Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	aaron_n	authority_n	commission_n	12	3	7.8828	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A44854	Hē apostasīa, ho antichristos, or, A scriptural discourse of the apostasie and the Antichrist, by way of comment, upon the twelve first verses of 2 Thess. 2 under which are opened many of the dark prophecies of the Old Testament, which relate to the calling of the Jews, and the glorious things to be affected at the seventh trumpet through the world : together with a discourse of slaying the witnesses, and the immediate effects thereof : written for the consolation of the Catholike Church, especially the churches of England, Scotland, and Ireland / by E.H.	Hall, Edmund, 1619 or 20-1687.	1653 (1653)	Wing H325; ESTC R11943	203,833	222

anoints or designes thereunto viz. to the Kingly Office and to the Sacerdotall or Ministeriall Office Blessed is that Nation that enjoyes them both together These two Offices Antichrist shall as we have already shewed oppose and depose and this makes him formally Antichrist Now to this Antichrists followers even against their former protestations and open professions shall consent and in the ruining of the Offices shall concurre and thus they shall rebell against the truth and become the followers of Antichrist This onely is signified Revel 13. by giving the mark to the beast and receiving the mark of the beast that is engaging against the anointed Offices to be a subject to the government of Antichrist in direct opposition to it Truth is here put in opposition to lie in the foregoing verse which is there to be understood of the Antichrist they could put confidence and trust in the lie the Antichrist the usurper but in the truth the Ordinances established by God they could repose no trust but rejected them therefore Iude the 11. these followers of Antichrist are said to perish in the gain-saying of Core who rejected the two great anointed Offices of Magistracie and Ministery Moses and Aaron and in 2 Tim. 3. 8. There the truth that these Rebels resist is specified 't is that of Magistracy and Ministery such a resistance as Iannes and Iambres made against Moses and Aaron in vilifying them their commission and authority CHAP. VIII BUt had pleasure or delighted in the iniquity This is a Rhetoricall Antithesis to the words immediately preceding them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but is an adversative particle and put here oppositively as much as to say they distrusted and fled from the truth but they would throw themselves into the armes of unrighteousnes they rebelled against Gods instituted Ordinances but willingly with all their heart submitted to an usurper the injustice that is saith Goranus the Antichrist who before is called the man of the sin and the lawlesse one and here in the abstract unrighteousnesse Because both his rising reigning and manner of being is unrighteous He works unrighteousnesse and receives the wages of unrighteousnesse with these his followers who are all justly damned for the same 'T is the highest aggravation of sin and provocative of wrath to take delight in sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is by the learned distinguished from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this comprehending the sins against God in the first Table that comprehending all sins against our neighbour in the second Table of the law of God so that taking pleasure in iniquity may be interpreted delighting in rebellion murther supplanting robbery treason slandering oppression adultery false witnesse-bearing and covetousnesse These are sins of the second Table sometimes as here in the Text we finde the word opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so 1 Cor. 13. 6. there the Apostle using a method much cried down by the hypocrites and apostates of these times viz. that of discovering true grace by signes having discoursed of the excellency of love gives the signes of true love which these hypocrites who are the followers of Antichrist of whom w●…treat have not and observe how this signe of true love meets with them rejoyceth not in iniquity but rejoyceth in the truth this is true charity and love But now the followers of Antichrist who are high-flowen professors and prate much of love and charity and tendernesse and bowels and cry out against bitternesse and rigid spirits do notwithstanding walk the Antipodes to this Text. If we compare this in the Corinthians with this we are now upon in the Thessalonians in the one you have the true reall Saint rejoycing not in iniquity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is the same word he rejoyceth not in iniquity but now the hypocrites who are the followers of Antichrist you finde them here in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taking pleasure in iniquity and what 's the reason it hath been given already in v. 10. because they loved not the truth they did professe And this is also the reason why they imbrace a lie because they want true love for true love rejoyceth in the truth but hypocrisie rejoyceth in a lie So that as the word is opposed to the truth it gives us to understand thus much that Antichrists followers are a company of hereticks that oppose both first and second Table-truths they kisse truth as Ioab did his brother General onely with an intent to stab it and destroy it as Christ I●…h 7. 18. is truth and no unrighteousnesse is in him and as all his followers love truth and hate all unrighteousnesse so in Antichrist there is all unrighteousnesse to be found and no truth and all his followers are such as reject truth and love unrighteousnesse This is not onely the comparison that many of the Ancients make but the Scripture it selfe makes it as we have seen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word of large extent But here I humbly conceive 't is restrained to the thing in hand and that is as we said before to the Antichrist who is in the same prophecie called the man of the sin and the son of the perdition and the exalter and opposer of the Ordinances of God Magistracy and Ministery and so the opposer of the truth and then the lawlesse one in opposition to truth established by law Gods law and mans law and natures law These are titles setting forth the effects of his power against those that oppose him after this followes from v 9. to v. 12. the manner of exercising of his power over his followers those that subject unto him His power is in signes and lying wonders and all manner of unrighteousnesse the effects of this his power is the seduction of those that follow him from which the Holy Ghost gives him two other titles or rather marks of infamy the lie and the unrighteousnesse the grand usurper and the great transgressour of the second Table the changer i. e. the breaker of the Saints laws and times In the exposition of words we must look to the scope of the matter or prophecie in hand and what in that place the word or phrase imports not what it may signifie in another place upon a different subject In this place not I but others take it to be meant of the Antichrist whose followers as they are said to reject the truth i e. the truth which Antichrist opposed and threw down viz. the Ordinances of God the mediate pillars of truth the two Witnesses so they are said to sit down with great content and propension of minde under the government of the Antichrist They are not forced to it as someare but they are Volunteers they cry him up applaud him approve of him with full consent and delight in him and so much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports it is not amisse translated Take pleasure in the unrighteousnesse The followers of the Amtichrist they love him with the

pragmatick fellows made it a snare to tender consciences of the Kings party by pressing it upon them and oppressing those that refused it This was doubtlesse a grosse sinne but it cannot properly be laid to their charge as if they thereby intended to make a party for themselves against the King but to make all within their Garisons and Commands both Ministers and People true Subjects to the King to the Lawes and the Protestant Religion Whiles this was strictly observed in the Parliaments Quarters Iesuites and Popish Priests were not so frequent nor so bold as since they have beene amongst us 3. As to that of throwing down of Bishops a double scandal is taken if not given thereby 1. In their manner of proceeding without and against the King which in it self was absolute usurpation for though they did send to the King to passe it yet they resolved upon his denyal to proceed which was an absolute denyall of his Negative voyce in which implicitely they denyed him to be their Soveraign 2. In throwing down the ancient Government of the Church by Bishops which Government hath continued in the Church since the Apostles time unquestioned until within these hundred yeers and then the Orthodox onely questioned their Persons not their Office onely the Anabaptists cryed down the Office as Antichristian Now for the Parliament under pretence of Reformation of Religion to cast off that primitive Government universally received in the Churches without and against the consent of the King and solemnly ingage others in the same thing seems to be a most rash and inc●…nsiderate act done out of blinde mislead zeale or an ungodly act done wilfully to bring to ruine the Protestant Church of England to rob the Church of its Maintenance and ruine the learned Clergie of the Nation Here we must answer le●…t both innocent persons and a good Cause suffer 1. The Parliament intended not by throwing down the English Hierarchie to throw down any Worship Discipline or Government according to the word of God for then their second Article would clash with the first in the Covenant so that their meaning is they will extirpate so much of Prelacy as shall be found contrary to the word of God and the Example of the best reformed Churches I suppose by Churches they meant the purest Primitive Churches for all these late Reformed Protestant Churches did before we thought of a Reformation yeild that we were better reformed then they We hold the Calvinists the best reformen Churches but saith learned Beza to the praise of the English Protestant Bishops Let the Church of England injoy this singular bounty of God which I wish may be hers for ever So far was he from thinking it a piece of Reformation to pull them down Calvin Bucer Luther Melancton Z●…nchy Chamier are all of them no enemies to Bishops though professed enemies to the Superstitious Idolatrous Practices of Bishops in that Age. Every solid Protestant is so far from thinking the Office of a Bishop to be Antichristian that he rather thinks it a high degree of Antichristianism to oppose that Office this is as we have shewed to deny the Father and the Son for he that denyeth an Apostle or the Successo●…s of an Apostle in the Office of the Ministry denyeth Christ and he that denyeth Christ denyeth God that sent him Charity therefore makes me hope that the sincere Protestants what ever other subtil Foxes designed intended no otherwise by that second Article in the Covenant then to reduce the Church of England to a Primitive Purity by removing Popish Prelates and all those humane Institutions depending on the English Hierarchy if through Error they were mis-led from the right means to this end the discovery of that Error may seasonably reduce them into a right way for wise men never think it a shame to repent It is most certain that the intent of the sincere Covenanters was to re●…ine not ruine the Ministry by pulling down the English Hierachy they struck not at the order of the Ministry but at the degree of Episcopacy they struck at the Discipline of the English Church therein more then at the Ministry for they pulled down Bishops as they were Superintendants over their brethren not as Ministers so that they took away their degree above their brethren but left them standing in their order as Ministers Bishops lost not their Order by the Covenant but their Degree for though they are in a distinct degree above the Presbyters which have ever been allowed them in the purest Churches since Christ time yet they never were a distinct order from the Presbyters neither the Scripture nor the Fathers make them so so that Aerius an ancient Writer in that saith truth a Bishop and a Presbyter are joined in the same Commission the Bishop imposeth hands so doth the Presbyter the Bishop administers the Sacraments and dispenseth the Ordinances so doth the Presbyter so that essentially there is no difference betwixt them what is is only gradual Now here lies the great question Whence they had this degree above their fellow Ministers in the Church If they had this from Apostolical Institution then without all doubt it was a grieveous sin in any Civil Power to pull it down and they that convenanted so to do did unadvisedly and foolishly But if this degree of Episcopacy be but an Ecclesiastical Institution though of great Antiquity the case is altered there cannot be an absolute necessity of its immutability Meer humane Institutions admit of alterations Hierom and Epiphanius say They were set up as a remedy against Schism and Heresie long after Presbytery But to come to the thing suppose this degree to be as probably it is an Apostolical Institution which continued unquestionable in the Church for many hundred years Yet here the question will still be Whether since the grand Apostasie that Paul prophesies of there hath not been an Apostasie from this Institution whether this Institution in the Apostasie did not contract much corruption This is granted by all the Protestant English Bishops especially by the late Lord Primate of England B. Laud in his Conference with Fisher Bishop Jewel and Bishop Downam hence these two latter conclude That the Hierarchy of Rome is so corrupted and apostatized from its Primitive Institution that it is become the Antichristian State nay more then that they call it the Antichrist That question then which concerns us is Whether the Hierarchy of England were so exactly conformable to the Primitive Institutution as that it needed no alteration These two things are granted 1. That the persons in that Hierarchy needed to be reformed for some of them were prof●…ssed Papists and the most of them bitter enemies to a powerful and a painful Orthodox Ministry 2. That whatsoever is built upon an humane foundation may upon humane or divine considerations be taken down again if so then those Titles Offices and Dignities conferred meerly by men may be taken away but

in their sin untill they die Since they refused counsell and knowledge and the fear of God they shall have none of it I will refuse them saith the Lord they shall be given up to strong delusion to believe a lie Since they would not feed on Angels food at Christs Table they shall feed on the Devils excrements amongst the swinish herds of heretitcks destinated to damnation As Christ by his gracious wisdome did save an adulterous woman from the judgement of adulterous men by causing the shamefull sin of the condemned to flie upon the guilty consciences of the condemners So God in his glorious wisdome brings to damnation hypocrites by letting seducers baits catch those seduced souls that so greedily catch at them whereby they shamefully like those accusers of the woman go away and leave Christ his Ministers and his Ordinances In all this God is true though every one of them be liars That they should believe a lie so Beza renders it and the Syriack To a word that they should believe that lie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lie what lie Mr. Leigh answers Antichrist Since they would not imbrace Christ the truth they shall be given up to blindenesse and hardnesse to imbrace Antichrist the lie A lie is falshood appearing in the cloke of truth and so is Antichrist which these Apostates shall imbrace They rejected and revolted from Gods anointed ones which were the Cedars of God and chose to themselves the bramble and under this scratching thorn those goates shall sit till a fire come forth from the Lord and devour both it and them They heap to themselves ignorant and unlearned Teachers perverting the Word to their damnation such as Ierome speaks of The very name Antichrist imports a lie for he is one against the truth against Christ who is the way and the truth If love of the truth be meant Christ as Chrysostome Oecumenius Theodoretus and severall other learned Authors affirm then most probably the imbracing a lie is here meant the subjecting to and closing with Antichrist or as very probably truth is put for the anointed offices the two Witnesses which these Apostates reject and imbrace the Antichrist who in opposition to them is called a lie usurpation is a lie the great usurper is the Antichrist who supplants the Witnesses and therefore called in the abstract the lie He is called in 1 Iohn 2. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the liar who is the Antichrist who denies the Father and the Sonne that is the constituted offices in the Church Luke 10. 16. for he that denieth them denieth Christ and he that denieth Christ denieth God CHAP. VII THat they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse This Verse windes up Pauls prophecie of the Antichrist and his followers It hath two parts in it The first shewes us the last of Antichrist and his subjects viz. their finall damnation The last part is an exegefis of the two foregoing verses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they might be damned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here used for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word properly signifies to judge but in the worser sense it is often in the New Testament put for to condemn as Luke 19. 22. Out of thy mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I condemne thee and so generally Expositors understand it that their judging here shall be cum judicio damnationis with the judgement of damnation Here we have the dreadfull Catastrophe of Antichrist but especially his companions his men of name and something more me thinks I see as matter of comfort in the Text viz. the time when he shall be thus with his followers damned or cast into hell as Revel 19. 20. expresseth it Compare it with 2 Tim. 3. 8 9. and it informes us that they shall proceed no further then to oppose the Witnesses as Iannes and Iambres did Moses Aaron when they have resisted the truth i e. the Witnesses maintaining the truth in opposition to the lie Antichrist when they have corrupted their own and others mindes with heresies and blasphemises and when they have shewed themselves reprobates concerning the faith then they shall proceed no further they shall then receive the wages of their work damnation These that Paul prophesies of to Timothy are the same that here he prophesies of to the Thessalonians for they are all professors of Religion all in one livery practising the same devillish things and being alike corrupted and depraved We finde Antichrist and his followers in Revel 11. and Chap. 13. proceeding no farther then the slaying of the Witnesses and triumphantly insulting over them and their authority for three dayes and an halfe and then on a sudden unexpectedly a cloud is seen and a loud voice is heard the Witnesses rise the 7000 names of men are slain by a great Schisme Commotion or Earth-quake which finisheth the second wo and then followes presently the third wo or seventh trumpet and then the Dragon the beast and the false Prophet are cast into hell and Hallelujahs and praises throughout the Church are thundered and no more of Antichrist appears for ever So that I will say to the true Church as Christ in Matth. 24. When ye see these things begin to come to passe know that the time of Antichrists damnation is nigh at hand even at the door Who believed not the truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Holy Ghost seems to point at some peculiar eminent truth which these hypocrites and Apostates did reject and would not believe for 't is not to be imagined that they rejected all truth and turned Infidels and Heathens for then they must necessarily cast off the profession of Christianity which they that follow Antichrist do not do and therefore I conceive it is some eminent truth which God permits to be opposed purposely to trie the knowledge faith love sincerity Christianity and courage of his people and to discover the rottennesse hypocrisie and back-sliding of formal professours this God usually doth in every age some eminent truths or other he permits to be opposed and calls out eminent professours to witnesse unto blood on their behalfe There 's never an Article in the Creed but at one time or other hath been thus victoriously in blood defended all being delivered to us sealed with our holy Ancestors blood Thereby teaching us our duty in a time when truth 's opposed God permits certain truths in severall ages to be opposed in Queen Maries dayes the doctrine of the Sacraments was opposed and the true way of externall worship and then God first sealed his truths with his Martyrs blood and then delivered them to us their posterity Now in the time of Antichrists appearing the great truth which shall be called in question to the trial of the Saints and the discovery of hypocrites and formall professors who shall reject this is the two great Offices originally Christs derivatively those whom he