society held in the Spirit of Christ both in Faith and Practice By two Servants of the Church according to our Measures Anne Whitehead Mary Elson But God hath tempered the Body together that there should be NO SCHISME in the Body but that the Members should have the SAME CARE one for another 1 Cor. 12. LONDON Printed by Andrew Sowle and are sold at his Shop in Devonshire New-buildings without Bishops-Gate 1680. AN EPISTLE FOR TRUE Love Unity Order c. Dear Friends WHom the Lord hath called out of the World's Ways and Manners and chosen to himself and found faithful according to the Proportion of Faith and Measure of his Grace received how to walk Oh! let us hold fast that which we have received that none may take our Crown Oh! let us keep to our first Love let us do our first Works and be rightly zealous for the Lords Honour and so with a good Conscience towards God and in the sweet Spirit of Peace seeking good one toward another as good Examples and wholesome Paterns in our Practices Oh! let us keep our good Order in the Truth and Unity of the Spirit even as we received of Christ Jesus in the beginning that we should walk in the Light as he is in the Light so shall we have fellowship one with another which light is one in us all the one only true living Way leading to the Knowledge and living Obedience of the one true and living God that in his own living Spirit of Truth we might Worship him and in all wholesome Service hold forth his Holy Reverend Name to be One in us all who are gathered into it serving the Lord with one Heart one Soul one Mind and one Consent And in the beginning of our Day you that were then born and brought forth in the Truth you know the Harmony of our Unity was our Beauty and Comliness yea our Strength and Compleatness so far as we had obtained then and so 't is now blessed be the Lord can we with one Heart say who by his heavenly Power have been from the beginning kept upon his Everlasting Foundation of true Unity held in his Spirit which is the Bond of our Peace to this very Day and Time in which the Lord hath suffered Blindness in part to happen to some through their own Neglect of Watchfulness and declining their first Love by the Enemy's Subtilty prevailing who came out amongst us and had a part in the Belief and Discovery of the Way of Truth but now some only have the Sheeps clothing and others have lost that too who through a prejudiced Mind are alienated from that Unity of Spirit and Bond of Peace in which we keep our wholesome Practices which we have received in the Unity and Order of the Gospel of Peace and Truth of Christ Jesus in the fellowship of the Spirit in Bowels of Mercy being like-minded and of one accord in whatsoever things are True Just Honest and of good Report not that we should think of them only but be in the Practice of them as we are and feel the God of Peace with us therein who are confirmed in the Testimony of Christ Jesus the one Guide Way and Rule we are to walk after where all speak one thing that there be no Dissention amongst us but to be knit together in one Mind and in one Judgment this we have received of Christ Jesus one Lord Ring and only Law-given that we might walk so in subjection to his Rule and Government that all things might be done Decently and in Order for our God is the God of Order in all the Churches of his Saints and not the God of Confusion blessed be his Name but to our burden and grief we find among some a contrary Spirit that will not subject to Unity in wholesome Practice amongst as and that will needs interpole to destroy Unity in same places and obtrude it self to confound our wholesome Order and Practices received amongst us as a Church and People And through this contrary Spirit and prejudiced Mind the Accuser of the Brethren is broken out under a sp●●●ous pre●ence crying out Liberty of Conscience Liberty of Conscience in opposition to those needful convenient and wholesome Practices exercised amongst us in outward things to which we are called as a People that are distinguished from the World 's dark Ways and Corrupt Manners in keeping our Consiences void of Offence towards God and Man in keeping both in the Power and Form of Godliness Now that the Simple may not be enshared nor the Weak unstable minded deceived not the Unwatchful at unawares overtaken through the crafty Insinuations of this accusing opposing dividing Spirit that is at work in this our day to confound Order against the peaceable Government of Christ amongst his People therefore in Duty to the Lord and to clear my Conscience for the sake of those before-mentioned are these few Lines writ Wherefore in Humility of Soul as before the Lord I beseech you tender Ones in seriousness and fear towards God weigh the Matter This Dividing Accusing Prejudicial Worker would introduce a Belief That an Apostacy is entring and we are gone from the Beginning or first Principle and the Power lost and new Forms are setting up and Imposition on Consciences and the like And amongst whom is all this say they but amongst us who are in Unity of Spirit both in Faith and Practices with sincere mind towards God are preserved in subjection peaceably in Unity and wholesome comely Order that speaks forth our God to be the God of Order and 't is amongst these and such that they imagine this Fearful Imposture and Atbitrary Rule imposing Prescriprions and Laws on the tender Consciences of the Weak is now gotten up to Exercise and so the Liberty of the tender Conscience is lost And you say They are entangled with a yoke of Bondage again who would divide the Heritage of God at this day Pray Friends let us in this consider whether these in this Blindness which God hath suffered through their prejudiced Mind justly to happen in them by which are they not putting Darkness for Light and Light for Darkness while they are striving in the ●●●●ness of their Wills to rule placing their own Wills for Conscience and would have a Liberty therein which Christ never set free to any that are in a Perverse Gain-saying Opting Willful spirit void of the Reason of Truth and the Fellowship that is in it and so are led by a Misguided Conscience for we never understood that Conscience to be rightly guided that was not renewed and regulated by the light of Christ Iesus which is one in all