Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	according_a	church_n	doctrine_n	2,019	5	6.0761	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A07444	The iudge of heresies one God, one faith, one church, out of which there is no saluation. Excluding all infidells, Mahumetans, Iewes, obstinate papists, and other heretikes of all sorts, and consequently all newters, who conforme themselues onely externally to any religion, from hope of participation of the kingdome of heauen. If they finally persist therein, and returne not to the knowledge and zealous profession of the true faith. By Iohn Merideth, Sub-Deane of Chichester.	Meredith, John, b. 1579 or 80.	1624 (1624)	STC 17830; ESTC S112660	68,232	98

euill perswasions wicked worship infinit intollerable errors most impious and vnsufferable Blasphemi●s against Christ and against his innocent bloud ignorance of God In●oc●tion of the dead Confection Consecration Application and Oblation of the Body and Blood of Christ for the Saluation of the quicke and the dead Transubstantiation Ado●ation Ostentation Circumgestation Inclusion and Reseruation of the Eucharisticall bread Satisfaction for the wretched soules of the dead that are pittifully tormented in the false fire of Purgatory and their deliuerance from punishment the priuation of the Cuppe from the People the vsing of an vnknowne tongue in the execution of Diuine Offices a prophanation of those sacred Misteries and a meere mockery of Christs people So your Canonicall howers for prayer are turned into Idolatry for although reading of holy Scriptures and Prayers and singing of Psalmes are commended by God yet Hypocrites abuse them by a wicked opinion they haue of them intending by the Merits of these workes to expiate their Sinnes So your In●ocation of the blessed Virgin and of the Saints is Blasphemy for though God will bee honoured in his Saints yet hee will not giue his glory vnto them now the principall honour wee doe vnto God is in praying vnto him for thereby wee acknowledge all his Attributes which wee translate vnto the Saints when wee doe inuocate them by Prayer But you shew your selues op●n Idolaters in worshipping your Images with the same worship where with you worship the Prototypon as your schoolemen and moderne Aq. Part 3 q. 25. Art ● Cos●er E●●●ind Diuines mainetaine in their writings Right Faith must make a iust difference betweene the Creator and the Creature and giue vnto either that which belongeth vnto him without transfusing the propriety of the one vnto the other So that wee may not ascribe the Maiestie and power of the Creator to the Creature nor attribute the Infirmity of the Creature to the Creator So that if Faith giue vnto euery one his owne his oblation is right if hee doth discerne well betweene either hee diuideth aright and doth not sinne The defect whereof causeth Heresie for God will indure no Corriuall for if the same honour bee giuen vnto other which is proper vnto him Ips● Lactant lib 1. de ●als sap cap. 19. omnino non col●tur hee is not worshipped at all whose Religion is such that he only will bee worshipped for his glory will ●ee not giue to another neither his praise to graue● Esay 42. Images The precedent matters being duly considered how can you auoid or acquit your selues from the title of Heretickes or rather how can you claime the title of Christians You will happily say you professe Christ which is the proper foundation of Christians But if wee diligently consider those things which concerne Christ I must apply the words of Augustine vnto you for an answere N●mine E●ch●●d cap. 5. tenus inu●nitur Christus apud quosl●bet Haereticos qui se Christianos vocari volunt reipsa autem non esse apud 〈◊〉 Christ is found commonly in the mouth of all such Heretickes who would haue themselues called Christians but in very deed hee is not among them at all you will pretend your assent to Christianity but falsely seeing you faile in electing those things by which you may ass●n● vnto Christ those you should choose which Christ himselfe hath truely deliuered to bee beleeued not such as your owne erroneous mind suggesteth if so though you professe the faith of Christ but yet corrupt the Principles thereof you are no better then Infidels Therefore the Schoole-man saith well that In heretico discredente vnum articulum Aquin se●unda secund● ● 5. 〈◊〉 3. fidei non manet fides Faith is extinct in that Hereticke that misbeleeueth one Article of the faith for faith dependeth on its proper Obiect which is the first Truth therefore he that doth not cleaue to all the Articles of faith for this Medium as it is propounded vnto vs in the H●ly Scriptures according to the Doctrine of the Church vnderstanding it soundly is altogether faithlesse for such a one hath not faith but opinion sutable to his owne will If you obiect farther that you beleeue the Creed wee answere Quoad sonum non quoad sensum the letter you doe but not the true sense But as the father saith De Intellig●n●ia Hillar lib. de 〈◊〉 fit Heresis sensus non sermo fit crimen Heresie groweth from peruerse vnderstanding the fault in the meaning not in the Phrase The Creed must be kept Integra saith Athanasius and In Symb●l● Inuiolata whole without substraction of truth and v●desiled without admixtion of falshood If any one bee by Profession a Christian but by peruerse vnderstanding an Hereticke such a one being an Isra●l●t● Origen ●o●il Super Le●it by his Mother but an Egiptian by his father must bee carried out of the Host and for his Blasphemy against God bee stoned to death Linddnus termeth vs Semi-Christians and saith that wee should more cautelously bee auoyded But I do● aduise all Lib. Concord discord i● 〈◊〉 ●t pag. Seq those that regard their owne Saluation to beware of them as Pseudo Christians which wee haue proued them to bee for as their Intention is to seeke after Semi-christians who a they may deceiue So is it our purpose to shew them to bee Pseudo Christians that not only the more skilfull Christians may discouer them by conuicting them but the more ignorant sort may gaine knowledge by eschewing them To this end our Sauiour commanded vs to beware of false Prophets which come vnto vs in Sheepes cloathing but inwardly Math 7. are ra●ening Wol●es Which words Chrisostome expounding saith That we Homil. 19. in Cap. Math. Tom. 7. ●ught aboue all things know who are false Christians There is nothing saith hee doth more ruinate Christians then this that whomsoeuer men see to bee called Christians they esteeme them as if they were Christians indeed But what if it be certaine that they bee false Christians for either hee is a false Christian or thou if thou bee one hee is none if h●e be one why dost thou esteeme him a Christian whom Christ hath iudged to be no Christian whom God doth not confesse to bee his Sonne why dost thou esteeme to be thy Brother But thou wilt say How can I say that hee is no Christian whom I perceiue to co●fesse Christ who hath an Altar who offereth vp the Sacrifice of Bread and wine who readeth the writings of the Saints who haue all degrees of holy Priesthood O wise man if any man doth not confesse Christ that his Infidelity be apparant vnto thee that thou wast seduced by him thou wast Mad to be seduced by him But now that hee confesseth Christ but not so as Christ commanded Thy Negligence was the cause of thy Seduction for hee that falleth into a pit which he did not foresee may be termed

beene grounded in holy Scripture eyther good reason and common profit of Christen puple and worldly praelatis and feinid religious grounden hem on sinfull mens statutis that sownen pride and couetise and letten the truth and fredome of goddis law● to bee knowen and bringin Christen puple in endles thraldome and great cost Moreouer it is certaine that they misliked and complained against many abuses in doctrine and manners then abounding in the Church of Rome This is plainly apparent by the sundry complaints of di●ers Emperours States Kings Nations and people made for reformation in all ages since the first Apostacie No man can doubt hereof who will conuerse with the Councels and Ecclesiasticall Histories of those Ages Againe it is certaine that many of them laboured to gayne the knowledge of Truth by procuring vnto them the vse of the holy Scriptures translated into the Mother tongue by reading whereof they might finde the right way vnto saluation This is plaine by the wordes of Iohn Wickleffe who in a Booke of his called the Introductory to the Scriptures saith Impressus est iste liber Lon●i●i per Robertum Crow●●y Jdio●●a●e Anglico in quo et ab ●u●●ore co●s●ri●●us est A●uto Dom. 1550. For though couetous Clarkis bene wode by Simony haeresie and many other sinnes and despisen and stoppen Holy write as much as they moune ●et the ignorant puple cryeth after holy writ to ●un it with great cost and perile of here life and saith That he himselfe had translated the Bible into English to saue mens soules and saith that Bede translated the Bible before him and King Alured the beginning of the Psalter But you will say They might read long but all in vaine seeing they did not vnderstand wanting an ●nterpreter which could not be had in those dayes when the Clergy detested that liberty in the Laity I answere partly with St. Ieromes words who I th●nke foresaw your time of the power of darknesse who speaking of Ieron in Nahum cap. 3. the Christian people deceiued saith That they should at length repaire vnto the Mountaines of the Scriptures and if they shall finde no man to teach them yet the good desire of the people should be well accepted of God and the negligence of their Masters should be openly reproued But thankes be vnto God he reserued Priest and people in no small number vnto himselfe who neuer bowed their knee to Baal to teach and beleeue the truth If I should name those of the Clergy whose workes I haue read not of the ordinary ranke but such who were eminent for learning i●dgement ●anctity and Ecclesiasticall dignity who euer since the first Apostacy of Boniface from the auncient Apostolicall humility and verity to Antichristian pompous pride and heresie impugned in their Writings their foule blasphemous and Idolatrous vnheard of fallacies I should be teadious But I referre the Reader for breuity sake to Illyricus his Catalogus Testium veritatis As for the Laity there is no doubt but they were many because such famous Masters could not be without many Disciples and Histories confirme so much vnto vs yea a Popish Inqui●itor confesseth that there haue beene Waldenses euen from the time of the Apostles He meaneth such who professed those Articles of Religion which Valdus and his followers maintained Which at this day the Protestants know beleeue and defend maugre the malice of Antichrist of Rome his Locusts and Scorpions which we hope shall in short time be entertayned by other noble Nations who as yet sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death which God graunt for his mercy sake that it may take effect to the aduancement of the glory of Christ the confusion of Antichrist and the saluation of their soules who shall embrace the same Yet say that there were infinite who though they ●arnestly sought after such Teachers but could not finde them by reason of their rarity in those dayes yet we must not doubt but that they might haue sauing knowledge abundantly by Gods grace and their industrious reading of the Scriptures for as Chrys●stome saith Fieri non potest vt is qui diuinis c It is impossible Hom●l 36. in Genes that hee who doeth seriously and zealously study the Scriptures should bee alway forsaken for although wee haue not mans instruction yet the Lord himselfe descending into our hearts enlighteneth our minde infuseth his beame into our vnderstanding discouereth hidden mysteries and teacheth vs those things which wee know not onely if wee will apply our sel●es diligently thereunto also our Sauiour confirmeth it vnto vs. Aske and you shall haue Seeke and you shall finde Knocke and it shall bee opened vnto Math. you But say that such should erre in some points which they held with their Teachers they must neuer the sooner be censured Heretickes for that cause for as the auncient Canon saith They are not to be reputed heretickes who are seduced not by their owne but by others boldnesse into error For Qui sententiam suam quamuis falsam atque peruersam nulla pertinaci animositate 14. ● 3. Dixi● Aposto●us defendunt c. They who doe not stubbornely defend their opinion though it be false and peruerse especially if it be such a one which themselues haue not broached of bold presumption but such as they receiued from their seduced and deceiued Auncestors If they seeke after the truth with carefull diligence being ready to subscribe thereunto when they haue found it Nequaquam sunt inter haereticos deputandi are not to be censured as Heretickes Out of the premisses I inferre this conclusion Viz. That there was great difference betweene the State of our forefathers who liued in that time of blindnesse and yours who liue in this age They sought after the Truth when it was locked vp from them You behold it presented vnto you and neglect it They were in darknesse and desired the light You liue where it shineth and yet you shut vp your ●y●s against it They were subiect to the rack torture for seeking after it You haue the peace of the Church ready to receiue you ioyfully and yet you despise it They wanted ordinarily helpes to further them in knowledge and yet followed after it You haue all outward meanes and opportunity to solicite dispose and direct you thereunto Oh that you had Gods grace inwardly in your hearts also whereof as yet you are destitute and yet you reiect it And therefore they as wee doe hope haue receiued from Gods mercy the Kingdome of heauen which they so earnestly sought and desired But you as wee feare for your ●ngratefull obstinacy if you doe not come out of Babylon cannot auoyde the torments of hell which you haue iustly dese●ued Therefore if you will be secure of saluation imitate your Ancestors in diligent Inquisition of the truth and pretend not a good intention to protect your negligence for you deceiue your selues you must know that if you will

Hypocrites Epicures Heretickes Pagans Idolatrers Libertines are in a damnable case and containeth an inuectiue against and admonition vnto all Newters who conforme themselues externally onely vnto diuers and contrary Religions as is Poperie and the Orthodoxall faith professed by the Protestants proouing them to bee Traytors to Christ and no better then Atheists who communicate outwardly with the Papists in their Religious Rites and seeme also to be Protestants in heart and affection with Saint Augustine his Censure of the forenamed for a Conclusion THE PREFACE VNTO the READER WEe are fallen vpon those times Christian Reader vnto which our Sauiour Christ had reference saying When the Sonne of man commeth shal he find faith on the earth Luk. ● By which Interrogation hee foretelleth the rarity of Faith paucity of Beleeuers which should be found in those dayes These are those times wherin as the Spirit spake manifestly some should depart from the Faith Tim. 4. For S. Hillaries Speech of the state of Religion in his time may fitly be applied to our age Tot nunc sides existum Lib. v●t ad Constant quot voluntates c. In these dayes there are as many Religions as wils of men as many Doctrines as there be maners insundry people as many causes of blasphemy sprout vp as there be Vices when Religions are so written to be or are so vnderstood and seeing there is one God one Lord one Baptisme so there should be one Faith only we are departed frō that faith which is the only Faith while more faiths are made we are come to this passe that there is no Faith For now too many imitate the Sampsaean Hereticks in their Religion of whom saith the Father they are Epiphan 〈◊〉 ● Tom. ● 〈◊〉 53. neither Christians nor Iewes nor Pagans sed medii simpliciter existentes nihil sunt but being a confused medley compounded of the former are of no Religion There are such among vs though not of vs who haue forged an opinion to deceiue their ow●e Soules viz. That it auaileth not of what Sect or Religion soeuer a man be a Professor So that hee conceipt it to be good and pleasing vnto God so that euery such man shall be say these Nullisidians saued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 own Law or Sect if he obserue it and therfore they wil be neither Reformed Catholicks as are the Protestants neither Pseudo-Catholicks as are the Papists nor Anticatholicks as are all Hereticks but Diacatholicall Monsters as are all Newters consequently are priuatiuely Atheists hauing as much interest in God as they haue in Godlines whom though they professe with their mouth yet in their heart these fooles say there T it 1. Psal 14. is no God The occasion wherof I do ascribe principally vnto the Defect of Gods grace in such persons wherof they are worthily destitute wherewithall they should haue beene enlightened Secondly to their damnable grosse carelesse vnexcusable Ignorance into which they are plunged through Negligence wherby it commeth to passe that though they know God they worship him not as God but become vaine in their thoughts and haue their foolish hearts full of darknesse and not knowing the Truth cleane vnto their owne opinions thinking it sufficient to worship him according to their owne immaginations rather then to vse any requisite Inquisition to find out the truth imagining with the old Pagans That it is Gods desire by diuersity and disparity of opinions Socrat. Lib. 4. Eccles Hist cap. ●● to illustrate his glory that therefore euery Sect might the more reuerence his Maiesty because that no man might readily know him accurately therefore they choose rather to wauer in doubtfull opinion which is alwayes vncertaine then to stand by faith and knowledge which confirmeth vnto Security Which pernicious pestilent and damnable error was first broached by that Sect among the Pagans who were termed Academicks or Septicks who held Gellius lib. 11. N●ct 〈◊〉 Cap. 5. bl●ssednesse to consist in the Inuestigation of the truth though they neuer attained to the Intention thereof but concluded all with doubtfull suspension of their Iudgement The Authors of which Sect are said to Galen lib de ●p● doc●ndigene●● Sta●●● in 〈◊〉 be Fauorinus and Pyrrho two ancient Philosophers from whom those Hereticks in the Primitiue Church drew their opinions that Tertullian might w●ll say Lib. ●duers●● Hermogene●● that the Philosophers were Patriarchae Hereticorum the great Grandsires of Hereticks From their Pappes questionlesse Ap●lles sucked that dangerous Position Non prorsus opus esse rationem Niceph●●us lib. 4. Eccles Hist Cap 28. fidei inquirere sed in sua quemque persuasione perseuerare debere that it was a needl●sse matter to search into the reason of Faith and Religion but that euery one ought to persist in his own conceit perswasion From their Doctrine Rethorius and his Disciples in Aegypt and Alexandria deriued their most Hereticall Thi●as●er Cataogo Hares Heresie Qui omnes laudabat Hereses c. who praised all Heresies and said that euery mans seuerall opinion was good and that none among them all did erre but that they walked all well beleeued aright Hence drew Mahumedes Sergius that plausible tenent to flesh and blood that all Sects as Christians Alc●oran 〈◊〉 2 4 Turkes Iewes and Infidels may be saued in the obseruation of their owne Law though it be neuer so impure and sensuall which opinion is receiued and applauded by the Heard of Swinish Epicures who liue in any Religion or Sect whatsoeuer in these daies who accommodate themselues vnto that Religion which best relisheth their voluptuous pallate Wherefore because of the abundance of Luke-warme Newters who are infected with this execrable error in these dayes and sprout vp as Tares among the Wheate in most part of this and other Churches who by this meanes are destitute of all faith and Religion and in danger of vtter perdition if they be not firmely established in the true faith of Christ I haue thought it a Worke worthy my labour belonging vnto mine Office and Calling in the Church of Christ wherin I am a most vnworthy Minister and the least weakest among my Brethren while other who excell in many singular graces are through their Charitable conceit of men silent in this poynt and neglect it as needlesse altogether vnseasonable for these dayes wherein the bright light of the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ hath dispelled the darksome and gloomy mists of Error Ignorance Heresie and Infidelity out of the hearts of all or most of the Inhabitants of this Land which I wish with longing desire were euen as their Charity presumeth which I do pray with feruent zeale that in short time it may be so effected through Gods grace and the strong operation of the Ministry of his Word which is able to mollifie the most obdurate heart to open the eyes of the blind to raise vp him that is plunged euen into the

Charitatem in Intentione Loue in thy Intention and Veritatem in Electione Truth in the choyce of thy B●ru Religion For if thou doest loue God and yet doest not serue him according to the Truth of his word thou hast the zeale of God but not according to knowledge therefore thou art not excused by doing that which thou doest beleeue ought to be done for thy beleefe being euill yea being no faith indeed but a light rash Credulity maketh thy purposes like that wicked ones prayer to be turned into sinne and the deuill doth deceaue thee by making thee conceipt it to be faith for as Pirats at Sea are wont in the darke time of the night to set vp lights in places full of sandy shelues and hidden Rockes thereby to allure Passengers vnder hope of attaining to an hauen of Safetie to shipwra●ke and destruction Such is this light of false faith kindled by the Spirits of the Ayre not whereby they may saue the poore Sailers on the Sea of this world and the flouds of this wretched life but by which they may sinke them into the bottomlesse pit of hell and damnation In this respect St. Paul saith that Satan transformeth himselfe into an Angell of light Therefore we that wa●t on the floods of this life must not beleeue euery light vnlesse we fall among Heresies which ruinate the soule while we purpose to reach the true Church which is the pillar and ground of Truth So in matters of Faith and case of Religion a man may intend the true worship of God and yet commit Idolatry as you Papists do● in your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or worshipping of the Sacramentall Bread which is meere Idolatry therefore Bonauentura saith ●●p 3. Se●t dist 9. that a man may be deceaued in his worship Nisi fiat secundum directionem regulam fidei If it be not done according to the direction and rule of Faith for one may De facto adore the diuell transformed into an Angell of light intending it vnto God Neither may his ignorance excuse him for he hath a treble helpe assigned him to preuent error First the prediction of the Scripture saying Many shall come in my Name Math. 24. Secondly prayer vnto God for inward illumination Thirdly suspention of his Credulity For we must not beleeue 1 Ioh. 4. euery spirit but try the Spirits which are of God otherwise if he be an Idolater he may be iustly taxed for worshipping hee knoweth Ioh. 4. not what In vaine doe we beleeue to attaine to the end of our Hope if so be we are ignorant of the right way which leadeth thereunto how much greater is our danger if running a Contrarie or By-way we will not be reclaimed but goe forward therein presumptuously notwithstanding admonition and direction of cunning guides whom we despise Which is as much as if a man who is drunke should thinke himselfe to be sober and doe all as a drunken man doth and yet thinkes himselfe to be sober and would be so accounted by other Such are they who being ignorant of the Truth haue a seeming shew or shadow of the same and doe euill as if it were good and runne on to destruction as if it were to saluation yea and binde themselues by their supposed knowledge to persist in their ignorance and error reiecting the meanes of Reformation saying with the wicked We will none of the knowledge of thy wayes Iob. ●1 O bloody deuotion sprouting from that Hel-bred Ate which made the Heathen to sacrifice their sonnes and daughters to the deuill and causeth the like in you that are deuoted vassals to the Pope in respect of your soules and your children also who may truly cry out against you Parentes sensimus p●rricidas wee haue 〈◊〉 found our Parents the murtherers of our Soules for preuention whereof St. Iohn as I haue said would haue vs try the spirits whither they be of God if through negligence to examine and finde out the truth thou art deceiued the fault is in thy selfe for as Chrysostome saith They cannot excuse themselues from condemnation Ho●●il S●p Math. who had meanes to finde the truth if they had a desire to seek after it for if the truth be the saluation and life of them that know it M●gis debet quaeri quam quaerere It ought rather to be sought for by other then that it should seeke after vs. And surely Negligence in learning the Grounds of Christian Faith is the chiefe cause that suffereth Man to fall into error when men are carelesse to seeke after Gods helpe therefore they are worthily depriued thereof is not he worthy to haue his house darke that shutteth vp the doores thereof and the windowes against the bright beames of the Sun●e which would enlighten it Such persons must know that faith is not Naturall but proceedeth ●phes from the Election of Gods goodnesse and is Donum Dei the Gift of God for were it Naturall all men would hold the selfe-same Faith nor should there be so great dissention about it as we see at this day therefore it is to be sought of God and therefore as the Sunne is not to be seene but by his owne light So the Sunne of Righteousnesse whereby the day spring from an high hath visited vs is not to be seene but by the light of God● grace But because many are rebellious against this light therefore they are wilfully blinde Another cause is Auersion of the vnderstanding from those things which are to be beleeued and from those which might induce them to beleeue them and conuersion vnto Error for as hee that hath his eyes turned from those obiects which he should behold and turned vnto other in that Auersion cannot see what hee should Such are those who embrace false opinions and damnable Sects with such contumacy that they will not vouchsafe to thinke or heare of the contrary and stand out with so great an hatred against those who hold the truth that they will not so much as giue care to their Arguments but resist the holy Ghost who speaketh by their mouth of which sort of men Salomon spake truly A foole hath no delight in vnderstanding vnlesse thou doest sooth him in the conceipts of his owne heart as the v●lgar translation Prouerb 18. hath it For as Vigilius saith Mans minde being before poysoned with Lib. 1. contra Eutichen fla●●● sub J●it the error of false opinion is growne obstinate against the entertainment of the truth nor will yeeld to any testimony bee it neuer so Authenticall for it had rather maintaine a false conceite wherewith it is once infected then renounce it though it bee reputed with neuer so good authority Therefore St. Paul holdeth such Incorigible and not to be de●lt withall who after the first and second admonition persist obstmate Tit. 3. and censureth them condemned euen by the verdict of their owne conscience He that seeth an imminent danger and runneth vpon

Profecto qui veritatem pro pecunia negant Deum pro pecunia vendunt Surely they who denie the truth for money doe sell GOD for ●o●l cap. Ab●●t money If a man should through infirmity deny the truth as did Peter vpon such repentance hee might receiue pardon though God doth sildome graunt repentance vnto such wretches But if any one shall with Iudas and Balaam be seduced by cou●tousnesse to betray the truth let him expect no other reward then befell those vnhappy Caitiues Vaevictis Woe vnto them that are ouercome by riches which perish who through feare shall deny the truth Timendo mortem car●i● tuae mortem dabis animae tuae by fearing thy flesh thou slayest August thy soule In which case our Sauiour commandeth his Disciples not to feare those who can kill the body vpon which words Chrysost●●● thus excellently reaso●eth Ne forte propter ●imor●m mortis non libere dicatis quod audistis least happily for Homil. 25. i● Math. feare of death you should not vtter that freely which you haue heard nor boldly preach vnto all men that which you heard in secret for as it is shewed by these words He onely is not a Traytor to the truth who transgressing against the truth doth speake a lye openly in stead of the truth But hee also who doth not vtter the truth freely which hee ought to vtter freely or doth not defend the truth freely which he ought to defend freely Such a one is a Traytor vnto the truth for as the Priest is bound to preach freely that truth which he heard of God So the Lay-man is bound faithfully to defend that truth which he hath heard of the Priests proued out of the Scriptures which if hee neglecteth to performe hee betrayeth the trueth for with the heart wee beleeue vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth wee confesse vnto Saluation And I doe adde this that euery dissembler in Religion is an offence vnto man and woe be vnto that man by whom the offence commeth in this kinde The Apostle saith wee must abstaine from all appearance of euill And it is the duty of euery good man so to order his actions that they breed no scandall to those who are without or to those who are apt to fall away But they who communicate with any Sect in the Sacraments of their Religion by that very action seeme to confirme their Religion and to draw other thereunto as much as in them lyeth whereas they should rather cry out against all heresie and seeke to bring them to the truth and thou by thy hypocrisie makest them to persist more obstinately in their errors and consequently thou art no Christian Heare what that holy Orthodoxall Bishop of Alexandria saith in his Epistle vnto the Clergy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. Concil Nic. part 1. ap●d Cyzicen It is fit that we who are Christians should auoid all those who speak against Christ and hate him as the ●nemies of God corrupter of soules and not to say so much as God speed vnto such kinde of men as St. Iohn hath cōmanded vs vnlest we should in so doing cōmunicate with them in their sins yea by so doing we should cōfirme them therein for they will say Why should wee forsake that Religion which the Protestants embrace with vs Whereas we are obliged to labour for their reformation and to winne them vnto the truth which happily may be effected when they shall behold vs to detest their sacred solemnities and to despise them as prophane trisles and then though they should not consent vnto our truth yet they may be ashamed of their owne falshood Some there are whose Religion consisteth herein that they doe not contradict the faith which is established be it neuer so false blasphemous and are slexible to all formes that are imposed on them because they haue not layde any foundation of the truth in themselues and this is the cause why they are so apt with Leon●das Mutari pro temporum ratione to change with the time Plutarch in Lacon The holy Ghost termeth such persons luke-warme whom hee speweth out of his mouth who with the Parasite in the Poet Apocalvps 3. Cry At s Aio Negas Nego play Protestant with one and Papist with another Saint Paul calleth them Men-pleasers Terent. which cannot please Christ. Galat 1. These make Religion a matter of indifference and hold the Academicks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be the best wisedome especially when in an Interregnum Religion hangeth Inter malleum et Incude●● as they say vpon the pleasure of the Prince and his Peeres as yet vnknowne to the party whether truth or falshood shall preuaile the losse of whose fauour they will not aduenture for conscience sake But let these wretches consider their iust censure by St. Augustine There are some saith he that are Christians for this cause only that they may thereby purchase the fauour of those Lib● de Catechis ●ud cap. 17. persons of whom they expect temporall riches or because th●y will not offend those whom they doe feare Sed istireprob● su●t but such as are R●probates But whereunto may I liken this vaine generation They are like vnto the Reare-mouse in the Fabler which are most base and odious creatures It is doubtfull whether they be Gressible or volatle of whom it is reco●ded That dis●●rd being betwee●e the flying creatures and the ●ou●e footed beasts and the day of Battaile assigned The Rearemouse absented himselfe thereon of policie to obserue on what side the victory would betide that hee might ioyne with the Conquerour The Battaile being finished and many slaine and wounded on both parts the foure-footed beasts met with the Reare-mouse and cried out to apprehend him and to slay their Enemie The Rearemouse answered what say you my friends I am of your side and he shewed them his feete and so escaped And in like manner meeting with the Birds hee shewed them his wings and escaped accordingly Let these Ancipites temporum palpatores as Cyprian speaketh These doubtfull Lib. 2. Exempla 2. ad Donas Time-seruers and Dalliers in sundry Religions behold their basenesse in this creature and let them know that Facti sunt vespertiliones neque in muribus plane neque in volucribus sunt Varro in Ag●thone They are become Monsters in Religion seeing they are of any and consequently of no Religion But let them know withall That God is not like vnto man that he will be mocked though mans eyes may be blinded his iudgement deceiued There is but one God one faith one truth and one Religion which is to be performed in Spirit and in truth Ephes 4. Ioh. 4. and such God requireth And all men are either members of Christ and such beleeue in heart and confesse with the mouth his Gospell or the members of Satan and such either openly impugne or secretly dissemble the Doctrine of the Gospel Betweene these two there is