Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	able_a	acknowledge_v	action_n	21	3	5.9718	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80608	The bloudy tenent, washed, and made white in the bloud of the Lambe: being discussed and discharged of bloud-guiltinesse by just defence. Wherein the great questions of this present time are handled, viz. how farre liberty of conscience ought to be given to those that truly feare God? And how farre restrained to turbulent and pestilent persons, that not onely raze the foundation of godlinesse, but disturb the civill peace where they live? Also how farre the magistrate may proceed in the duties of the first table? And that all magistrates ought to study the word and will of God, that they may frame their government according to it. Discussed. As they are alledged from divers Scriptures, out of the Old and New Testament. Wherein also the practise of princes is debated, together with the judgement of ancient and late writers of most precious esteeme. Whereunto is added a reply to Mr. Williams answer, to Mr. Cottons letter. / By John Cotton Batchelor in Divinity, and teacher of the church of Christ at Boston in New England.	Cotton, John, 1584-1652.	1647 (1647)	Wing C6409; Thomason E387_7; ESTC R836	257,083	342

to death and in him Jesus as Jesus 4. Let Tyrants and Persecutours professe what they will that they doe not persecute Jesus as Jesus but under some other pretence yet that varieth not the Truth nor impeacheth the wisedome of this Position That it is not lawfull to persecute any for Conscience rightly informed or to persecute any for professing the Truth of Christ Discusser One thing I see apparently in the Lords overruling of the pen of this Answerer viz. a secret whispering from Heaven to him That yet he hath never left the Tents of such who thinke they doe God good service in killing the Lord Jesus in his servants and yet say if we had been in the dayes of our Fathers in Queen Maryes dayes we would never have consented to such Persecution c. Defender Verily this is a strange sight indeed and which all sober minds may well wonder at to see apparently That he who layeth downe this for a Position That it is not lawfull to persecute any for Conscience rightly informed hath had a secret whispering from Heaven that himselfe never yet left the Tents of Persecutors Surely it must needs be a strange and strong sight even the fight of such as make themselves equall with God that can see a man hath not left the Tents of Persecutors that is the Communion with Persecutors when he openly professeth it to be utterly unlawfull to Persecute any for the Truths sake It is true God may see that in a mans heart which is contrary to the Profession of his mouth and Pen. And so may this Discusser see as much if he be equall with God But yet herein I dare be bold to say he exalteth himselfe not onely equall with God but above God to see one contradictory in another which God himselfe cannot see It is contradictory to Persecution to beleive it unlawfull to persecute any for the Truths sake He then that can see yea see apparently that out of the Faith Profession of this truth that it is unlawfull to persecute any for the Truth he that can see I say fellowship with persecution in the faith or Profession of the unlawfulnes of Persecution verily he can see darknesse in light evill in good Falshood in Truth which God himselfe Such is the perfection of his Truth cannot doe Discusser Let me also add a second So farre as the Answerer by Preaching for Persecution hath been a guide to others in persecuting any of the Servants of Christ witnessing to his Truth so farre his own mouth and hands shall judge I hope not his person but his actions that the Lord Jesus hath suffered by him Defender If any Doctrine Preached by me have Guided any to persecute any of the Servants of Christ for witnessing to any Truth of Christ then I confesse I must lay my hand upon my mouth and acknowledge that the Lord Jesus hath suffered by me But if the Disousser can never be able to produce any such Doctrine broached by me that hath guided any to persecute any of Gods Servants for witnessing to any Truth of his as I trust in the grace of Christ he shall never be able then the Discusser may know and the Lord help his spirit to know it that his own mouth and hands shal one day judge if not his person yet his actions that the Lord Jesus hath suffered in his poore Servants even bitter persecutions by his unjust slanders CHAP. 12. A Reply to his twelueth Chapter Entring upon the Discussion of the unlawfulnes to Persecute an Erroneous and blinde Conscience Discusser The second Conclusion lay'd downe by the Answerer is It is not lawfull to persecute an Erroneous and blinde Conscience Even in Fundamentall and weighty Points till after Admonition once or twice Tit. 3.10 11. And then such Consciences may be persecuted because the Word of God is so cleare in Fundamentall and weighty Points that such a person cannot but sinne against his Conscience and so being condemned of himselfe that is of his Conscience he may be persecuted for sinning against his own Conscience Defender They are the words of the Discusser not mine That such as erre in Fundamentall and weighty Points after once or twice Admonition such Consciences are then to be persecuted No my words will cleare themselves if they be truly related even as himselfe hath printed them Thus they stand Secondly For an erroneous and blinde Conscience even in Fundamentall and weighty Points It is not lawfull to persecute any till after Admonition once or twice And so the Apostle directeth Tit. 3.10 and giveth the reason That in Fundamentall principall Points of Doctrine and worship The Word of God in such things is so cleare that he cannot but be convinced in conscience of the dangerous Error of his way after once or twice Admonition wisely and faithfully dispenced And then if any one persist It is not out of Conscience but against his Conscience as the Apostle saith ver 11. He is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himselfe that is of his owne Conscience so that if such a man after such Admonition shall still persist in the Error of his way and be therefore punished He is not persecuted for cause of Conscience but for sinning against his Conscience Where though I say That it is not lawfull to persecute any though erring in Fundamental and weighty Points till after once or twice admonition I doe not therefore say as the Discusser reporteth me that after once or twice admonition then such Consciences may be persecuted But that if such a man after such Admonition shall still persist in the Error of his way and be therefore punished He is not persecuted for cause of Conscience but for sinning against his own Conscience Object But he that sayeth It is not lawfull to persecute any Heretick till after once or twice admonition He doth as much as say that after once or twice admonition It is then lawfull to persecute any Heretick Ans Not so neither neither every Heretick nor in every Court Not in every Court or Judicature But the same Church that followed an Heretick with once or twice admonition was further to pursue him if he remaine obstinate with excommunication my words doe expresse two things 1. That an Heretick till after once or twice admonition may not be pursued no not with the Church-censure of Excommunication but after once or twice admonition It was then lawfull for the Church to proceed to his Excommunication 2. My words hold forth this also That if such an Heretick so convinced and admonished be afterwards punished by any Censure whether of Church or Court It cannot be said he is punished for his Conscience but for sinning against his Conscience But it was no part of my words or meaning to say that every Heretick though erring in some Fundamentall and weighty Points and for the same excommunicated shall forth with be punished by the Civill Magistrate unlesse it doe afterwards appeare that he

that the Spirit of God maketh the Ministry one of the Foundations of Christian Religion Heb. 6.1.2 for it is onely a foundation of Church Order not of faith or Religion the Apostle puts an expresse difference between faith and Church Order Colos 2.5 Nor is it a true and safe speech to call the Fellowship or blessing of God vouchsafed to corrupt Churches or Ministers or Ministrations to call it I say unpromised or to be beyond a word or promise of God For it is a large and yet an expresse promise of the Covenant of Grace that God will be mercifull to our iniquities Ier. 31.34 That he will be mercifull to every one that prepareth his heart to seeke God though he be not cleansed according to the Purification of the Sanctuary 2 Chron. 30.18 19 20. with many more such like And therefore there wants not Promises of Grace and blessing to the People of God notwithstanding some defects and impurities found in their Administrations Neither will it follow that if our Ministery and Ordination here be true that then the former which we had in England was false especially so false as that according to visible Rule Fellowship with God was lost For the Rite of Ordination we doe not looke at it as any Essentiall Part of our vocation to the Ministry no more then Coronation is an Essentiall Part of the Office of the King And though we doe not justly sundry things found in our Ministry yet Jehoshuah the High Preist did not loose his Fellowship with God though he was cloathed with filthy Garments Zach. 3.3 4. 2. Concerning Prayer though the New English Ministers have witnessed against the Common set-Forme thereof which yet our selves in our ignorance have somtimes used and have therefore seen just cause to judge our selves since yet we did not thereby loose fellowship with God by such sinnnes of Ignorance no more then the People of God did in the dayes of Hezekiah by sacrificeing to God in the High places when yet they did it to the Lord their God onely 2 Chron. 33.17 I know no such faithfull Admonishers as presented to us in England Arguments against the Common Prayer which then seemed weake but now are acknowledged to be sound though such a thing possibly may be true howsoever forgotten But this I am perswaded to be utterly false that any of us satisfied our hearts with the Practise of the Author of the Councell of Trent who used to read some of the choysest select Prayers out of the Mass-Booke The Spirit of a childe of God though upon occasion he may receive such a Practise yet he can never satisfie himselfe with the Practise of any godly man for the warrant of his Imitation without some further light or at least apprehension of light from the word 3. It is readily graunted that which is observed in the third place That Gods people may live and die in such kindes of Worship though light from the Word whether publickly or privately hath been presented to them able to convince Neverthelesse that will not weaken the Conclusion formerly mentioned and afterwards further discussed That Fundamentalls are so cleare that a man cannot but be convinced in Conscience of the Truth of them after two or three Admonitions and that therefore such a Person as still continueth obstinate is condemned of himselfe and if he then be punished He is not punished for his Conscience but for sinning against his owne Conscience For both these may well stand together and are farre of from crossing or contrarying one another A set forme of Prayer though it be unlawfull yet it is not such a Fundamentall Error either in judgement or practise as cutteth off from fellowship with God That is onely a resolute Assertion of the Discusser but a vouched without all colour or pretence from the Scripture There is some resemblance and proportion betweene Praying and Prophesying Moses used an unwarranted way and Forme of Prophesying when God Commaunding him to speake to the Rock before the Congregation of Israel He spake not to the Rock but stroke it with his Rod for which he had no Commaundement and spake to the People and that in a Passion and and both without a Commaundament Numb 20.8.11 And yet this did not cutt off his Fellowship with God nor Gods gracious Presence with him in giving water to the People no not at that time God knoweth how to be present with his People in blessing their Administrations and forgiving their iniquities though he doe take vengeance of their Inventions Psal 99.8 4. Though I doe maintaine as the Apostle doth a Clearnesse of Fundamentall Points of Religion and Worship such Fundamentalls I say without which Fellowship with God cannot be had and though I graunt that in subserting such Fundamentall Points and persisting therein after once or twice Admonition a man sinneth against his owne Conscience and is therefore censurable by the Church yea and by the Civill Magistrate also if after Conviction he continue to seduce others unto his Damnable Heresie yet I doe not herein measure to others that which my self when I lived in such practises would not have measured to my selfe For I thank God God never left me to live in any such Practises as to fall into any Fundamentall Error much lesse to Persist therein after Conviction and Admonition and least of all to seduce others thereinto If God should leave me so farre as to fall so fearefully into this three-fold degree of Hereticall wickednesse what am I better then other men better my selfe cut off by death or Banishment then the Flock of Christ to be seduced and destroyed by my Hereticall wickednesse CHAP. 6. A Reply to his sixth Chapter Discussing Civill peace and the Disturbance of it IN this Chapter the Discusser undertaketh to declare what Civill peace is and to shew that the Toleration of different Religions is no Disturbance of Civill Peace First for Civill peace what is it saith he but Pax Civitatis whether English or Irish Spanish or Turkish City Reply Be it so and if the Civill State or Common-wealth containe many Citties or Townes and so become a whole Countrey or Common-wealth let Civill Peace be the peace of the Countrey or of the Common-wealth But what is then the peace of the Citty or Countrey Is it not Tranquillitas Ordinis the tranquility of order in every Society wherein the Publicke Weale of the Citty or Countrey is concerned And is it not the proper worke of the Civill Magistrate to preserve the Civill Peace and to prevent or reforme the disturbance of the Tranquility or Peace of any such Societyes in whose Peace the Peace or Weale of the Citty or Society is concerned Suppose a Society of Merchants or Cloathyers or Fishmongers or Drapers or the like If the Weale of the Citty or Countrey be concerned in these as it is much concerned in them all It is not for the safety of the Civill Sate to suffer any of these so

words accordingly so much false dealing For 1. Admonition is one thing Conviction in their owne Conscience is another For though Admonition ought not to be dispensed till after conviction yet it may fall out that the Church through mistake proceedeth to Admonition before the Offender be convinced in his own Conscience of the sinfulnesse of his way 2. He carrieth my words as if they who yeeld not to once or twice Admonition must needs be esteemed obstinate persons whereas I onely say they will not persist in Heresie that is in obstinacy of Fundamentall Error nor in turbulent Schisme when they are convinced in Conscience of the sinfulnesse thereof 3. He propoundeth my words generally as if I had said that godly persons in whatsovever Error they hold if they yeeld not to once or twice Admonition they must needs be esteemed obstinate whereas I spake not of every Error but of persisting in Heresie and turbulent Schisme But you may see how farre the love of an Error and desire of contention will transport the minde and spirit The two stories that he telleth upon this occasion in his next words because he nameth neither time nor persons nor occasions of the speeches which he representeth as odious a short Answer will serve to them 1. I have too much experience of the Discussers mistakes of permanent Printed words and therefore am affraid to credit every report of transient words spoken without further Testimony 2. The words might be spoken by some persons concerning others upon such occasions as I will by no meanes excuse or justifie but they might be spoken upon such weights as might justly hold weight in the Ballance of the Sanctuary The latter part of my Answer which he saith cometh not neere the Question I now understand so much by the Discusser but it did not so appeare to me by the Author of the Letter Discusser Mr. Cotton concludeth with a consident perswasion of having removed the grounds of that great Error viz. that persons are not to be persecuted for cause of Conscience Defender How hard a thing is it to write against the Truth and yet to speake with a lip of Truth Compare the words of my conclusion with the Discussers relation or representation thereof The words of my conclusion were these Thus much I thought needfull to be spoken for the avoyding of the grounds of your Error 1. Then let him speake what words of mine doe expresse the confidence of my perswasion It is true I bel●ive and therefore speake what I have written but wherein did I blow up my beleife to a confident perswasion I thank God I doubt not of the truth of what I have written but it is one thing what I conceive in my minde another thing what I thinke meet to expresse 2. I doe not say in this conclusion that I have removed the grounds of his Error but that I have spoken so much for that end but whether I have done it or no according to the helpe of Christ received I leave others to judge 3. The name of a great Error is foisted in by himselfe ad exaggerandam gloriationis invidiam et indignitatem but though the Error be indeed great yet I did not so stile it when I spake of mine owne endeavour to remove the grounds of it 4. It is an evident falshood that I should conclude This to be that great Error That persons are not to be persecuted for cause of Conscience For it is that which in stating the Question I did in expresse termes deny that any was to be persecuted for cause of Conscience no not an Heretick no not in a Church-way much lesse in a civill way till being convinced in his owne Conscience of his wickednesse he do stand out therein not only against the Truth but against the light of his owne Conscience that so it may appeare he is not persecuted for cause of Conscience but punished for sinning against his Conscience Onely this I now further adde which I know not whether I had not occasion to speake to in this Discourse hitherto unlesse in a touch that sometime it may be an aggravation of sinne both in judgement and practise that a man holdeth it or committeth it in Conscience But that is onely in case when a man hath been wonted to sin so oft against his light and against the cleare Principles of Truth and godlinesse that it may appeare the just curse of God hath given him up to a reprobate-blinded-minde and seared Conscience But of that wee have not had occasion to dispute in this Discourse Discusser But I beleive it shall appeare That the charge of Error Reboundeth backc even such an Error as may be called the Bloudy-Tenent Defender I hope It hath by this time appeared in the former dispute through the blessing of Christ That that which he calleth the Bloudy-Tenent is washed white in the bloud of the Lambe and tendeth both to the ends for which the Prince of peace dyed viz. To the saving of his sheep from devouring to the dissolving of the cursed works of Satan to the maintenance of his Truth and to the preservation of sacred and civill peace both in Churches and Common-wealth CHAP. 78. A Reply to his Chap. 81. Defender TO the last Chapter of the Discusser I thinke it not worth the while to speake any thing it consisting cheifly of the Discussers selfe-applauses and vaine-glorious Triumphs As that he knoweth That the God the Spirit and Prince the Angells of peace and that all the true awaked sonnes of peace will call the Truth be meaneth this Doctrine of Toleration held forth by himselfe blessed That the contemplations thereof are sweet and pretious but Ob how sweet the actions and Fruitions That these lips of Truth to wit distilling in his Pen drop as the honey Combe Honey and milke are under her Tongue and oh that these drops these streames might flow without interruption Onely one passage of his glorious boasting I may not let passe without some Animad version because the Name of Christ is interested in it and dishonoured by it Discusser Were I saith he beleived in this That Christ is not delighted with the bloud of men but shed his owne bloud for his bloudyest enemies That by the word of Christ No man for gainsaying Christ or joyning with his enemy Antichrist should be molested with the Civill sword were this foundation laid and the Magna Charta of highest Liberties and good security given on all hands for the preservation of it How soone would every Brow and House be stuck with Olive Branches Whether this be not to Conclude with confident perswasion the same and farre greater then that which he noted in me even now I matter not Let him reserve conclusions with confident perswasions to himselfe alone Had he ground from the eternall word of Truth for such confidence It would never trouble me nor hurt him But this is not pleasing to Christ nor to the Spirit of his

separation of holy from unholy penitent from impenitent godly from ungodly And that to frame any other building upon such grounds and foundations is no other then to raise the forme of a square house upon the keele of a Ship which will never prove a soule saving true Arke or Church of Christ Jesus according to the patterne Reply I cannot acknowledge what he saith that I have not duely considered that all the grounds and principles leading to oppose Bishops and Ceremonies c. doe necessarily conclude a separation of holy from unholy c. For I have considered and well weighed after my slender measure that they doe indeed conclude a three-fold separation of holy from unholy 1. Doctrinall that the Minister of Christ whilest he liveth amongst such dissolute and scandalous persons he is to separate them in the application of his doctrine between the holy and unholy between the precious and the vile so as to make sad the hearts of the wicked whom God would have to be made sad and to strengthen the heart and hands of the righteous whom God would have to be comforted Secondly A practicall separation in a mans own person that what a man findeth upon those grounds and principles to be unwarrantable and sinfull he doe forbeare the same in his own practise and disswade others from the same by his doctrine and example Thirdly An Ecclesiasticall separation that when a man cannot continue in fellowship with such a Church but that he shall be compelled to the practise of some sinne or of necessitie to communicate with the sinnes of others then after all good means used in vaine to redresse those evils meekly to separate and withdraw himselfe from fellowship with them in Church-Communion as one that cannot enjoy the good which is found amongst them without partaking in sundry evils that cleave to them Thus farre I have considered the grounds and Principles of Reformation of which the Examiner speaketh and doe finde that they doe necessarily conclude a separation of holy from unholy thus farre But I confesse I have not considered nor can I finde out by any further due consideration that the principles and grounds of Reformation doe necessarily conclude a separation from the English Churches as false Churches from their Ministery as a false Ministery from their worship as a false worship from all their professors as from no visible Saints Nor can I finde that they doe either necessarily or probably conclude a separation from hearing the word preached by godly Ministers in the Parish-Churches in England Nor can I finde that the building of our Churches in these ends of the world is the raising up of a square house upon the keele of a Ship unlesse it be the Arke of Noah for as the soules in the Arke were saved from water so we finde by experience and good evidence from the word that the Lord blesseth our Church-Communion and administrations with soule-saving efficacy through his grace in Christ Thirdly The third particular which the Examiner saith I have not duely considered is The multitudes of holy and faithfull men and women who have witnessed this truth from Queene Maries dayes by writing disputing and suffering farre above what the Non-conformists have done c. Reply This particular hath been considered above in Answer to Chapter 23. Fourthly The fourth particular which he desireth might be better considered Is our own practise and profession Our practise in constituting our Churches of none but godly persons and uniting them into a body by voluntary mutuall Covenant and adding none to them but persons carefully examined and approved and entering by way of confession both of their sinnes and of their faith Our practise also in suppressing other English who have attempted to set up a Congregation in a Parishionall way Our profession in the late Answer we gave to many worthy persons whom yet we account godly Ministers and people that we could not permit them to live in the same Common-wealth together with us if they should set up any other Church and Worship then what our selves practise Reply 1. Our practise in the constituting and ordering our own Churches here holdeth forth what matter and forme and order of the Church we doe beleeve to be most agreeable to the patterne set before us in the Gospel of Christ And our not receiving all commers unto the Communion of the Lords Table and other parts of Church-fellowship saving onely unto the publick hearing of the Word and presence at other duties it argueth indeed that such persons either thinke themselves unfit materialls for Church-fellowship and so they never offer themselves to us or else that we our selves conceive them to be as stones standing in need of a little more hewing and squaring before they be layed as living stones in the walls of the Lords house All which amounteth onely to this That we doe consider and bewaile the defects of the Churches of England in receiving ignorant and scandalous persons to all the liberties of the Lords Table and of his house as other wayes But it doth not at all argue neither is it our minde it should argue their Churches and worship and Ministery and members should all of them be separated from as false or none at all Our practise in suppressing such as have attempted to set up a Parishionall way I never heard of such a thing here to this day And if any such thing were done before my coming into the Countrey I do not thinke it was done by forcible compulsion but by rationall conviction But as for our profession that wee should answer many worthy Ministers and people in England that wee could not permit them to live in the same Common-wealth with us if they varied from us I have cleared it above in Answer to Chapt. 11. to be a notorious falshood and but that I know the Devill is able to create slander of nothing as God is able to create truths of nothing I should thinke it incredible that any man who hath been in New-England should be able to say as the Examiner here doth that we persecute the Parishes in New-England and yet frequent the Parishes in Old England Fiftly The fift particular which he thinks I have not duely considered is That in the Parishes which Mr Cotton holdeth but inventions of men how ever they would have liberty to frequent the worship of the Word yet they separate from the Sacraments And yet according to our own Principles there is as true Communion in the ministration of the Word as in the Seales What mystery saith he should be in this but that here to wit in Old England the Crosse of Christ may be avoyded if persons come to Church Reply 1. It is an untruth that Mr. Cotton holdeth the Parishes to be but inventions of men for though I hold that the receiving of all the Inhabitants in the Parish into the full fellowship of the Church and the admitting of them all unto the liberty of all