Selected quad for the lemma: sense_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A54060
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Some queries concerning the order and government of the church of Christ
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Penington, Isaac, 1616-1679.
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1663
(1663)
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Wing P1199; ESTC R23175
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10,737
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17
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understanding sense and judgment But that which is hasty and confident and so ready to plead for its own sense and judgment according to the measure of Life as it calls it That is commonly out entred into the erring spirit pleading and contending for it knows not what and is very apt to judge and condemn others in that very respect wherein it self is most justly and righteously judged and condemned by the Lord even by his pure Life and Spirit in his People This then is in my heart to say in short to this objection Let the measure of Life judge freely in thee at any time concerning any thing and that judgment will stand for ever But be thou wary wait on the Lord that thou mayest be sure thou dost not mistake in thy own particular calling that Life which the Lord and his People know to be otherwise For if so thou departest from the unity and bond of the Spirit and from the true Sense and Judgment and givest Deceit an advantage over thee even to lay a foundation of destroying thee Likewise those who are to watch over thee in the Lord to lay his Truth before thee to exhort and reprove thee as occasion is that they may give an account of thy Soul to him cannot do it with joy and rejoycing in his presence but with grief and lamentation of heart which is not at all profitable but very unprofitable for thee Now for a close There are some considerations springing up in my heart concerning Unity which I find drawings here to annex in true love and tenderness for the use and service of others which are as follow 1. Unity in the Spiritual Body which is gathered into and knit together in the pure Life is a most natural and comely thing Yea it is exceeding lovely to find all that are of the Lord of one heart of one mind of one judgement in one way of practice and order in all things 2. The Lord is to be waited upon for the bringing forth of this in the Body that as there is a foundation of it laid in all the Life and Spirit being one in all so all may be brought by him into the true and full oneness 3. The Lord is to be acknowledged and praised in the bringing of it forth so far as it is brought forth and to be waited upon for the further perfecting of it 4. A Watch is to be kept throughout the whole Body and in every heart for the preserving of it so far as it is brought forth that the Enemy by no device or subtilty cause disunion or difference in any respect wherein there was once a true unity and oneness For the Enemy will watch to divide and if he be not watched against in that which is able to discover and keep him out by some device or other he will take his advantage to make a rent in those that are not watchful from the pure Truth and Unity of Life in the Body For he that in the least thing rents from the Body in any respect or particular which was brought forth by the Life he in that respect hearkens to another spirit even the dividing spirit and by its instigation rents from the Life it self and so doth not keep his habitation nor his unity with that which abides in its habitation Now it is also in my heart for the perfecting of this close to mention a few things in the same love and tenderness which I have found helpful to me towards the preserving of me in unity with the Body Perhaps it may please the Lord to refresh some others by the mention of them and to make them usefull and helpfull to them also 1. The first is The pure Fear of the Lord. This poizeth and guardeth the mind keeping down fleshly confidence and conceitedness which is very apt to spring up making it wary and considerate either of what it receives or rejects of what it practiseth or forbeareth practising causing it to wait much try much and consult much with the Lord and with his Ministers and People and preserves out of that suddenness and inconsiderateness of spirit at which the Enemy often enters For Truth is weighty and will bear trial and the more it is tried in the ballance the more manifest its nature and ways appear but the Enemies appearances and likenesses are not so but their deceit by a thorow trial comes to be made manifest 2. The second is Humility of heart This is very precious and of a preserving nature Yea in this state the Lord helpeth and teacheth and the Soul also in this state is fit to receive the help and teachings of the Lord. That which is lifted up and conceited ready to justifie its own way and condemn even the whole Body is neither fit to be taught by the Lord nor doth the Lord delight but rather disdain to teach it And so not being taught by him it must needs be liable to err yea to hearken to that spirit whose voice is more pleasing and suitable to the erring mind than the Lord's Voice is 3. A third great help which in the tender mercy of the Lord I have had experience of is Sobriety of Judgment Not to value or set up mine own Judgment or that which I account the Judgment of Life in me above the Judgement of others or that which is indeed Life in others For the Lord hath appeared to others as well as to me yea there are others who are in the growth of his Truth and in the purity and dominion of his Life far beyond me Now for me to set up or hold forth a sense or judgment of a thing in opposition to them this is out of the sobriety which is of the Truth Therefore in such cases I am to retire and fear before the Lord and wait upon him for a clear discerning and sence of his Truth in the unity and demonstration of his Spirit with others who are of him and see in him And this will prevent the rents which the want of this Sobriety may occasion 4. The last thing which I have now to mention is Tenderness meekness coolness and stilness of spirit I wrap up these together because they are much of a nature and go much together These are of an uniting preserving nature He that differs and divides from the Body cannot be thus and he that is thus cannot rend or divide Thus is the pure heavenly Wisdom which is peaceable and keepeth the peace But the other wisdom is rough stiff hard clamourous ready to take offence ready to give offence exceeding deep in the justification of it self exceeding deep in the condemnation of others and dares in this temper appeal to the Lord as if it were right in its wayes but wronged by others as if it did abide in the measure of his Truth and Life which others are departed from And how can it be otherwise how can the wrong eye the wrong spirit the wrong wisdom but judge wrong justifying the wrong practices and condemning the right But such shall find if they come to the true Touchstone even the Measure of Life indeed that they are not in the true Tenderness which proceeds from the Life in the true Meeknesse and Gentlenesse in the true Coolnesse and Stilnesse but rather in the Reasonings Noises Clamours and Disturbances which arise from another spirit mind and nature than that which is of the Truth And in coming back from this wisdom to the pure Wisdom from the pretended measure of life to the true Measure and becoming tender meek cool and still in it they shall there feel their error from the Spirit and Power of the Lord and therein own their Condemnation therefor from him and also justifie them who have abode in the Power and been guided by the Spirit and pure Measure of Life which is from God and in God while they have departed from it For though the spirit of Error wherewith they have been deceived and entangled hath made them believe that they have faithfully abode in the Principle and Doctrine of Truth while others have departed yet that will soon vanish as Truth comes again to be felt and heard speak in them and the Measure of Life to live again in them and to redeem them afresh into its holy Nature and pure living Sence And blessed is he who is not deceived about Truth but is of the pure Nature and in the pure Power of it in whom the true Eye sees the true Ear hears the true Heart understands who is of a right Spirit and walketh uprightly before the Lord and among his People The blessing of the Seed the peace comfort and joy which is from the most High shall descend upon him fill his vessel and continue with him to the satisfying of his heart and the overflowing of his cup in the midst of his Brethren and in the very sight of his Enemies The Lord God of his tender mercy who is the great Shepherd of the Sheep watch over preserve and mightily defend all his from all devouring spirits and inward devices and deceits of the Enemy carrying on and perfecting the work of his Goodness Love and Mercy in them to his own glorious eternal everlasting Praise Amen Written by Isaac Penington in Alisbury Prison