Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A57311
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To all who imprison & persecute the saints and servants of God for meeting together in his name, and fear, to worship him as he requireth.
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Rigge, Ambrose, 1635?-1705.
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1659
(1659)
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Wing R1495; ESTC R17447
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4,701
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10
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To all who IMPRISON PERSECUTE THE Saints and Servants of GOD for Meeting together in his Name and Fear to Worship him as he Requireth THe hour cometh and now is wherein the true Worshippers do worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth who witness the Prophesie of Christ fulfilled John 4. 23. And such also do witness with the Servants of God in the days of old That God who made the World and all Things therein dwelleth not in Temples made with Hands neither is he Worshipped with Mens Hands Acts 17. This God is an unlimited Spirit and therefore his worship cannot be limited to any particular House or Place Though a Temple was commanded to be Builded at Jerusalem once unto which all the Regions of the Jews were to be gathered and to worship yet when Christ the Son of God came into the World he Prophesied the Destruction of it and said Their House should be left unto them Desolate Mat. 23. 38. And for this the Jews slew him And he gathered great Multitudes sometimes upon the Mountaines sometimes by the Seashore and sometimes in Houses And they that were his Ministers sent forth and Authorised by him did not limit People unto such and such Temples and Houses set up in such and such Parishes called Churches but taught People Publiquely from House to House testifying to the Jews and also to the Greeks Repentance towards God and Faith towards Jesus Christ Acts 20. 20 21. And Christ said Where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them Mat. 18. 20. Now he did not limit in what Place People should be gathered together for as he was no Respecter of Persons so he was no Respecter of Places and Paul Dwelt two whole years in his own hired House and received all that came in unto him Preaching the Kingdom of God and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence no man forbidding him Acts 28. 30 31. Here was Preaching the Kingdom of God in a House and a Meeting in a House and not forbidden as it is in these our dayes neither was he Persecuted for Preaching in his own hired House And the same Apostle did greet the Church that was in Aquilla and Priscilla's House Rom. 16. 5. And Paul again writing to the Corinthians said that the Church in Aquilla's House did salute them 1 Cor. 16. 19. Now here was gathering in Houses in the Primitive times as we may read of which was approved of God and of his Ministers under the Gospell and were not haled out of their Houses by any except by Saul and the like who made havock of the Church entring into every House and haling Men and Women and Committed them to Prison as we may read in Act. 8. 3. Here are many Sauls in these our dayes abroad in the World who go under a better Name and would be counted Christians but are walking in the same steps that saul the Persecutor of the Saints did entring into Mens Houses and haling Men and Women and committing them to Prison for Meeting together in their own Houses peacoably to worship the Lord in Spirit and Truth and would have them to promise to do so no more which I do not read that Saul did do So you manifest your selves to be worse than him And in the dayes of the Prophet Malachi They that feared the Lord met often together and spake one to another and the Lord said They should be his in the day that he made up his Jewels and Paul Preached unto the People till midnight in an upper Chamber where they were gathered together Acts 20. 7 8. And we do not read that the Magistrates sent Constables to break up their Meeting neither did they limit them to a Parochial Church as it is now called and Paul writing to the Colossians saluted the Brethren which were at Laodicea and Nymphas and the Church which in his House Col. 4. 15. Now none of these Assemblies were forbidden neither broken up by rude Men as many Christian Assemblies are now who Meet together for no other end but to Worship God in Spirit and Truth according to the Scriptures of Truth and Paul writing to Timothy said He willed that Men Pray every where lifting up Holy Hands without Wrath and Doubting 1 Tim. 2. 8. He did not limit Men to such and such Places to Pray in as this Generation of Men do and Daniel kneeled down upon his Knees three times a Day in his House and Prayed and gave Thanks before his God as he did aforetime though the King had Signed a Writing and a Decree to the contrary Dan. 6. 9 10 11. For which he was cast into the Den of Lyons Dan. 6. 16. Now he could not be subject to the King nor his Lords in forbearing to pray in his own House though he could suffer what penalty they inflicted upon him yet God delivered him out of the Lyons Mouthes Dan. 6. 22. And the Magistrates commanded the Apostles Not to speak at all nor teach in the Name of Jesus but Peter and John answered and said unto them Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God Judge you for we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard Acts 4. 18 19 20. So now you who are commanding things contrary to the Commands of God whether it be right in the sight of God to obey Him or Yee judge of this your selves this thing is no ways different from what it was in the dayes of old and in Acts 12. 12. Peter came to the House of Mary the Mother of John where many were gathered together Praying this was not called an Unlawfull Assembly by him neither forbidden as such Assemblies are now by them who prosess themselves Christians and Ministers of the Gospell but their end shall be according to their Works not according to their Words for they have gotten the good Words and the fair speeches and by them have long deceived the Hearts of the Simple but the day is broken forth which hath discovered all their evill Deeds Therefore all you Rulers and Magistrates of what Degree soever Take heed what you now are doing for if this thing which you are now striving against be of God you cannot destroy it but if not It will come to nothing of it selfe But in the mean time take heed that you be not Fighters against God for in as much as you have done this to the least of his Children and Servants you have done it to him for so it will be laid to your charge in the Day of his Account Be not High-minded nor Stout-hearted against the Lord nor any of his Chosen Ones who Assemble together in his Name and Fear in Peace with Him and all Men and Dare not forsake the Assembling of themselves together as the manner of some is lest they should loose the Sence and Feeling of the Presence