Selected quad for the lemma: world_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
world_n	comprehend_v	light_n	shine_v	2,130	5	9.2464	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91118	A testimony of God, and his way, and worship against all the false wayes and worships of the vvorld. Also an answer to some of the false doctrines held forth, by a professed minister, in VVales; shewing the unsoundness of his former actions, and is found to be one, in the nature of the vvorld; which sometime he hath spoken against. With an answer to some queries; propounded by one, who is called an Anabaptist. / Given forth for no other end, but in love to the truth, as it is in Iesus: by Alex: Parker.	Parker, Alexander, 1628-1689.	1656 (1656)	Wing P383; Thomason E883_6; ESTC R207301	24,030	31

A Testimony of God And his way and worship against all the false wayes and worships of the VVorld Also an answer to some of the false Doctrines held forth by a professed Minister in VVales shewing the unsoundness of his former actions and is found to be one in the nature of the VVorld which sometime he hath spoken against WITH An answer to some Queries propounded by one who is called an Anabaptist Given forth for no other end but in love to the truth as it is in Iesus BY ALEX PARKER LONDEN Printed for Giles Calvert at the West end of Pauls 1656. A Testimony of God and his way and worship against all the false wayes and worship of the world GOD is pure and holy and loves righteousness and his worship is a pure and a spiritual worship not known to the world that lives in wickedness the world by all their wisdom and study cannot find out the mind of God neither do they worship him in spirit but are wondering and worshipping the Beast who have not found their names written in the book of life and though they make a profession of the name of God yet are aliens and strangers from the pure life and power of God and so are climbing up another way and building up Babel a Tower to reach up to Heaven in their Heathenish and Babilonish wisdom where there is nothing but confusion and strife one crying lo here is Christ another crying lo there one crying up his way to be the onely way and counts all accursed that are not in his way and so the second cries up his way and so all the world lies in confusion and wickednesse strife and debate and though many have long been seeking after God yet have not found him because they sought him not in his own way Which is pure for ever but by their own wit and wisdom have gone about to know and find out the mistery of the Kingdom of God so have walked gone on in the crooked wayes and by paths of the world and have despised that little thing within which is the light of Jesus that shines in the midst of all this darkness and reproves them in secret for their evil deeds and shews them their confusion and oftentimes bring them to a stand and some sense or feeling of the deadness and emptiness of all their profession and of their tottering building which is builded upon the sand and cannot stand in the fiery day of the fierce wrath and indignation of God and when they daub up themselves with smooth words crying the ordinances of Christ and the Church of Christ and the righteousness of Christ and faith in Christ and though they be wicked and sinfull and must be so while they live yet Christ doth not impute their sin unto them they are justified in Christ though they sometime run into sin and thus would make Christ a cloak for their sin yet still the light of Christ testifies against them and all their coloured and painted outside and talking of justification without holiness of life will not bring them peace but still there is a cry after God for purity and reproves them for their sin and iniquity and no peace there is to the wicked as long as they act contrary to the measure of God all their profession and high notions and glorious comprehensions and guilded outsides is but like unto Adams fig-leafe garment and will not cover their nakednesse in the dreadfull and powerfull day of the Lord the wicked shall be as the stuble and shall be consumed root and branch all their crying Lord Lord will not avail them in that day all their sermons reading praying and the like being found workers of iniquity will do them no good but this dreadfull sentence from the Lord will be pronounced against them Go cursed workers of iniquity I know you not depart from me into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Consider of this all you carnall and formall Professors Priests and People who talke so much of the name of God drawing neer unto him with your lips and with your mouths but your hearts goes after your covetousnesse and things of this world which comes to an end and withers and fades away and pleads against the power and purity of Godlyness saying none can ever be made free from sin nor perfect in this world but must continue in sin or sin in him while he lives and so have made a Covenant with hell and with death and no longer time will serve the devill your master whole servants you are as long as you live in sin but terme of life What will ye answer the Lord in that day will then a distinction serve you that you have not sinned unto death or that your sin shall not be imputed to you Shall not then the witnesse of God in your own conscience which all along hath testified against you for your ungodly practises and reproved you for your secret evils Shall it not stop your mouths and you shall stand speechlesse and shall be made to confesse that God is just and your condemnation just who in your life time have rejected his counsell and cast his Law behind your backs and have turned his grace into lasciviousness know this assuredly this will be your portion at the latter day for God is just and will render a just reward unto every one according to their deeds done in the body whether they be good or whether they be evill They that have improved their talents and done well shall enter into the Lords joy But those who have sleighted the Lords free love which is freely tendred and have been carelesse and negligent and have not improved their tallents shall be cast out from his presence and shall have their portion in the lake of utter darknesse where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth and this shall be the condemnation of all the world who hate the light that Jesus Christ hath enlightened them withall and love their evill deeds better then the light For this is the condemnation of the world not because light is not come but that light is come into the world and men love darknesse rather then light because their deeds are evil and so all the world lies under condemnation who are in the sin and evill and deny the light which gives the entrance into the Kingdoms of Christ which stands in righteousness and no unrighteous one can enter for no entrance is made but through the death of sin and there is no death nor freedom from sin but only by the Son of God there is no way but by him no salvation but in him no separation from sin nor reconciliation to God but only by the Son o● God who is given of the Father a Covenant of light into the World who doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world and by this light is the Devils work seen and by faith in him who

souls who have long been tossed to and fro by following the changeable doctrine of men but are not satisfied that they may return home into the fathers house with me where they shall find satisfaction and plenteous redemption where all the Saints are one and their food one and have a new name written which none knows nor can read but those that hath it and there my name is written in the Spiritual book of life and they that are there do it read and know Who am known to the World by the name of ALEX PARKER An answer to some of the false doctrines held forth by one Vavasar Powel who is called a Master and a Minister and something further occasioned by some conference held with the said Vavasar in the publick meeting place at old Radnor in Wales shewing the unsoundness of his sormation and to be one in nature and rage with all the Parish Teachers which hee hath so much tryed against written for the sake of the simple ones that they may be awarned and fore-armed to keep out of his snare GReat hath been and is the rage of the world the professors of truth against the life and power of truth where-ever it was made manifest in former generations as it is now in this generation against the despised people of God whom the Lord hath owned and made his power manifest whom the scorners that knows not God do call Quakers especially the Priests and they who professe themselves Teachers of the Nations who in their high places utters forth their spight and venome and incensing their hearts against them as though they were a people not worthy to live Amongst whom one who is called Mr. Vavasar Powel who is called a Teacher and much set up and adored by the blind Professors in Wales and other parts who is looked upon to be one above the rest and separated from them yet in persecution rage joyn with them and exceeds many of them in railing backbiting and casiling many false aspersions upon the innocent people and harmlesse Lambs of Christ in his high place uttering forth such things as are not fit to be mentioned by any that professes the name of God much lesse by one who professes himself a Minister of God And I being in those parts of Wales and hearing of his railing accusations against the people of God in most places where he came and I amongst the rest of my b●ethren was falsly accused and slandered by some of his hearers and I being innocent and the Lords truth cleer from all those things falsly charged upon us was moved of the Lord to go to old Radnor in VVales on the 5. day of the 3. month called May 1656. to stand a witness for the living truth of God against Powel and all opposers of the truth and that day he the said Powel was found in the steps of the Scribes and Pharisees whom our Lord Jesus Christ cried woe against he went up into the high place and stood praying in the Sinagogue as the Scribes and Pharisees did he is called of men Master contrary to the command of Christ to his Ministers who saith unto his be not ye called of men Master for ye have but one Master even Christ and ye are brethren but Vavasar Powell is called of men Master contrary to the command of Christ which none of his true Ministers were and so under the woe The true Ministers of God had the Spirit of God and had salt in themselves to savour withall and they knew who were the true Ministers of God and who were deceivers even by the Spirit of God that was in them and they prayed by the Spirit of God But Vavasar Powel in this is short of the true Ministers for he in his prayer desired that the Lord would discover and shew them who his true Ministers were and who were deceivers and in this thing he is made manifest and doth plainly appear that he prayed not by the Spirit of God who cannot discern the true Ministers from the deceivers and so hath not salt in himself to savour withall but hath lost his honour and is good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden under foot of man for the Spirit of the Lord doth discern and discover and put a difference between the precious and the vile and betwixt the true Ministers and the deceivers in this he is found contrary to the true Ministers of God He said and held forth that every naturall man had a fourfold light but denyed that he had any light in him that was pure to lead him to Christ He said that all men were wholy in darknesse and nothing at all of the spiritual light in them or words to that effect and yet said that every naturall man had a talent which if he did not improve was his condemnation Now all whose eyes are in any measure opened may see his confusion for if the natural man have a talent and the talent be natural then a natural man that improves his natural talent may enter into the Lords joy as is plain in Scripture for he that had five talents gained other five and he that had two he gained other two and the Lord calling them to account pronounces to them well done good and faithful servants enter into your Masters joy but the slothful servant who did not improve his talent was cast out but the talent was taken from him and given to him that had improved And in this thing I stand a withesse against Mr. Powell so called and do witnesse to Jesus the True Light the same which Iohn bare testimony of who lighteth every one that cometh into the world who is pure and spiritual in whom is life and the life is the light of men and his life is spiritual and so is his light which the dark world cannot comprehend for this is the condemnation of the world who love their evill deeds and hate the light for every one that doth truth he loveth the light and brings his deeds to the light and thereby is led out of darknesse by oaths and crooked wayes and so shall have the light of life But he that doth evil he hateth the light and will not bring his deeds to the light because he knows the light will reprove him and so the light is his condemnation and is the same and one with that which is the salvation of the believer so I say that the light is one in the believer as in the unbeliever according to measure as the talents were one given to the slothfull as well as the faithfull and the talents were pure and those who improved them entred into joy and he that did not was cast out into utter darknesse but the talent was not for it was taken from him and given to him that had c. So this is the condemnation of the world and all the ungodly ones who live in ungodlinesse they are condemned by the light for the light

of the world and such puts darknesse for light and light for darknesse and calls the ordinances and traditions of men the ordinances of Christ and so would make the word of God of none effect by their traditions for they are the Sons of God who are led and guided by the Spirit of God and such denyes the shadows who witnesse the substance for if ye be dead with Christ from the Rudiments of the world why as though living in the world are ye subject to ordinances God is a Spirit and his ordinances are spiritual in the Gospel Administration Qu. III. Whether or no they are not blessed that do observe to do all the Ordinances and the Commands of the Lord Christ therein conteyned yea or nay and if they are then whether are not they a cursed generation of men that do not observe to do them but to teach men to break them Answ They are blessed that do observe all the Commandments of the Lord Christ that they may have right unto the tree of life and may enter in through the gate into the City But to that in thy conscience do I speak art thou one that dost observe al the Commandments of the Lord Christ art thou brought to yea and nay in thy communication art thou brought to do to all men as thou would have them to do unto thee Doth not something in thy conscience testify against thee and let thee see the contrary If any one sue thee at the Law and take away the Coat let him have thy Cloak also dost thou obey this command or dost thou not rather go quite contrary instead of letting him have thy Cloak with thy Coat would not thou go to Law with him before hee should have thy Coat To that in thy conscience do I speak if one smite thee on one cheek dost thou turn the other or would not something in thee arise to smite again Search and examine and if upon search thou be found a transgressour then art not thou one of the cursed generation that dost not observe to do all the commands of the Lord Christ which those whom thou art smiting warring against through the operation of God working in them are able and brought to observe are of the blessed generation to whom all the promises of God are due Qu. IV. Whether there be any other Gospel then that which was declared and testified of unto the world by Christ and his Disciples which is left upon record unto us in this our generation in the Scriptures of Truth yea or nay And whether this that you declare be the same that Christ and his Apostles did declare unto the Saints in their generation both for matter and manner Answ There is no other Gospel but that which was declared and testified of by Christ and his Disciples and the same Gospel do we preach and no other which is a mistery not known to the world which cannot be contained in a book nor written in letters for that which is written by Matthew Mark Luke and Iohn is but a declaration and that may be bought and sold for money But the Gospel cannot be bought and sold for money for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that beleeves and those that witnessed the Gospel were freed from sin and had remission of their sins But many have the Scriptures but have not the power of God but are alive unto sin and here thou hast much manifested thy folly and weaknesse who would have the Gospel conteined in a book which all the books in the world cannot conteyn which Gospel and glad tydings is now witnessed by the Children of Light free pardon of sin by Jesus Christ who is come to take away sin Glory and honour and everlasting praises to his Holy and dreadfull name for ever Qu. V. Whether the Apostles of Christ which wrote the Epistles unto the Churches and the Saints in that generation had not as much of the light of Christ within them as any have now in this generation yea or nay And wherefore were the Epistles written or did the Apostles write needlesse things or thy did they not onely call upon them to mind the light which was within them Ans Concerning the Apostles and the Saints having as much of the light of Christ within them as any have now it little concernes thee or any one else I leave it to him from whence all light comes who is the same now as ever and changes not Jesus Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever and gives to every one light according as it pleaseth him which light the Prophets and Apostles and Holy men of God did witnesse in them from which they write and did not write needlesse things but exhorted to take heed to the light which was within them which was and is a mistery we have also a more sure word of Prophesie unto which ye do well to take heed as unto a light shining in a dark place untill the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts The word is light and the word was within them nigh in their hearts the Law is light and the Law was within written in their hearts the spirit is light and it was within them to whom the Epistles were written and the Kingdom of Heaven is light and it was within though not comprehended in the earthly and dark wisedome of man and Christ Jesus is the light and this was the mistery which was hid from ages and generations which was within the Saints their hope of glory and thou and all the world that denies the light of Christ within and stumbles at the light are strangers to the Covenant of promise and art without God in the world in the sin and disobedience upon whom the wrath of God abides and thou cannot escape the judgements of God nor ever come from under the curse untill the light thou dost own to guid and lead thee in the way which is pure out of the Kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of the dear Son of God Qu. VI. Whether such men who walk up according to the testimony of the Scriptures in the life and power of them according to the measure of light they have received and yet through the weaknesse of the flesh do commit some sin though not willfully whether you can pronounce such men children of the devil yea or nay Ans Those who walk up according to the Scriptures in the life and power according to the measure of light they have received are kept from the sin abiding in the light for he that abides in the light sins not he that sins hath not seen him neither knows him he that doth righteousnesse is of God and he that commit sin is of the devil as the Scripture declareth Qu. 7. Whether all men and women that have forsaken the rule of the Scriptures and have betaken themselves to walk by the light within them are made presently perfect

hold that some are ordained to salvation and some to condemnation before they have done good or evill and these deny one another and hold one another accursed yet all are dipped in the water some are divided about that which they call the Lords supper and about breaking of the bread some will break it themselves and some will eat it as a supper some will sup before they eat it some will have it in an upper chamber some are for laying on of hands and some will not and many other things there are which breakes their union and thus they are divided in Babylons Kingdom tearing and rending one another like dogs and swine falling out about the husks But the Saints who are led by the light of the Son of God out of Babylon into the fold do feed upon the bread of life in the Fathers house where there is no want but fulnesse where the presence of the Lord is enjoyed and the holy and innocent ones who are washed and cleansed in the bloud of the Lamb rejoyce in his presence who are Baptized into Christ and have put on Christ whose hearts are purified and conscience purged from dead works these are Christians But to sprinkle water on the face of a child doth not make it a Christian or to be dipped over head and eares in water doth not wash and cleanse from sin for hee is not a Christian which is one outward which hath the name only neither is that the Baptizme which is outward with the water But he is a Christian which is in Christ a new Creature and Baptizme is that of the spirit having the heart sprinkled from an evill conscience and the body washed with pure water and this Baptizme I own and witnesse unto and deny all imitatour who have not a command from God as they had that gave forth the Scriptures Yet this I say if any one now have a command from Christ to go and Baptize with water or if any out of tendernesse of Conscience do such a thing I do not deny it nor judge them for it But I was not sent to Baptize but to preach the Gospel and it is no breach of Christs command nor denying his ordinances in not Baptizing not being commissioned by him to Baptize for it is neither dipping nor sprinkling or not dipping that availes any thing but a new Creature so to deny that which was a command of Christ to some being but outward it not being a command by Christ unto us is no breach of Christs command no more then it was in the Apostles in denying the outward commands as Temple Sabbath Circumsition and the like which were commands in their time and place and wee own them and all the commands of God mentioned in the Scriptures by the same spirit which gave them forth which spirit was the Saints Rule before the Scriptures were written and their Rule who gave forth the Scripture and the Saints Rule now according to the Scripture owning all things in their time and place as the Scripture declares of and though we be counted as deceivers yet true it is no more but what the Ministers of Christ undergone from that generation who were high in knowledge as doctours chief Priests and learned Rabbies yet by all their learning and Scripture knowledge they knew not the mistery but counted the Crosse of Christ foolishnesse as it is now by this generation of Scripture learned ones and university men by all their learning and study the mistery of Godlinesse they know not but counts them an ignorant people to whom the Lord hath made known himself in measure and reveiled his secrets unto and counts them as a people not worthy to live I say amongst that generation that cryes up the commands of Christ in words I find this man querying without But for the simple ones sake who desire to be satisfied I have written this in answer to his queries that their minds may be informed and from the darknesse they may be turned to the true light of lesus which opens the dark understanding and leads out of darknesse to follow Christ in the pure path of life which whosoever follows shall not abide in darknesse but shall have the light of life Query the I. Whether you do own the New Testament with the Epistles of the Apostles unto the Churches to be a true testimony of the spirit of the Lord yea or nay And if they be whether were they not given forth as a Rule unto the Churches to walk by and if they were not given forth as a Rule then wherefore were they given forth and what use were they of unto the Churches Answ The New Testament we do own and witnesse which is the Law of God written in our hearts and the spirit put in the inward parts whereby we are gathered together into the fold and are fed with living refreshments in the bosome of our Fathers love which spirit was and is a Rule and guide unto the Saints and thereby are taught of God in spirit and do worship him in spirit according to his promise which promise is now fulfilled and fulfilling to his praise and glory to whom all glory belongs for evermore And the Epistles of the Apostles to the Churches we own to be a true testimony given forth from the spirit of the Lord and was the word of the Lord in them and to them to whom they were written for the edifying and building them up in their most holy faith which faith was within them a mistery held in a pure conscience and their Rule and guid was within them and all that was written or declared by the holy men of God it was to bring them to the pure worship of God within in the spirit Qu. II. Whether the Scriptures be of any use unto any people now in this generation and if they are then whether the Ordinances therein conteyned be to be practised by such a people as beleeve in the Lord Iesus with all their hearts yea or nay And if they are not to be practised then when and where were they abolished Ans The Scriptures are not of any private interpretation neither came by mans will but holy men of God spoke them forth as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and they are of use for they were given forth to be read to be believed on to bee practised and fulfilled but not to make a trade on nor for ungodly men with their vain and proud minds to talk on but let every one that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity and as iniquity is departed from and the fear of God placed in the heart it keepes the heart cleare and so the pure wisdom from above is received into the pure heart and the pure in heart are blessed and shall see God who is light and the Ordinances of God are seen in the light and led into by the light but the darknesse cannot comprehend the light nor all the wisedom