Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	world_n	worship_n	worshipper_n	328	4	11.8287	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52677	An account from the children of light (to them that askes) in several particulars why we have been kept from joyning to, or worshipping in those formes at law, and formes of worships, that have been imposed upon us against our consciences, in these late years, for denying whereof, we have so deeply suffered, with our lives, liberties, and estates. : Also what we owne as to those things, and can be obedient to for conscience sake, according to truth, and the practise of the church of Christ, and the Scriptures.	Naylor, James, 1617?-1660.; Hubberthorn, Richard, 1628-1662.	1660 (1660)	Wing N256; ESTC R27517	31,099	57

spoyle of our goods Now God having revealed his true worship to u● i● the light of Christ which is is in spi●it and truth and called us out of carnall things ●or which there is no Scripture we ●●nn● for Conscience sake worship any more therein Now neyther by the Spirit of Christ in us nor by letter of Scriptures without us nor by the example of all the holy men of God that hav● walked before us can we for Conscience sake owne nor uphold that for the true and spirituall worship of God in spirit and truth neither to repaire their house maintaine their Priest nor his Clarke as they would impose upon us Now some have said What would you have no Church Minister preaching praying nor none of this worship nor maintenance c. What would you have We say yes we own a Church ministring preaching praying and the maintenance that thereto belongs but we would have them to be of God and after his will in Christ Jesus and not after the will and traditions of men contrary both to God good men and the Scriptures of truth For we reade of a Church of Christ in Scriptures but it was in God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ And we read of a ministry of Christ in Scripture made not of man neither by man but by the revelation of the Son of God in them And the Gospel or Ministry that they preached was not after man nor received of man neither was they taught it but by revelation of Jesus Chist And we read of a Maintenance they had which was to live of the Gospel And the spiritualls which they sowed freely without money or money-worth brought them forth fruits freely both in spirituall things and worship towards God and in carnall things towards their outward wants and as they planted so they eate And where the plant grew and the soule prospered till it could bring forth fruit freely there they need not to sue them and to take it by spoyle but of the world they looked for nought but persecution nor ever coveted or compelled any such thing from any creature no not where they had sowne and planted unlesse it grew in spirit and life to God they looked not to reape any thing but losse if that which they had sowne withered in the way therefore did they watch for the soule and not for tythes piggs and eggs and geese and sheaves c. but that the soule prospered towards God that was their prize And to make the Gospel without charge that was their reward if they did it freely and willingly but if not willingly then a necessitie was layd upon them and woe was their portion And these went on and prospered gathering Churches out of the world into God from place to place even where they was not sent for they went freely as they was moved of the holy Spirit And if anywhere they came was found worthy to receive them with them they might eate freely what was set before them where the Spirit was free but they did not seat themselves in a Towne or say this is my Parish and this is my hire so much a yeare but wandred to and fro having no certaine dwelling place nor was their bellyes any part of the bargain as to coming preaching staying or going as to any place And when they had gathered a Church into the Spirit and life of Christ Iesus which brought them to meete together then they did not Lord it over them in faith or conscience neither was they called their Masters but still servants for Christ sake nor did they get a glasse and set up and if any spoke in their time while they was speaking say they broke their peace and send them to prison but said all might prophesie that all might be edified and it was joy to them to heare any to speake by the Spirit either son or daughter and some might speake and some might judge of what was spoken And if any thing was revealed to him that stood by the first was to hold his peace and the Spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets Now this Church and its order we owne where ever we find it to be after God and in him but when we meete with a company of people that denyes all this And if any be moved in the Spirit eyther to speake while they are speaking or judge what they have spoken Then the teacher cryes away to prison with him and the people runs upon us all a heapes ready to pull us to pieces this we owne not nor doth Christ nor the Scriptures owne it to be his Church t●is is not the Spirit of the Prophets nor subject to the Prophets but the rude Spirit which tumul●ed upon the Apostles and Prophets of old So here is somewhat declared of the ministry we owne and his maintenance but of such a thing as a Clarke we read not in Scriptures neither name nor office And now let none thinke it strang● or an error in us to compare weigh and ●ry and prove things for we are christians have received the spirit that is of God that we may know the things that are given to us of God from things that are of the world And we may not receive every one for a Minister of Christ who tells us he is nor that for a Church that every one calls a Church nor that for worship which every one would impose upon us for things had need of trying and Spirits also and we hold fast that which is good Its true in the world there be many Churches and many heads Gods many and Lords many many faiths and many opinions but in Christ Iesus 〈◊〉 called to unity in all these things so 〈◊〉 we say with the Churches of Christ in ●cripture to us there is on● body one Spirit one 〈◊〉 one faith one baptisme one God and fathe● of all who is above all and through all and in us all And this one God in us is a Spirit and will be worshipped in spirit in truth so of us he requires truth and that we worship no other things nor bow to them though all men have not this faith but can follow any thing in their worship which is the fashion of the Nation where they live but this we are called out of And into that one worship we are come which is in spirit and truth for in that is the father worshipped and God hath sought us out of the many worships that are in the world in Spirit to worship him and Christ saith these are the true worshippers that so worship and ●nto this hath Christ led us and in it he ownes us in his Spirit and the Father ownes us and testifies to us in every enlightned conscience and in this we are come to the Spirits of just men and they owne us And the letter of Scriptures it ownes us also and in this we have peace

Land might have become as Sodom and not one have known the Lord nor his word And as it was in the dayes of the false Prophets so hath it been since the dayes of the false ministry for which many have suffered since the dayes of the Apostles for testifying against such as have erred in Spirit forme and doctrine from Christ Jesus and his Apostles And this hath been from the indwelling power of Christ in them and his precious light shining in their hearts and consciences that they have thus been preserved and enabled to beare the testimony of Christ against false worships and worshippers and so it is at this day in all who keepe a pure Conscience towards God in all his word and worship that his true and spirituall worship might not be wholly lost out of the world Also if at any time their Kings or Rulers forgot God or Kings arose who knew not God and then would lay upon them Laws and Commands which was not just an● lawfull for them to doe then by the light of Christ in a pure Conscience they was enabled to withstand it even unto death As that of Mordecai and the Jews who would rather all be destroyed then bow to Hammons pride at the Kings command though Englands people would have said this is but a civill thing and duty and good manners and the like yet Gods Law in their Conscience they preferred above all that the King commanded contrary thereto yea life and all would they lose rather then defile their Conscience towards God or deny his Law there though no Law without had forbidden such a thing Yet in other cases did they appeare true and subject to the King for Mordecai's truth saved the Kings life not long before though from man he had little reward for it Likewise might be Instanced that of Daniels praying contrary to the decrees of the King his Counsell of Presidents and Princes and that of the three children against the fierce Command of Nebuchadnezzar in denying to worship at his will and pleasure likewise that of the Apostles when their Rulers and Priests also charged them straitly not to preach any more their answer before authoritie was we ought to obey God rather then men yea it would be too long to tell how many godly men and women upon the account of a pure Conscience not onely hazarded their lives but lost life and all for the testimony of a tender Conscience as might be instanced But this may be said for all That if they would but have denyed the law of God in their conscience and conformed to the wills of men and their laws not o●e of all the Prophets Apostles or all the holy men of God need to have suffered death or spoyle So now in that any of us by the same spirit of Christ and from his light and law in our Consciences are moved to goe testifie against false Prophets false worships and declare the way of truth to all people against them to their face And if Rulers have been so opposite to this as to make laws against it and to command us to bow and worship at their wills which for Conscience sake towards God we could not for which we have suffered the spoyling of goods long and heavie imprisonments shamefull usings and losse of lives also I say in this we have a cloud of witnesses even the Lord Jesus our Captaine and the whole body of Martyrs who have all gone before us in the selfe same obedience of faith and Spirit and have suffered the same or such like things from Rulers that knew not God and teachers that knew not God in their dayes and all of them in their dayes was counted offenders hereticks or dispisers of Authority or some such reproach was cast upon them by their accusers and persecuters for obeying the law of their God in their Consciences whom the Rulers of the darknesse of this world have not known nor can know till they beleeve his light in their own Consciences So it is not for new things nor strange opinions which was never in the world before for which we suffer though to the world they seeme new and strange but for the very same workes of the same Spirit of light and truth which hath often appeared in a poore contemptible people and hath as often received the same measure from them who professe him in words but in workes deny him by such have we suffered who read and preach the same in words which this eternall Spirit in us now worketh And with such who with words garnish the sepulchres of those whom their fathers slew are we counted great offenders for being found in the same way and practise and in obedience to the same Spirit in that measure as we have received it So we have this added to the testimony of a good Conscience towards God and towards men that we suffer not for evill doing though as evill doers to wit the practise of holy men and the Scriptures of truth which will owne us herein and stand on our parts against all our adversaries and accusers And t●is will be proved so when we come to particulars wherein we differ from the wayes and worships of these present times and for which we are so much hated and persecuted And we know that it will not be found harmfull to the bodyes estates or well-being of any Christian neighbourhood nor of any other people in the nations to practise those things wherein we differ in civill and temporall things nor hurtful to the soules of any In the things wherein we differ in religious or spirituall matters from the severall opinions and formes of worships that are or have been set up in these nations As we shall make it plainly appeare if either Spirit of truth or Scripture of truth or things equall may but be received on our part Now we shall mention some particulars in which we differ for Conscience sake from some of the formes traditions and commands of the men of this present age and the powers that have ruled therein under whom we have therefore suffered as evill doers And first as to those things which some calls civill ANd indeed it may be wondered at by any moderate people that in a nation called Christians any man should suffer so much as to be called an offender for some of the things which I must mention upon this account especially they being layd upon us by the spirit of Christ as matter of conscience and by a people so highly pretending for liberty of Conscience As it hath been layd upon us by the Spirit of Christ to use the same single language to all sorts of people which the Scriptures uses and all the holy men of God therein have ever used that is to say thou to any one person and you to more then one A language sound and true to God and man which the Spirit of God first spoke and gave to man and of man

Commands That so under you we might be godly and quietly governed within and without But if yet it must be so that your distance be so great that with one heart we cannot obey you both then whether it is better to obey God or men with the light of God in your own consciences judge you therefore if we can but keepe peace with the one of you we chuse to keepe our everlasting peace with God and that saving saith that 's held in a pure Conscience And our prayers to the father of lights is for our whole body of Christs Church and every member thereof that our hearts may be kept single to him alone what ever we suffer from men for so doing Now to those things which some call religious THough in our selves we make no such distinction it being that our Consciences are to be exercised in the light and Spirit of Christ in all we doe towards God and towards man and every particular action towards men God requires that it be done as to him and to his glory and not in our own wills nor in mens wills nor after their wills manners and customes and commands but in the will of God alone revealed in Christ Jesus in Spirit and in his motion and leadings which if we misse in and serve eyther men or our selves therein and not God we are accountable to him as though we had erred in that which the world calls Religion therefore what ever we do to God in Christ to us is his service and pure religion and undefiled before God if we keepe but our conscience unspotted from the world though it be but in visiting a fatherless childe or a widdow in their affliction or any other thing which the Spirit of truth justice and mercy leads us to and requires of us But as the worship of God it selfe hath relation to him alone who is a Spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and in truth betwixt him and every particular creature onely known in matter measure and manner time and place And knowing that the onely wise God who gives the kingdoms of the earth to whom he will yea and may set over them the basest of men as well as the most vertuous without controule if he please so to deale in judgement towards any Nation yet this hath he reserved as an eternall Scepter in the hand of Jesus our Lord and by an everlasting Covenant hath he sworne once for all concerning him Thou art a King for ever over the holy people and his throne is established in their consciences by a perpetuall decree to all generations therefore was it never known that ever he trusted or titled any earthly Prince with Lord over the faith and consciences of his owne people This was ever the S●ns prerogative above the Kings of the earth and he alone is to be Judge and Law-giver and correcter and leader in that invisible spirituall work of worship towards God for he onely knowes the way and none comes to the Father but by him It s true the Pope hath taken upon himselfe such authority under pretence of the Apostles even over the faith and consciences of people and with it hath shed much innocent bloud which lyes upon his seat and his line till God come to enquire for it and for that end hath set up inquisitions c. And others after and from that have erected Courts and Synods with their fines and prisons and tortures to force the faith and Consciences of people and they pretend the Apostles also for this worke But this we know that the Apostles was no such men nor used any such weapons but deny them therein both the Pope and they that are risen since And expressely deny to be Lords over Gods heritage or over their faith neither did they preach themselves Lords and Masters but Christ Jesus alone the Lord and themselves servants for Iesus sake as both their owne words practise doth testifie for saith Paul Not for that we have dominion over your faith And saith Peter Not for filthy lucre neither as being Lords over Gods heritage but as examples to the flock So we know that from Peter they had it not nor from Paul nor from any of the true Ministers of Christ for their weapons was not carnall but spirituall nor did they wrestle with flesh but with spirit so all they can get from the Apostles either in word or practise is this That if they be troubled with errors or profanenesse in their Churches Then if they have the Spirit and power of the Lord Iesus then to deliver such a one up to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the soule may be saved and body also in the day of the Lord And this is not to goales or gallowes or inquisitions or tortures or fires now had they this spirit and power they would know that which would convert in deed and truth and not make hypocrites or else kill them but the false Church having not these weapons nor this spirit and power is builded with oppression and upholden with bloud And in her are found the bloud of all the holy Martyrs of Jesus as saith the Scriptures yea even now is she drunke with bloud Revel. 18.24 17.6 So now this is the thing we say as to the worship of our God and to the order of it In all things it belongs to Christ Iesus our Lord and to him as sole King Lord thereof we cōmit our selves even the whole man soule and body as to all things of that nature And though there may ari●e power after power and seeke t● stop us of this liberty and freedome by acting force and violence upon our outward man yet are we free by birth in Christ Iesus and our inw●rd man they cannot bind nor can we ever while we abide in that see●e give up the right of Christ unto any of them but this we testifie in all we doe or suffer that the right is Christs over our Consciences and over our worships and to him alone we confesse before men and he hath the name in us And though for a time or times we yet suffer yet we know the end must come And the Lambe must take the kingdome and we know him that is true and faithfull whom the Father hath sealed and anoynted to be head of the ●hurch which is his body and to him must the Nations account And therefore we say to all the severall powers that comes upon us we may not deny the Lord in our Consciences to bow to or worship in what men shall set up or command but he that saves us dayly from our sins he shall leade us in our worship and to him we must give the obedience of faith who gives us faith and power by his Spirit to obey and who hath wrought all our workes in us and for us and by whose vertue