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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
earth_n	lord_n	see_v	world_n	5,471	5	4.4220	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A46867	The friendly enquirer's doubts and objections answered concerning the light within, the word of God, the church of Christ, gospel ministers, ordinances in general and in particular, water baptism, and the Lord's supper : together with a brief testimony against oaths and swearing / first intended and written for the satisfaction of some particular acquaintance and now published for more general service by James Jackson.	Jackson, James, fl. 1674-1708.	1698 (1698)	Wing J73; ESTC R34952	26,741	110

done despight to the strivings of the Spirit as the old World did such as are complained of Jer. 6.29 and such as Stephen reproves Acts 7.51 even such as God hath given up cast off and rejected yet doth not this prove but that the Light and Spirit of Christ was once in them and at work in their Hearts Answ 3. And yet further in the next place the Love of Christ constraineth us thus to Judge because if Christ died for all then were all dead 2 Cor. 5.14 and as Christ dyed for all Men so his grace is free for all Men For the Grace of God which brings Salvation hath appeared to all Men Tit. 2.11 for he is able and willing to save all that yeild obedience to the tenders of his boundless endless unlimited universal love to Mankind without exception and this we are verily persuaded of from these and such like considerations 1. Because the Lord is no respecter of Persons he maketh his Sun to rise on the just and on the unjust and sendeth Rain on the evil and on the good he accepteth not the Persons of Princes nor regardeth the Rich more than the Poor for they all are the work of his Hands 2. Because that Light which shined in our dark ignorant unclean and unbelieving Hearts before Conversion is the very same in which we ought to live and abide since our Conversion that which formerly stood by and in us was an Eye witness too and bore a faithful Testimony against us while we walked in Darkness is the same which since the time of our Believing and abiding in his Light witnesseth with our Spirits that we are the Children of God That very Light which before reproved convinced judged and condemned us for all unbelief and unrighteousness both in Heart and Life is still the same which doth convert confirm cleanse justify and save yea that Light which before shined in Darkness when we were as vile as the worst of Sinners doth now to the praise of God shine out of Darkness whereof we are not Ashamed 3. Because our Lord Jesus who cannot lye hath said that Man's Condemnation ariseth only from the contempt of and disobedience unto this Light saying this is The Condemnation that Light is come into the World but Men love darkness rather than light John 3.19 Now most certain it is that Man's Damnation is occasioned from viz. either want of Light or thro' the deficiency of this Light or rather from Man's Rebellion and disobedience to this Light First we may not think so hardly of God that Man's Condemnation ariseth from the want of saving Light this is to charge God with Injustice as the evil and unprofitable Servant said Lord I knew thee to be an Austere and hard Man reaping where thou hast not Sown and gathering where thou hast not strewed And what greater Unmercifulness can be charged upon God Than that he withholds from any Man the benefit of his saving Light or withdraws it before Man's Rebellion against it And Secondly 'T is no less than Blasphemy to say that the Light of Christ is insufficient and not able to save all that come to God thereby for tho' his appearance at first be as the day of small things as the least of all Seeds a little Stone disalowed and despised of Men who stumble and are offended at him yet chosen of God and exceeding precious to all that Believe who know him to be the Almighty Arm and Power of God to Salvation the alsufficiency whereof is further demonstrated by its Divine Nature and Powerful effects 1. The Nature of this Divine Light in which we believe and Know to be that measure of the immortal unchangeable undefiled and perfect Principle of Life Light and Holiness which never fell nor consented to any Evil but ever opposed and stood against the whole corrupt nature will and affections of faln Man a Measure I say hereof is given to every one to profit withal 1 Cor. 12.7 so that the Light I speak of is nothing of Man's Nature but of the Divine Nature whereof he hath made us partakers by revealing his Son in us even that great Mistery Christ in you the hope of Glory the blessed Seed promised Gen. 3.15 yea even the Son of God who is sent into the World that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have Eternal Life 2. The Effects of the Light when Christ was upon Earth John saw and bare Record saying Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the Sins of the World and yet the Lord said A Greater Testimony have I than that of John for the Works that I do in my Fathers Name they testifie of me so we say of his Light however slighted and despised by the World if his Works be not such as none else can do believe him not Effect 1. Hereby the Sinner is convinced of and condemned for all Sins that ever he commiteth of what kind or nature soever they be John 16.8.9.10.11 Come said the Woman of Samaria and I will shew you a Man that hath told me all things that ever I did Is not this the Christ John 4.29 Effect 2. Hereby the true fear of the Lord which is the beginning of Wisdom is actually planted in the Heart for while a Man in his Imaginations supposes God and Christ only as circumscribed at a great distance he persists with boldness in his evil ways but when his mind is turned into the Light he is thereby made to understand and see his condition and misery and to see him whom he hath pierced which forces this or the like general Cry Lord I have heard of thee by the hearing of the Ear But now mine Eye sees thee wherefore I abhor my self in Dust and Ashes Effect 3. This causeth not only repentance thorough Faith in Christ the Light but also worketh in the Heart Obedience of Faith Rom. 16.26 Effect 4. Hereby Man's insufficiency to answer the requirings of God is discerned and the Alsufficient Strength and Power of Christ discovered The Spirit of Truth shall guide you into all Truth for he shall Glorifie me For he shall receive of mine and shew it unto you John 16.13.14 Effect 5. They who have believed and do abide in the Light and they only are hereby enabled and made willing freely to declare and preach their experiences to others and to confound and put to silence the weakness ignorance and folly of all that reproach and oppose this Doctrine as the illiterate young Man did to the learned Scribes and Pharisees Why this is a marvelous thing said he that yee know not whence he is and yet he hath opened my Eyes Since the World began was it not heard that any Man opened the Eyes of one that was born Blind J●hn 9.30 wherefore let all who look out for another Saviour remember the answer of Christ to John Baptist on the like account Go saith Christ and tell him that sent ye to ask saying art thou

And therefore to that pure Invisible Unchangeable and Immortal Seed and Principle of Life and Light Which enlightneth every one that comes into the World that Word which is nigh in the Heart that everlasting Gospel which is preached Col 1.23 In every Creature for so it is in the Greek Copie under Heaven even to that Grace and Spirit of God which appeareth and offereth Salvation to all Men which inwardly makes manifest the hidden works of Darkness reproves and condemns all unrighteousness in Heart and Life directs and leads into the way of Life and Peace accepteth of and rewardeth for well-doing let every one who love their own Souls be inwardly turned to love it believe in it and obey it that ye may no longer remain in Darkness but walk and abide in the Light of the Lord to whom be Glory Honour and Obedience for ever Amen God the Father hath committed all Power in Heaven and upon Earth to his Son and made him Supream Head and Governour over his Church and He in his own Divine Light manifests and reveals himself his mind and will to Man and is all-sufficient and ever present to direct and lead his People into all Truth And being our Lord our Judge and Law-giver requires universal Obedience to his Royal Law written in our Hearts and hath always the Soveraign Power to lay aside alter abolish and lead his People from the use of outward Observations and Ordinances that are idolized or abused as well now as he did formerly by Temple-Worship Sacrifices the Passover and Circumcision which at first was commanded the Jews and their Seed for an everlasting Covenant 1. Even as Swearing under the old Testament an Oath was then taken for confirmation c. which under the Gospel is expresly forbidden by Christ Mat. 5.34.35 and by the Apostle James 5.12 The Primitive Christians kept this Doctrine against the commandments of Heathen Emperors Popes and persecuting Princes As Policarpus refused to Swear affirming it a special Character of a true Christian not to Swear at all he was burn'd therefore in the 86 Year of his Age Acts and Mon. vol. 1. fol. 55. Basiliades another Martyr affirmed it was not lawful for a Christian to Swear Euseb c. 6. p. 98. In the Plowman's Complaint we have this Expression Lord thou givest us thy Commandment of Truth not to Swear but to say yea yea and nay nay and to be Humble and Meek but he that calls himself thy Vicar on Earth hath broken both these Commandments compelling Men to Swear and teacheth that to save Life a Man may forswear himself Acts and Mon. vol. 1. fol. 527. Walter Brute affirmeth that as it was the Perfection of the Ancients in the Old Testament not to forswear themselves so the Perfection of a Christian Man is not to Swear at all Acts and Mon. vol. 1. fol. 653. And Chrisostome declares it is a Sin to Swear upon any account Acts and Mon. vol. 1. fol. 701. Yea a great Master in Divinity saith It is not lawful either to give or take an Oath upon a Book for saith he a Book is nothing else but divers Creatures whereof it is made therefore to Swear upon a Book is to Swear by Creatures and this Swearing is ever unlawful Acts and Mon. vol. 1. fol. 701. So likewise other Customs which had their Rise and Authority of the Romish Church and Popish Councils intruded meerly for filthy Lucres sake ought to be laid aside viz. Ignatius Bishop of Rome was the first who ordained that Infants should be baptized and have God-fathers and God mothers And anno 1500. it was ordained by the Council held at Pïsoy in France that Infant Baptism should be received by Tradition because it could not be proved by Scripture And Higinus the ninth Bishop of Rome ordained the Communion to be celebrated three times a Year 2. And as for paying Tythes under the Gospel Dispensation 't is sufficiently manifest to be a Popish imposition Pope Pius the 5th commanded Tythes to be paid under the penalty of Excommunication The Bohemians in their Christian Exhortation to Kings and Princes to stir them up to Zeal for the Gospel against the covetous practices of the Clergy say They receive Tythes of Men and will have them and preach that Men are bound to give them Tythes but therein they say falsly for they cannot prove by the new Testament that our Lord Jesus commanded it neither did his Disciples receive any and tho' in the old Testament it was commanded to give Tythes yet can it not thereby be proved that Christians are bound thereunto for this precept of the old Testament had an end in the first Year of our Lord Jesus Christ like as the precept of Circumcision Wherefore consider and see how your Bishops seduce you with things that have no proof Christ said in the 11th of Luke Give Alms of those things that remain but said not give the Tenth ye possess Acts and Mon. vol. 1. fol. 860. Finally The Main and Principal Foundation of the Law of England is the Law of God so saith the Law-Book Doctor and Student c. 2. p. 4. in these Words There is a Law written in the Heart of Man which is Man created in the Image of God and this Law is always Good and Righteous stiring up the Man to do that which is good and abhor the evil and therefore against this Law saith the Book Prescription Statute Custom may not prevail and if any be brought against it they are void and against Justice Wherefore it doth necessarily follow that all Popish or Prelatical Prescriptions Customs or Penal Statutes concerning Oathes or Tyths or any other thing not sounded on the Law of God written in the Heart are void and against Justice For undoubtedly they who laid the first Foundation of Government had Authority to make such a Constitution as cannot be altered by Posterity for Foundations cannot be removed without hazzard of the whole building but if any do here plead the necessity of times the expediency or usefulness of some such Statutes or Customs I Answer 1st the greatest necessity and care is and should be to secure and maintain the Foundation and 2ly however necessity might support and indulge other Laws it cannot such as alter and are pernicious to the Constitution but every legal advantage should be taken for restoring it together with our just Rites and Freedoms from all Arbitrary oppressions and innovations and more particularly from the aforesaid Popish intrusions and impositions for Oaths and Tythes And this is the humble and earnest desire of every good subject that they who are more especially concerned may so Vote and so Enact As those that shall be judged by the Law of Liberty James 2.12 for by this Law in the Heart God hath shewed unto them that Govern as unto us who are under them what is good and what he requires of us all Mic. 6.8 And that they who sit to Judge us according to the Law