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

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93844	A plain discovery of the unrighteous judge and false accuser wherein is soberly ... brought to light ... the spirit of that pamphlet, intituled, The leper cleansed ... by Richard Ballamy ... as also, a clear vindication of ... Anabaptists ... / by Robert Steed and Abraham Cheare ...	Steed, Robert, of Dartmouth.	1658 (1658)	Wing S5376B; ESTC R223912	66,136	82

communion first to a particular member now with the Lord and then unto the whole Accuser 3. As I found no profit my self by attending on their teaching so I observed little to any other Nay it hath been not only mine but the experience of others who have constantly attended them as long as my self that there was nothing but deadness of spirit to be gained there which hath at last caused them to desert them also Answer The Accuser doth not tell you that those constant attenders that have deserted us were members with us there being but his wise and one or two more since that on that pretension have left that Church as for usual hearers if any of them are gone on this ground as it 's more then they have declared so neither is it visible by any loss of number in that great concourse But put case that we lying under so great reproach as the Accuser hath publickly and doeth dayly wait and labour with his new friends to cast upon us both Members of the Church and Attenders on it should be offended finding fault with Ministers Administrations c. would this become a convincing Argument with a serious heart that God is witnessing against the way hath it not been the common tryal of Gods own people heretofore and at this day is there not to be observed and lamented a spirit of giddiness taking great hold of men and things so that the whole series of what of late dayes had on it the impression of Reformation seeming as it were to labour and encline towards its ancient corruption In which house of temptation we are indeed in expectation of greater tryals then these and yet in the middest of them have this to be glad in our God for that all along he hath not left us without several gratious testimonies of his converting and quickning presence notwithstanding our Accuser and such spirits as his is may have tasted little of it but have been filled with their own wayes Accuser 4. They are very vigilant and watchful to finde out any that are convinced and awakened under the publick ministry and when they begin to see things a little darkly and confusedly they take the advantage of this twilight in which their soules are to put off their commadities where their soules have some tenderness and yet a great deal of ignorance they are fit to wrought upon by them for by reason of the first they dare not neglect a command of God and by reason of the second it appeares to them that it is necessary to be dipt Answer This fourth Experiment comes to appearance very big into the world and promising great discoveries suddenly easeth it self of six monstrous births conceived in the wombe of it all which for the substance of them are no other then the old pulpit and pressworne-slanders that the dragon hath had ready in all generations as a flood to poure out upon the Lords people who have laboured faithfully to beare their testimony and set their shoulders to the work of reformation or to the recovery of any truth in Doctrine or practise from the pollutions of the man of sinne against the interest and streame of the fleshly wisdome and glory of the times they have lived in All which as we might cast off at once by testifying an holy detestation through grace in our hearts against the baseness of the things suggested so need we and shall we say the less to them 1. For that there are no particular persons instanced who in the things layd to our charge may be made out demonstrably to be guilty and it is our comfortable assurance that on a faithful and impartial search they will not be found but that the slander will return on the Accusers head and none be stumbled at it unless such as may judge that this Accusers truth and faithfulness in this narrative examined deserves for him that he be believed in a matter of this moment upon his own word 2. In that our Accuser with his own pen freeth those that are Godly among us from these things saying toward the close I speake not this of all for as I have said I believe there is a mixture of godly among them c. our interest is not our cause needs not that we should plead for any ungodly ones or any ungodly deeds that they shall commit if any such shall be found guilty of the things charged and persist in them let them beare their judgment whoever they be the Lord will we hope in due time discover them and deliver us from them For what is said of our insinuations on the ignorant with pretensions of love from us or peace from God pressing them speedily to Baptisme and having all our zeale for the practise of holiness running into that we abhor and reject as base falshoods as might appeare from our not accepting the tenders of many persons desiring baptisme and communion with us when we cannot be satisfied in some good measure of illumination in their understanding and distinct knowledge of the work of conversion on their hearts though we judge it our duty to be tender to the babes in Christ Touching our own ignorance with which we are often branded by this our Accuser and our shunning the light its true we are reputed and know our selves to be a weak and darke people yet we declare that through the supporting mercy of God whom we fear and on whom in this day of rebuke and blasphemy we rely for help we shall not cease to witness be-before great and small as the Lord shall minister ability and clear up our way That the doctrine which we profess and particularly that point of baptising only upon personal profession of saving faith is a doctrine according to Godliness and the same which was once delivered to the Saints excepting nevertheless to our selves and owning whatever miscarriages through personall defects may accompany this profession of truth in this day of small things Neither shall we shun to testifie that the imposing of the fleshly off spring upon the gospel-Gospel-Church is a doctrine without Scripture foundation And we doe testifie that in this faith we stand through grace and have peace with God in it withall we desire the upright in heart to weigh and consider faithfully as for God how much the said doctrine imposing the fleshly off-spring on the Gospel Church sperplexeth and obscureth the light and order of the ministration of the everlasting covenant established by the Son of God how it confoundeth the main distinction of the two Convenants in the different principle of their respective subjects typified by Ishmael and Isaac Gen. 21.10 and explained Gal 4 22-30 Rom. 9.8 distinguished in plain terms by the children of the flesh and the children of promise with respect to the several seasons of Law and Gospel Rom. 4.13 14. How it also darkneth the honor and dignity which the Gospel Ministration exalteth the Jew and his posterity unto by confirming unto them the first tenders of divine Grace by a special institution of this Ministration Mat. 10.5 6. whereby from their former priviledge of servants under the bondage-convenant they by faith in the grace so tendred to them obtain for ever the priviledge and dignity of Sons and heirs of God a more noble descent then that of Abraham Neither can that suggestion That baptizing only upon personall profession is a narrowing of the Covenant of grace be of any weight seeing no subject which the Covenant of grace either in the nature or present exhibition thereof declareth and judgeth competent in any degree stands excluded by it although we be thereof judged because we dare not presume in point of practise in instituted worship to depart from a plaine known rule to follow uncertain suppositions Notwithstanding also our Accuser be among others come forth to mock and reproach us for it a man that hath been our companion in the counsels of the house of God and as David found that an aggravation to his afflictions Psal 41.9 and 55.12 13 14. so is it with us this day in behalf of this poor man who may doubtless become a stumbling stone to credulous incantious souls but we are taught to cast our care in such a case upon God seeing the case is particularly his to provide for and we are perswaded that though thousands should fall off be offended in this day of manifold temptations through worldly disadvantages yet that thereby the truth wherein we stand should only receive purgation from the blemishes that are brought upon it by

visible Dignity and Prerogative of the Sons and Heirs of Sarah the Gospel-Covenant or administration And it is cleer to us that such a loss as this was not obscurely pointed at in the preaching of Christ although we do not strain it here Luke 14.26 a loss of natural and carnal Ordinances to enjoy spiritual 4. There is no colour of warrant from the Word of God That Jesus Christ in the day of his appearing did establish any one Ordinance in the Church which did import a Communion in his Intercession to be practicable duely by a person in an unregenerate state Accuser Arg. Then they could have no hope of their children for hope without a promise is presumption Auswer 1. If the hope of the Parent for his child's salvation be grounded upon the administration of an Ordinance in Infancy then neither had the Patriarks for above two thousand yeers hope of their children which we finde false by Noah's Prophesie Gen. 29.26 27. 2. We demand what hopes the Accuser intendeth and by what Scriptures the same are annexed to the administration of an Ordinance in Infancy 3. VVe justifie an holy hope in Believers in behalf of their Children which is grounded upon plain Scriptures without Infant-Baptism 4. VVe say That this Argument seemeth to carry in it this conclusion That Christian People by Infants Baptism are by Scripture-grounds assured according to Gospel-hope of the Salvation of their Children there wants a proof for it and we suppose it is not received as a Truth by many that oppose us in this Point 5. His Argument supposeth That to be without Infants Baptism will infer a being without the Promise but that hath been often disclaimed Accuser Arg. 9. If children should be excluded from the Promise let any man breathing shew me what priviledge the Children of repenting Parents have above others Now it is cleer the Apostle adds children in the Text to shew that they had some special priviledge above those that were uncalled Answer 1. The supposition of this Argument is That the denial of Baptism to the Infants of repenting Parents deprives them of all Priviledges above the Infants of Persons uncalled but this suggestion hath been formerly replied unto in our Answer to the Accuser's second Argument where also many high Priviledges of the Infants of the Godly are expresly mentioned 2. The Accuser doth not shew us how the Apostles words the promise is to you and to your children being made use of to win an unwilling People to the Faith do prove the Baptism of the Infants of those that are actually in the Faith seeing it will not be granted that a right to the Promise and a right to be baptized are convertible terms 3. VVe have already set down many Priviledges of the Infants of believers above others although we admit them not to baptisme or visible-Church membership If we detract from them any spiritual participation in the grace of the covenant we believe we had not been so long left under a general charge without some particular allegation against us But we are well assured that no such thing in particular can be justly found against us Besides we know that our opposites among themselves are so puzled about the finding out more priviledges to the infants of believers then we allow save in the single point of admission to baptisme that although there have been sufficient demands of it we doe not know that the same hath hitherto been done and yet still the cry is up in general words for the priviledges of the infants of believers as if we denyed their possibility of salvation Accuser Arg. 10. Then how could the blessing of Abraham come to the Gentiles according to Gal. 3.14 which blessing of Abraham was I will be a God to thee and to thy seed Gen. 17.7 Answer 1. The supposition of this argument being not exprest we take to be this If the infants of believing Gentiles be not to be baptised then could not the blessing of Abraham mentioned Gal. 3.14 come to the Gentiles I am a God to thee and to thy seed c. To this argument we reply Two places we have in this third to the Galatians in which the blessing of God to Ahraham is intimated 1. In the close of vers 8. In thee shall all Nations be blessed 2. And at v. 16. To Abraham and to his seed were the promises made As to the first place vers 8. it is taken out of Gen. 12.3 And because there is a necessary coherence of this authority with vers 7. for the proof of what is here affirmed viz. That they which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham and because the same proposition is also affirmed by this Apostle Rom. 4.11 That he might be the father of all them that believe and at vers 16. to the same effect Who is the father of us all And is also confitmed at vers 17. by a place alledged out of Gen. 17.5 I have made thee a father of many nations We therefore say That these two places Gen. 12.3 and Gen. 17.5 have an agreement between themselves because they both agree in the proof of the same position viz. that they which are of the faith are the children of Abraham But although this blessing of Abraham to come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ as is expressed Gal. 3.14 by a continued and necessary coherence of the matter there treated of falleth in with that which went before quite against the title of the birth-priviledg established by the law and giveth it to believers the only sons of Abraham in the Gospel-day vers 7. They which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham This bold opposite hath pleased to lay aside that blessing and to call upon another Scripture managed by the Apostle in another argument and to annex it with this vers 14. to serve his turne but with as little advantage as if he had stayed where he was In the interim we deny that there is any colour of truth in this allegation that the denyal of infants-baptisme bars the blessing of Abraham from the Gentiles or can be justly supposed so to doe 2. But admitting his application of vers 16. drawn from Gen. 17.7 I will be a God to thee and thy seed after thee to be pertinent Yet it makes not a jot to his purpose to wit that because the carnal-seed of Abraham had a day wherein as the natural sons of Abraham they were priviledged under circumcision that therefore the carnal-seed of every believer should in the Gospel-day be admitted into the visible priviledges of sons and heirs of Christ It is a very froward supposition that the proportion between Abraham in the flesh and his carnall seed in the time when circumcision was in date should be the same to Abraham in the spirit who is Christ and the carnal seed of every believer in that season when circumcision is out of date 3. What is this seed of Abraham

for that work As for the ministry of the nation we have this to say We own and honour many of the men not only as holy but as such that have received gifts and graces from the Lord which he hath blessed in the exercise of them But as for the forme of their standing as ministers in office in the Church of Christ we judg it not to be according to the rule of the Scripture Neverthelesse we doe not own nor willingly allow that in this case any should take up railing accusations or unsound and unsavoury expressions such as gender to strife rather then to godly edifying but doe pray for exhort to and labour after this that our speech might be alwayes with grace seasoned with salt that we may know how to answer every man If the Accuser had the knowledg of and was grieved with any such hard speeches either from the whole or any members his faithfulness would have been in exercise to have testified against it in his place while he had communion with us his utter silence in bearing any witness of this kinde till now was it seemes from hence that he knew he was second to none in any language of that nature Accuser I offered to give them a farther account of my withdrawing from the hypocrisy and wickedness of one William Facy who is their present Pastor but they refused to heare and desired I would not cast dirt to their face I desired that they would please to give an account what they had against me but I could get nothing but this from them viz. you are withdrawn from us and have neglected your place among us Answer In this passage is all the colour the Accuser hath for what he pretends to be one main occasion of publishing his booke viz. that he could not have liberty to speake for himself which was thus at this conserence wherein his five unrighteous grounds were at large debated he several times began to insist on what he calls the wickedness and hypocrisy of William Facy which now being at liberty in printing he displays at large Of which the Reader may in it's place expect an examination The matters he maketh so large an outcry of came to pass while the Accuser walked as a member there who as he was acquainted with the mans sin and fall so also declared himself fully satisfied with his being humbled in the sence of it to the dust and publickly in the Church praised the Lord for his repentance and recovery But now beginning to make a narrative of all those matters in the presence of his other friends with the same rancour of spirit as may be perceived running through his book it being six moneths afore that he had so soemnly witnessed his satisfaction in the others repentance he was desired to desist from so doing unless he had any thing to lay to his charge either before or since those acts of which the Church had took such publick cognisance and had proceeded against him with such severe censure but there was nothing of any other kinde could be produced In that he sayeth I could get nothing but this from them You are withdrawn from us and have neglected your place among us These brethren came to him not as from the Church but upon his motion to speake with him neither was the place or company judged expedient to open what was to be laid to his charge besides this manifest withdrawing of his it followeth not that therefore the Church had nothing else to charge him with By this time he hath made his report how righteously let the impartial judg what principles he found among us That which remaineth except here and there a repetition of what hath been said before is only what carriages and miscarriages he met with among us with his observations on them and instructions to young Christians c. from them All which discovery of personal failings and infirmities should it be admitted that they are truth would not be of that weight upon the deliberated thoughts of the grave and spiritually judging man as that he should hence condemn the profession and way we walk in unless there appeared in the nature thereof somthing of a cause producing necessarily such effects To such a one therefore it might suffice besides the stating of our principles to declare in simplicity of heart as in the presence of the Lord that our soul loatheth such abominations in our selves and others But because this remaining part of the engine may do execution upon the simple and harmless ones toward whom it is professedly directed and our God having not left us without boldness of appeal to him righteous matter for the clearing our selves to men in divers things falsly presented touching us we presume on the readers patience to proceed Accuser Then they sollicited me again to return to them but seeing they could not prevail they summoned me to appear before them such a day I told them that if I might have the liberty to bring some friends of mine with me I would meet with them this being granted and the day assigned I desired Mr. Fortescue Lowman Minister of the word in Cadlie with some other friends to be present whom I found very ready and accordingly at the sams time appointed came with me to their meeting where were present some of the ablest of that party in these parts both from Plymouth Dartmouth Tornes Boveytracy Bampton and severall other parts whom they had invited to assist them and it is remarkable to behold the just hand of the Lord who will not bear with sin nor suffer his truth to fall to the ground as soon as we came into their meeting it pleased the Lord to strike such a damp upon their spirits and cast them into such a hurry that not a man among them would ingage to justifie their proceedings but one Thomas Glass who was not of that society but a teacher of a company of them at Boveytracy in the name of the rest of the Anabaptists desired that all such as were not members of their society would withdraw I told them if my friends should not be present with me according to appointment I would withdraw also knowing the inconveniency of being with them alone when there was no one to testify the playn truth of things He told me if I would deny the authority of Christ and his Church I might unto whom I replyed That the authority of Christ I did own but your authority I did deny William Facy not willing to be laid open joyned with this motion and desired my friends to withdraw Then Mr. Lowman told them he had somthing to propose to them before he did withdraw if they pleased Thomas Glass replyed Pray withdraw for you have nothing to doe here So we withdrew and one of my friends said Report no more that we resuse to give you a meeting which false report they have often spread to deceive the simple and to carry on