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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	good_a	great_a	think_v	4,338	5	3.9369	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08318	The nevv Gospel, not the true Gospel. Or, A discovery of the life and death, doctrin, and doings of Mr. Iohn Traske, and the effects of all, in his followers Wherein a mysterie of iniquity is briefly disclosed, a seducer unmasked, and all warned to beware of imposters. As also a confutation of the uncomfortable error, of Mr. Boye, concerning the plague, out of Psal. 91. By Edvv. Norice.	Norris, Edward, 1584-1659.	1638 (1638)	STC 18645; ESTC S113242	39,058	60

made of him I think fit to forewarne the Reader concerning the same being personall matters first that his whole Epistle to the Reader being wholly defamatory is utterly false and composed of meere fictions of his owne braine not only without any evidence but against the testimony and certain * Yea of Mr. Boye himselfe his brother in evill knowledge of thousands declaring therein his brazen forehead and raging spirit to vent any thing bee it never so untrue to serve the present turne which were it fit to mention the particulars might in few words easily be discovered the accusations being notoriously false either of them next for his succeeding Apologie wherein he utterly denies that hee was ever censured in the Starre-Chamber for Iudaisme or any matters of that kind it is as impudently false as the rest for besides a printed speech now extant of that learned Bishop Andrewes made at his censure in the Starre-Chamber the very Records of that Honourable Court concurring doe both abundantly testifie one of the principall causes of his censure there to be for Iudaizing in matters of dayes and meates for which besides other castigations hee was * Mentioned also by Dr. Sclater in his confutation of him about that time stigmatized with the letter I in the forehead for a lew which he bare to his last so that it is marveilous the man should or could bee so shamelesse as utterly to deny and that in print that hee was ever at all censured in that Court for Iudaisme or any such errors unlesse the Lord did so farre leave him to himselfe to discover thereby his impudency that in his other Assertions and protestations he might not be trusted for who that 's wise will beleeve or trust such a one as hath a heart and a forehead * Consultò cogitatò deliberatly to deny that in terminis that he well knew himselfe to be knowne in all the land and to be recorded against him Wishing therefore those that have beene the favourers and furtherers of this man and his doctrin all this while now to open their eyes and behold the deceitfulnesse of the one Their own consciences can tell them who they are and the danger of the other being both so manifest and in stead of their insolent and unworthy censures of others to smite upon the thigh and judge themselves for their sinfull levity and partiality in departing so soone from the truth they had formerly embraced and entertaining so suddenly an erroneous man branded in the Church of God for a phantastick and great abuser of the holy Scriptures also for bezelling shifting and concealing the things they heard him maintaine with their eares and know in their owne hearts to bee truly objected against him being such a way as no good cause needed neither will a good conscience ever use And because our Lord referres us much to the fruits for the discerning of false prophets upon the mention of the former I think fit to adde further concerning his practise Mat. 7.16 what I have heard from the testimony of divers persons of worth and credit that as his doctrines and opinions tend all to liberty so his practise savoured strongly of the same not Christian liberty allowed to all but carnall licentiousnesse condemned in all that professe the Gospell of Christ even the same mentioned by St. Jude when the grace of God is turned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into lasciviousnesse vers 4. for so it seemed to be with this man who in his ordinary conversation as he professed nothing but mirth and jollity so in his private carriage was he as frollike especially with that sexe in which hee most delighted towards whom hee used such familiarity with his embracings and * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Agreeable to Ovids silthy instructions and the religion of H. N. tongue fornications with such other proffers as they that were modest utterly abhorred his private society and complained thereof secretly to their friends as very foule and shamefull and how farre any of them with whom he was most conversant shared in these things themselves can best tell but what may not such be drawne unto as denie any feare of God in regard of his power and justice that disclaime the Law of God to be any rule of their lives that allow no mourning for the foulest sinnes that rest upon a bare perswasion for all their evidence of faith or grace that make mirth and joy the substance of their religion that boast how no sinne can hurt them being in Christ I say what may not such doe when occasion is offered flesh and blood will act their parts and when the understanding is so corrupt how can the affections be pure the same being wanting to season the one that should informe the other But to leave them and returne againe to their leader besides his other evill properties how mutable and unconstant he was in his doings all his life long I think not amisse in part to discover by the recitall of a certain letter written since the bruite of his death by an honest Citizen of London to his friend in the Countrey and it is thus A Letter MY love remembred hoping of your health and welfare in the Lord. T. A. meeting with me asked mee if I had seene a book of Mr. Traskes newly printed and withall desired me to help you to one and to write you two or three lines which accordingly I have done Touching the Author Mr. Traske were it not to forewarn others to take heed of by-pathes which lead to schisme and herefie I should neither write nor speak of him a word for that the man is dead and gone to give account to the highest Judge Yet in regard that though hee be dead his workes still teach and speake heresies and blasphemies they may safely all both bee spoken and written against As for Mr. Traske I have well knowne the man these full twenty yeeres at first hee was a Schoolemaster no Vniversity man only a Latine Scholler but afterwards being cast into prisons for opinions he learned and studied the Hebrew and Greek and got a smattering therof that by Indexes he could do some little matter but for zeale it was alwayes in him heady and violent that in which way he took he marched like Iehu most furiously making divisions in the Church about London and drawing in one Mr. Gr. with him to maintaine foure points differing from other Divines as namely 1. That none but such as were converted themselves could convert others 2. That one child of God might know anothers election as certainly as his own 3. That Repentance was not only begun but also finished before justifying faith 4. That none that were justifyed did commit sinne Having continued teaching these Doctrines a while hee had very many followers upon whom he obtruded the observation of the Lords day after a Iudaicall manner neither to kindle fires nor to dresse meates the which manner of

need require so hath this cunning man certain succours in his polemicall proceedings to help himselfe withall for wheras he had affirmed as one of his grounds that Christ is involved in every sentence of Scripture and in every Proverb of Salomon lest he should be taken tripping in his expositions and unable to shew what he maintaines he tells us that yet perhaps it may not bee shewed nor proved in many places and for that cause it is a very great presumption to meddle with those places at all or to adventure upon the exposition of any whole book in the Bible by which meanes he thinkes to stave off the incroaching of the enemy and to save at least his credit at any time which device and skill hee also sheweth in defence of most of his Tenents But if it be so that no Scriptures may be handled by Gospell Ministers save only such as speak directly and immediatly of Christ as the great sacrifice for sinne then a great part of some whole bookes in the Bible may not be medled withall as of the book of Genesis of Samuel of the Kings and Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Ester Iob most of the Proverbs much of the Prophets and generally all those passages that are meerely hystoricll for that time and of morall use of which there is much every where dispersed not in the Old restament alone but in the New So that according to this mans opinion a great part of the holy Scriptures are penned in vaine The Acts most of the Epistle of Iames and of the Revelation and might have been spared for if they tended not to edification to what purpose are they and if they doe edifie why may they not be expounded to the Church morall directions rules of obedience historicall narrations prophesies of things to come examples and such like have their place and necessary use in the Church and are to bee opened and unfolded to the people for edification for reprehension for imitation as necessary dependances on the mystery of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the whole Scripture is profitable saith the Apostle 2 Tim. 3.16 and if this be so why is it presumption in any man to meddle with all such Scriptures in which the Sacrifice of Christ is not expressely mentioned or why is it beyond their line and measure but that this Seducer must have a way by himselfe and out of one absurdity to conclude another It remaines 20. ASSERTION Every true beleever howsoever it seemes doth alwayes grow in faith and love and answerable fruits Explication THe very questioning of the truth of this point makes the man to stamp and startle proclayining to all the world that this truth shall stand and stare for ever in the Accusers face to his shame here and condemnation hereafter without repentance calling the contrary no lesse than blasphemy with such other expressions of his well temperd zeale 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But for the matter it selfe leaving his rage and choller to what purpose doth the Scripture so often inculcate that exhortation of growing in grace 2. Peter 3.18 of increasing in knowledge Colossians 1.10 of increasing in love 1 Thess 4.10 of increasing in zeale Rev. 3.19 and withall so earnestly dehorting from all declinings back-slidings and withdrawings in faith Heb. 3.12 in the power of the spirit 1. Thess 5.19 in the use of the meanes Heb. 10.25 If there be no danger nor possibilitie of decreasing but that of necessitie we do and must grow in all these things and the answerable fruits of them are all those exhortations in vaine did not Salomon much decline in his later time from what hee was before 1 Kings 11.4.9 are not the Ephesians taxed for leaving their first love Rev. 2.4 and the Sardians for languishing in grace Rev. 3.2 why then doth this man make such an outcry at the matter if it be but questioned whether beleevers doe alwayes grow in faith and love and the answerable fruits and why did he not annex some answer to these testimonies of Scripture so direct against his opinion of which he speaks not a word Is his ipse dixit sufficient to carry all matters But yet he pretends notwithstanding some grounds for what he holds in the generall as that such are planted by living waters their root is living and Christ doth continually water them their course is as the Sunne and they have the promise of increasing which though it doth not alwayes appeare outwardly yet inwardly it is done To which I therefore answer and that out of the same resemblances that neither doth every herb or plant or tree continually thrive or grow or beare fruit that 's so planted nor yet is the fault in the influences of heaven the tree is only blamed Luk. 13.6 the vigour of the Sunne the sweetnesse of the raine or the goodnesse of the mould that they are defective but there are certain obstructions and evill affections as I may call them in some individualls that may hinder and stop the course of nature in them for a time also there are stemmes of Winter that keep in their fruits during that season so is it in these by reason of some spirituall obstructions and evill affections that sometimes possesse them as also a chilling Winter that oftentimes blowes over them their perpetuall growth in grace and fruitbearing Cant. 2.11.12 is often hindred and stopped for a time though they have still life remaining in the root and Christ is the same to them in himself as ever he was For what reason else can be given of the former instances its certain they did not grow but rather decline for a season yet all those promises belonged to them aswell as to others It is replyed that then they grow inwardly in unseene fruits to which I answer that neither is that certain if he meane every moment of time For wherein did David grow all the time he lay in his sinne or Salomon in his state of declining or any of the rest before mentioned if it be said in humilitie I answer let that appeare 2 Sam. 24.8 2 Kings 20.13 2 Sam. 24.10 while David was numbring the people which was nine moneths and twentie dayes in doing did hee grow in humility or Hezekiah when hee entertained so vain-gloriously the Babylonish Embassadours did he inwardly increase in that grace the Text is evident to the contrary in both for David judged himselfe afterwards for the pride of his heart and so did Hezekiah 2. Chron. 32.26 but hereby was a foundation layed for humility to come and then they all thrived more in grace and in the true knowledge of themselves As the Eagle when she hath cast her bill Psal 103.5 as the trees after winter and the body after healing of some disease which is sufficient though they doe not alwayes grow and doth abundantly discover the life of Christ in them and the power of God according to the truth of his

in this time of visitation which hath sorrow enough in it selfe though it bee not furthered by mens errours Briefly then I answer If it doe appeare that the promises contained in that Psalme are not litterally to be understood but in a mysticall sense then that collection concerning the certain exemption of any from the danger of the Plague cannot be grounded on that Scripture but that the same is not litterally to be understood appeares by these reasons 1. Because the whole Psalme in a manner is metaphoricall wherein there is mention of the wings and feathers of the Almighty of his arrowes of the hands of Angels of the snare of the hunter of treading upon the Lion Dragon and Aspe Things not properly so to bee taken nor in that manner ever accomplished 2. Because the promises all along according to the letter cannot be so applyed nor expected as for instance That such as trust in God shall not dash their foot against a stone verse 12. The pestilence shall not come nigh them verse 7. no not neere their dwelling verse 10. They shall tread upon Lions Dragons and Serpents vers 13. They shall have advancement with long life and with honour verse 14 15 16. For then no true beleever in his going should at any time stumble or if so yet not at a stone as the Divell applyed it Mat. 4.6 The pestilence must not only not fasten upon their persons but not so much as come neere their dwellings * At the honse of Mr. Doctor Chetwind in Berckley before twenty witnesses as this foolish man once maintained in my hearing out of this Psalme Then might also a beleever by his faith tread upon Lions Dragons and Aspes or Adders without danger also it would then follow that the most faithfull people must live longest and be advanced in the world contrary to the Scriptures and all experience 3. Because it is said in the generall that no evill at all shall befall such ver 10. for so they must be exempted from all afflictions Amos 3.6 where they are termed evills although by the goodnesse of God they are turned into good to his people so that according to the letter they shall not at all be visited with any losses crosses or common sorrowes not with any mortall diseases or sicknesses as the Feaver Consumption or Pox not be hurt by any deadly weapons as swords and speares especially arrowes unlesse through want of faith Verse 5. so that every souldier who dieth in the field must bee concluded to want faith yea and every mans death must be a judgement for some particular finne and want of faith in a temporall promise aswell as in the case of the Plague which by his opinion must needs follow and so none at all shall be truly said to die in faith but through unbeleefe at least in respect of temporall promises 4. Because according to this interpretation the plague must be the punishment only of wicked men for so are the words with thine eyes shalt thou behold the reward of the wicked verse 8. and so all that die of the Plague must be condemned for wicked men even upon that evidence that they die of that disease which were a very wicked opinion to hold Hezekiah was sick and might have died of the Plague as he was told Isay 38.1 David demanded concerning them in his time these sheep what have they done 2 Sam. 24.17 he accounted them not greater sinners than others because they were so visited but more innocent in respect of that particular than himselfe many godly and faithfull people in all ages have been taken off with this visitation yea which is much to be observed some in our owne times Note men of note that have held the opinion of this Temporary have died of the same disease for a warning to all to beware how they tempt the Lord with their folly and this man in particular who proclaimed before many that if ever they heard The time and place aforesaid that he died of the plague they should report he wanted faith to expound the Psalme then according to the letter we see how many unavoidable errours it will bring forth Quest It may be demanded what then is the true sense and meaning of the came Answ The summe and substance of the Psal may be comprehended in this assertion following That such as the Lord will protect by his power The summe of Psal 91. shall not need to dread any evill whatsoever be it the snare of the hunter the wiles of Satan and his instruments both of them as fierce and fell as Lyons Dragons and Aspes or the most noysome disease be it the plague or pestilence which destroyeth mightily See Calvin on the Psal or yet the sword and weapons of warre though never so sharp and deadly nor any other mischiefe from any other creature But if it please him to leave any of his servants to such an outward evill to be taken away by any of those means before mentioned then it is in mercy and disposed of for their good either to prove them or to prevent greater evills that are to come upon themselves and others 2 Chro. 34.28 or to chasten them so here that they may not be condemned for ever 1 Cor. 11.32 which is not therfore done because the Lord doth faile in his power providence or truth towards his owne but because he seeth it best for them at such a time in such a manner by such a means to be so visited by him None of the temporall promises being intended against but for the works of mercy to which they are all subordinate and not predominant the fulfilling of them in their kind being no certaine evidence of love nor the contrary of hatred to any Eccl. 9.1 upon which ground it may come to passe that any of the servants of God may be taken away as many have beene with the sword or with the pestilence and yet not through want of faith in the temporall promises much lesse because they are wicked and forsaken persons Which exposition agreeth First See Treatise on the fourth petition with the nature of all temporall promises concerning health wealth strength long life good successe and the like that are varied according to the will of God Secondly the condition of all the faithfull in outward matters of which it is testified by Salomon that all things come alike unto all and there is one event to him that feareth God and to him that feareth him not Eccles 9.2 confirmed by continuall experience Thirdly with the judgements of the learned in all times and of expositors upon this Psalme heare one of them Although God do sometimes permit the godly themselves to be infected and die of the plague or to perish by other dangers yet that is nothing against this testimony and promise because the promises of temporall good things have a silent exception annexed unlesse the Lord shall see it fit to doe otherwise for causes knowne to himselfe Piscator Fourthly The contrary what is it but an uncouth and uncomfortable errour savouring of much ignorance in the sense of the Scriptures putting conditionall promises for absolute and abusing the faith of the servants of God to their great discouragement To all that feare God then would I direct this admonition to look there be no plague in their hearts 1 Kings 8.38 no sinne unrepented off but to make their peace in heaven through Christ to walk faithfully in the way of God and to use all lawfull and good meanes for their preservation and then not to be servilly affraid of any creature no not of the pestilence it selfe which either shall not touch them or if it do yet not in wrath for destruction as others but to loose the soule out of the prison of the body with more speed and it may be ease than many other diseases would have done remembring that of the Apostle That neither life nor death neither principalities nor powers neither things present nor to come nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord Rom. 8.38 39. And for this peremptory dogmatizer who sends forth his immodest and ignorant dictates into all parts to discover his own shame if he were capable of admonition I would advise him to do And of publishing the errors and lies of Traske if it were he as his betters have done before him make certaine retractions of his errors and false doctrines call in his exorbitant and unruly excursions repent of his personall reproaches and slanders against his owne knowledge and conscience especially that blasphemous imputation of distemper on the holy prayer of our Lord Iesus Christ unworthy of a Christian together with his foule handling of the Apostle St. Paul in divers particulars as matters that will not only lie upon his name which already is little worth but upon his conscience which should be pretious to him And then before he print any more books intermeddle any further in Controversies or undertake such high points as the censure of all Churches transcending his capacity to labour to be better grounded in his Catechisme to be informed in the Articles of Christian Religion His ignorance is apparent in these things to understand the difference betweene the Law and the Gospell the nature of the new Covenant what an absolute and a conditionall promise is withall to labour for an humble heart the feare of God the spirit of truth and the power of grace to governe his affections and then he shall see that which now he doth not and be ashamed of what he now glorieth in bewailing those monuments of ignorance and folly hee hath published to the world which I heartily wish he may do or that all may beware what they receive for truth from one that hath so little in him It is an honour for a man to cease from strife but every foole will be medling Prov. 20.3 FINIS