Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
B03480
|
Four tracts. I. A short discourse about divorce and its causes, fornication and adultery. II. A charge to judges, juries and witnesses concerning oaths. III. About infant baptism. IV. A letter to a lady, who hath forsaken [t]he Protestant religion for the Romish. / By J. Gailhard, Gent.
|
Gailhard, J. (Jean)
|
1699
(1699)
|
Wing G121A; ESTC R202025
|
118,480
|
174
|
not to take it he ought to know how far he is bound thereby Whereof we have a commendable Example in the Spies by Joshua sent over Jordan how Cautious to make Plain what [o] Josâ—â—a 2 Rahab made them Swear to as also was Abraham's Servant as already Quoted and this Oath of the Spies at the taking of Jericho Joshua remembred to have it kept Then the Mind and true Meaning of the Swearer is to be considered what he aimeth at when he doth Swear So is the true and proper Signification of the Words made use of in the Oath the meaning of those who require administer and take the Oath must be very plain Now as not only Evil it self but also occasions of Evil ought to be avoided it were fit and convenient for Magistrates when they tender an Oath to proceed warily therein and with great Caution for fear of becoming Instruments of Damnation to those who forswear themselves wherefore it would be very Necessary not Indifferently to offer an Oath but first to have some thing said whereby men might well understand what they are about how Holy and Sacred it is and how great the Danger to Swear to a Lie or else for want of giving such a warning they may become accessory to the Sin of him who forsweareth himself for want of a due and timely Warning without which the Law or Custom are Defective for none doth For-swear but he who Swears and both Judges and Jury-men ought to be very Cautious how they believe one who without Consideration runs him self under an Oath or who in his Deposition doth Stagger Waver or Contradict himself such should be Discouraged and the Testimonies of Witnesses ought indeed more to be Weighed than Numbred I deny not but that in necessary Occasions when a Man offers himself to Swear he may and ought to be admitted to take his Oath or else this would put a stop to the Course of Justice but I mean that when one 's grosly ignorant or suspected of being inclined to Perjury something should be Enacted to prevent it and the Court be more Cautious how such a one is admitted to Swear So hereupon those who make use of them ought in Conscience be Wary how they bring them in for fear of being partakers to other mens Sins The Third thing for him that takes an Oath is To Swear in Righteousness or Righteously That is that the Matter by Oath to be Confirmed be just and lawful for one must not Bind himself to any thing by Oath but what is such for an Oath ought not to be made a Bond of Iniquity as was done by those wicked Fellows that (a) Acts 23.14 Had bound themselves under a great Curse that they would eat nothing until they had Killed Paul If a Promisory Oath then it must be with a full purpose to Perform what one doth thereby Oblige himself to and accordingly to be Careful to make it Good and if the Oath be Testificatory to bear Witness to the Truth of a thing it must be done out of certain Knowledge of the matter So must the occasions of taking the Oath be just and the end good as to promote the Glory of God and the Good of our Neighbour (b) Levit. 19 15 35. In Righteousness shalt thou judge thy Neighbour and ye shall do no Vnrighteousness in Judgment So in Righteousness Witnesses must Sâ—ear and not to pervert Judgment and Equity 'T is also to be observed how when we are Sworn ' it must be before those that have Right and Authority to Exact and Administer an Oath one is not to Swear in a publick and solemn way without a Call from those who may lawfully Summon us to it We must also take notice how by Oaths we Bind ourselves unto God as unto men which no Human Power can Release and Dispense us from Wherefore 't is said (c) Matth. 5.33 Thou shalt not forswear thy Self but shalt perform unto the Lord thine Oaths But we must now begin to draw near the main Point namely Perjury this must take up our Serious Thoughts concerning several Things relating thereunto from the Greatness and Righteousness of the great God from the Nature and Consequences of the thing and of several other necessary Circumstances duly to be Weighed and Considered The Ark was called the Ark of the Testimony First because the (d) Exod. 25 16. Tables of the Law whereby was Testified God's Covenant with his People were laid up there then because from above the Mercy Seat which was above upon the Ark God did meet with Moses to (e) v. 22. commune with him of all things which he gave him in Commandment unto the Children of Israel and because the Ark was within the Tabernacle so the Tabernacle is called the (f) chap. 26.33 Numb 17.7 8. and 18.2 Tabernacle of Witness As upon that Signal and Special Occasion where the Glory of the Lord appeared and God himself was both Witness and Judge to decide of the Dispute about the High-priesthood immediately after the Rebellion of (g) ch 17.8 Korah Dathan and Abiram and their Punishment and the Plague which followed upon the People for their Murmuring at it I say God there appeared in the Miracle of Aaron's Rod which was Budded bloomed Blossoms and yielded Almonds So in doubtful and disputable Cases But God is and will be both Witness and Judge men call upon him to be a Witness to the Truth of what is in his Name Affirmed and Transacted but will certainly be the Judge whether or not men call upon him for it Though there be now no Ark yet Heaven is his Throne and Earth is his Footstool (h) Gen. 31.50 No Man is with us saith Laban to Jacob See God is Witness betwixt me and thee God being present every where is Witness to every thing and sees every thing to reward it but specially when he is called upon to be a Witness and a Judge between man and man In that Excellent Prayer of Solomon upon the Dedication of the Temple he makes a special mention of Oaths [i] 1 Kings 8.31 32. If any man Trespass against his Neighbour and an Oath be laid upon him to Swear and the Oath come before thine Altar in this House Then hear thou in Heaven and do and judge thy Servants condemning the Wicked to bring his way upon his head and justifying the Righteous to give him according to his Righteousness A Man hath Wronged his Neighbour but he denies it upon the Accusation an Oath is laid upon him to clear the matter the Oath to be taken in the Temple before the Altar hitherto men have acted their parts but can go no further wherefore God's turn comes to act though his Altar and the Temple be upon Earth yet God heareth in Heaven which is the great judgment Seat the true Seat of Justice and Equity and what 's done after hearing he judgeth between the Parties And how First
divided the Work among themselves as we Read James Cephas and John do with Paul and Barnabas Gal. 2.9 So all went into several parts of the World which in antient Records are named as to Peter about whom is the Question (g) Euseb l. 3. c. 1. the Ecclesiastical Histories say that he a long time Preached the Gospel to the Jews in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Bithynia and Asia whom he did write to as we have it in his (h) 1 Pet. 1.1 first Epistle so that if ever he went to Rome 't was at the most only about the latter end of his Life But what Paul saith is very remarkable (i) 2 Tim. 4.16 At my first answer no man stood with me but all men forsook me Certainly if Peter who for the same cause laid down his Life had been there he would not have forsaken him but this is a proof he was not there What Romanists say of a Contest between Peter and Simon the Sorcerer and several other things to the like purpose is all fabulous I know in Rome they shew some places with pretty Stories of their own Invention as of Peter's Prison and of his meeting with Christ when stealing out of that City to avoid Martyrdom he asked him Domine quò vadis Lord whither goest thou and the answer Romam ut ibi iterum Crucifigar To Rome there again to be Crucified all forged and by Tradition transmitted to these very times So that all this well considered it doth not in the least appear that Peter came to Rome since Paul was brought thither and never as we may conclude according to what they say that both suffered there at the same time This Truth Blondel one well known for being versed in the antient Ecclesiastical History had promised the French National Synod at Charenton which thereupon encouraged with dispensing him from his usual Pastoral Duties invincibly to prove and whilest People were in expectation to see that Work of his come forth instead of his promised Book having as inform'd by a Worthy Learned and Ingenious Man who had known him Named M. la Sigogne Ingrand of Poictiers whom in my way through that Country I happened to be acquainted with been gained by Cardinal Richelieu he published his Book about Pope Joan. After what I said the supposed Primacy of Peter is come to nothing and consequently the Supremacy of Popes and Church of Rome thereupon grounded is blown up So that one Pillar being pull'd down the other namely the Infallibility cannot stand and therein to proceed I shall alter the order of my discourse for in the matter of Supremacy I began against their Superstructure before I meddled with the Foundation that is I shewed how the pretended Supremacy of the Romish Church is but a Chymera and then that Peter had no Superiority over his Fellow Apostles nor Dominion over God's Heritage for indeed all the Power which the Lord hath given his Ministers is not to Curse and Anathematize as Popes and Councils have taken upon them to do which is contrary to the Pattern and Rule given by the Apostles in the Synod of Jerusalem but as Paul one of the chief of them declares in several places that (k) 2 Cor. 13.10 Power is to edification and not to destruction But now I intend by the Grace of God to demonstrate first that Peter was not Infallible and then that in the Romish Church is no such Infallibility as they pretend to be derived to 't from Peter's However we own that Peter's Doctrine what he Preach'd and whatsoever is written in his Epistles is infallibly true for what he speaks of how (l) 2 Pet. 1.21 in old time holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost is true of him and of the other Apostles but this Infallibility is lodged not in their Persons but in their Doctrine it did not lye in Peter but in the Guide who directed him the Holy Ghost Now the promise of Christ that (m) Mat. 16.18 the gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church is to be understood of a freedom from Destruction but not from Error seeing himself foretold of (n) Chap. 24.24 false Christs and false Prophets that shall arise and shew great signs and wonders And even in his School which was the Figure of the Church was a Judas a Traytor and so have his Apostles Prophecied of Heresies in the Church and of grievous Wolves that should enter into 't (o) Act. 20.29 30. even among themselves should men arise speaking perverse things Farthermore it ought to be taken notice of how great a mistake it is in the Romanists to apply unto Peter what our Saviour said (p) Mat. 16.18 Vpon this rock I will build my Church He meant not Peter's Person but the Confession he had made of him that he was the Christ the Son of the living God The thing is plain enough if we consider the occasion of the discourse which was this who Christ was Peter said Thou art Christ the Son of the Living God Now this truth owned by Peter namely that the Lord Jesus is the Son of the Living God the Church of Christ is built upon for upon Christ is the Church founded (q) 1 Cor. 3.11 And other foundation can no man lay saith Paul than that is laid which is Jesus Christ Besides that no where in Scripture Peter is call'd a Rock (r) Chap. 10.4 but the Lord Christ is therefore 't is a gross Error to misapply to Peter that which belongs to Christ This very Truth what Christ was Peter of himself could not know for saith our Saviour Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in heaven v. 17. and indeed this is the Fundamental Truth of Christian Religion that Christ is the Son of the Living God But before I leave that Text I must take notice of another Error which the Romish Church would ground upon it 't is this that the Power of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven namely of binding and loosing was bestowed only upon Peter when it also was upon the rest of the Apostles which were a Collective Body Now to find out the truth of what I say we must look upon the 13. Vers of this Chap. 16. of Mat. When Jesus came into the coasts of Cesarea Philippi he asked his disciples saying whom do men say that I the son of man am and they said some say that thou art John the Baptist some Elias and others Jeremias or one of the Prophets Now seeing none of these Opinions of Men about him were true he asked their Opinion for he saith unto them but whom say ye that I am The Question is put to all his Disciples ye So Peter in whom we commonly find a readiness to speak as may be an effect of his temper answered here in the name of all thou art Christ the Son of the Living God whereby he shewed