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	faith_n	true_a	1,754	5	4.4203	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B04710	A short brotherly examination of a sermon. At first preached by Mr Salomon Saffery, and after published in print; intituled, Part of a discourse, tending only to invite those that believe in Christ, to be conformable to him by baptisme. But intending to disswade from infant-baptisme. / By Robert Pittillok, a Scottish man.	Pittilloh, Robert, 1621?-1698.	1652 (1652)	Wing P2312A; ESTC R187082	15,814	21

is Heb. 12.14 VVithout holines no man c. the last brought to clear the third is Jam. 2.17 Faith if it have no works is dead alone To which we answer shortly All the passages alledged are universall in regard of the Subject they relate to None of them are simple universal without restriction This shall appear to impartiall viewes of all the particular Texts The first Rom. 10. relates to those to whom the word of Faith was preached and consequently such as were come to age v. 8. In the second Math. 10. Christ is speaking to guarde his D sciples and such as were actuall Believers against fear and had the faculty of confessing and denying and so persons come to age In the third Heb. 12. the Apostle is speaking to persons that had need of Patience Ch. 9.36 and confirmation as is evident from the whole 11. Chapter to which we shall adde as not of little weight It had been a very imprudent and discouraging argument for so prudent a Pen-man as the Author of that Epistle held by a great many of the Learned to have been Paul concealing his name for shunning prejudice because a countrey-man to have written unto them as a motive to make straight steps for their feet and go on in Holinesse VVithout holinesse no man shall see God Desiring them to take it in this sense though somtimes the children of you Hebrews were holy and received the Seal of the Covenant Now if they d●e before they come to age none of them shal see God In the midst of his many wise and powerfull A●guments taken from the weaknesse and transitorinesse of the Leviticall Priesthood and the compleatnesse and perpetuitie of Christs The last James 2.17 speaks to those who were in hazard of being partial in themselves and judges of evil thoughts v. 4. and whose duty it was to give unto a brother naked and destitute of daily food those things which are needfull to the body The Argument then stands thus Confession and actuall holinesse are necessary to all persons come to age and in a faculty of confessing before Baptisme therefore they are necessary to all who are to be baptized which to such as have saluted the rudiments of Sophistry will appear a non-concluding caption a dicto secundum quid ad dictum simpliciter To which a Philosoph speaking to another would answer in two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in some sense they are all universall simply it will never be proven And if it be replyed though the persons to whom these places speak immediatly be persons adult and come to age yet upon that occasion generall rules are laid down It is as easily denyed as asserted some things spoken formerly make it improbable and some things to be spoken will make it appear impossible And that this is the Scrip manner of speaking appears from Luke 9.5 Whosoever will not receive you c. we conceive the Author will not deny it is understood but of such as to whom they offered themselves From Math. 10.22 Ye shall be hated of all men for my sake We besieve the Author will not aver that every individuall person did hate them seeing many had tender bowels of love to them but of all ranks such as were godlesse and wicked and to whom they became known From Luke 14.26 If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children he cannot be my disciple We hope the Author will not teach all who want those relations are in an incapacity of becoming Christs Disciples That it is spirituall in its intent washing away sins in a sacramentall way with all conveniencie to be put in execution with the limitations aforesaid we grant and studying brevitie come to speak of some particulars SECT III. THe first particular which we conceive carryes along with it hazard of stumbling to the weak is that in the Epistle to the Reader wherein it is called A bloudy Preaching to sound all truth in the ears of those who know not the God of truth we passe the reproaching description given to such Preachers because the grounds being everted it will appear but a calumny if the Authors meaning had been that the pressing the practice of duties of worship acceptable onely from persons knowing God upon persons in a naturall condition had been unlawfull and not a dealing in a Gospel-Order we could have subscribed unto it and we know no Preachers that are worthy of such a name who use to presse duties consequentiall to Regeneration to be performed before it Or if his meaning had bin that it is not the Gospel-order where Preachers preach to a multitude all unbelievers to begin with superstructures before they lay the foundation and teach the principles of Christ Likeas we grant Preachers as faithfull workmen that needs not be ashamed should in all Christian prudence shun to sound all truth in the ears of all persons at some times as the terriblenesse of judgment and wrath in the ears of those who are under the terrours of God deeply wounded in conscience already whether knowing the God of truth or but preparing by the spirit of bondage as a forerunner to the saving knowledge of him except a greater necessitie require it should not be kept up Or doubtfull disputations before weak and unconfirmed fouls Rom. 14. v. 1. As also that Preachers should labour in their pressing of duties or holding forth of comforts so to clear their bounds that no person not knowing God may have reason to think he hath done God good service when he hath but offered the lame sacrifice nor conceive he may eat of the childrens bread so long as he continues a stranger But both the Authors words and his practice clears he understands it is a bloudy preaching to sound all truths serving for building up persons knowing God in the eares of persons in a naturall condition or which is equivolent to admit all persons to be hearers of Truths Preached Intentionally as their native end to edifie persons already regenerate They are such we conceive of whose sometime-communion now he is ashamed And from communion with whom we know at present he doth abstain We are confident he had never ordinary Spirituall communion with any Preachers who would not in their declared purpose observe the limitations foresaid and failings through infirmity are no ground for persons to be ashamed of communion one with another And because the constant practice of so many godly servants of Christ by this is so highly reproached if it were not that Assertio nihil ponit in re taking in the restrictions foresaid we shall oppose unto it this contradictory conclusion It is no bloudy preaching but a Preaching according to the minde of Christ to sound all Truths in the eares of those who know not the God of Truth admitting all persons desiring to hear without disturbance to the Preaching of the Gospel The first Argument for clearing this

shall be Gods leaving the whole Scriptures to be perused by every man wherein all Truth is contained and Christs injoyning natural men to learch the Scriptures John 5.39 For knowing what sort of persons they were let the preceeding verses be consulted and in particular the 37 and 38. where Christ testifies of them they had neither seen the Fathers shape at any time nor heard his voice they had not his word abiding in them neither believed they him whom the Father had sent If it be laid upon them to search the Scriptures and no limitation laid upon their inquiry was it not as lawful for such as knew all the Scripture if any such there had been to explain all the Scriptures unto them We hope none will aver that Christ injoyns them to search what they might not labour to know And if it shall be said Christ refers them to such places as testifie of himself We Answer 1. The Law comprehending all Morall Duties was publickly taught the Prophets did publish their Prophecies to all sorts of persons The Words of our Saviour have no restriction Therefore there is no reason to make it narrower then the Author doth Ans 2. Though it were but onely to such as testified of Christ how much might offer it self to their view before they came to Passages testifying of him Ans 3. How many places in the Prophets and Psalmes do speak of Duties to be performed to him Which persons not knowing God are not able to perform and Comforts flowing out from him whereof persons not knowing God are not the Subject and yet testifying of him But we judge it needlesse further to insist in this We hope the Author will acknowledge it is a Popish principle he ownes not to restrain the vulgar people Converted or unconverted to peruse Scriptures in their native Language Secondly Christ himself did sound Truths in the cares of such as knew not the God of Truth which could not be made use of as to obedience before Regeneration Math. 19. from the 17. to the 22. Math. 23. Jesus spake to the multitude and his Disciples of humility rectifying of Oaths Judgement Mercy and Faith where we conceive faith 23. is not taken for Justifying Faith but for fidelity and uprightnesse in dealing In the 6. of Lukes Gospel from the 20. to the close of the Chapter our Saviour teaches many Duties which could not be performed but by such as knew the God of Truth and many comforts which none other had right to enjoy and that it was in the presence of many who knew not the God of Truth Beside that it is added immediatly after it is said in the 19. The whole multitude sought to touch him in the 20. immediatly thereafter He lift up his eyes on his disciples and said without mentioning any change of place The Woes denounced in the 24. 25. shew there were present persons rich full and laughing VVo unto you saith Christ that are rich c. With which consider what he teacheth Luke 11. from the 38.12 Chapter from the beginning to the 13. the whole 16. Chapter and the 18. from the beginning to the 35. Lastly Paul did reason before Felix and Drusilla of righteousnesse Temperance and Judgement Acts 24.25 and in his first Epistle to the Cor. c. 14.23 24. He puts it beyond all controversy it was the enstome of the Church to admit unbelievers to hear the members Prophecy and that this was by Paul himself approven We believe none will deny who delight not in a spirit of contradiction but it may be asked what advantage can redound to such as know not the God of Truth by hearing such Truths seing the things that are of God are foolishnesse to the naturall man 1 Cor. 2.14 Ans We know no truth serving for building up converted Christians but the Lord may make it instrumentall in Converting natures children who is free in his Working John 3.8 As for example in the hearing of a naturall man the Duty of Prayer is opened up in its nature Excellencie way of Performance and Fruits the Spirit working on his soul he is convinced of his comming short of such a way of performance of his folly in slighting so precious a Jewell and the hazard he may run if he continue in such a course whereupon his spirit is set on edge to search after the way how he may so performe it as it may be advantagious unto him The like may be said of Praise Righteousnesse Prace and joy in the Holy Ghost c. We believe if the Author will ask all of his own society if there be as much of God among them as is said to be and they begin to shew him how beneficiall the Lord hath been unto their soules it shall be found it was not alwayes Preaching of principles was the first mean making them look in to their own hearts and we shall wish all persons to take heed of limiting the holy One of Israel whose foolishnesse is wiser then the wisedom of men If it be Objected Christ spake unto the multitude in Parables c. Ans It was a judiciall act of Christs Prerogative Royall which we are no more to imitate then his sending for the Asses Colt to ride upon If Pauls practise mentioned 1 Cor. 3.1 2. be Objected it is answered in the limitations premitted SUBSECTION I. THe second particular we shall shortly glance at is It seems an aim in the discourse to magnifie Baptisme too much though it be an Ordinance of Christ a Precious Love token and a Seal of the Lords Covenant yet external Ordinances may be too much magnified when too much is attribute to them or they are too much heeded with neglect of the more precious inward Work as the Jews did the Temple Jer. 7.4 The Ack 1 Sam. 4.3 Now Moons and appointed Feasts Isaiah 1.14 And solemne fasting Isaiah 58.3 And though we shall not say it is the Authors purpose so to do we hope better things of him yet severall passages in the Discourse seem to carry along hazard of stumbling to the vveak in reference to this and therefore vve shall desire the perusers to consider first vvhileas it is called the first Ordinance commanded to be observed by Believers page 4. line 18. it is but the first in time vvith the limitations foresaid and not in dignity because vvithout it salvation may be and hath been and vvithout some other at no time any have been saved Secondly while-as it is said He that neglects it is vveary of God page 5. line 25. it is according to truth but as it is formerly explained Thirdly while-as it is said page 7. line 3. those that draw near to God in a way of worship are to have it as a preparation thereto confirmed by that Text Heb. 10.22 it holds not according to truth exclusively that is that none unbaptized may draw near to God in a way of worship acceptable to him It holds not with the rules of good Logick

Let us draw near to God with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience and our bodies washed with pure water Therefore all those that draw near to God c. must be washed with pure water We hope the Authors own expressions page 4. lines 10 11 and 12. c. wherein he grants the conversion of some may have been some five or ten years before taking up that Ordinance in which time there might have been many duties put in practice and some injoyment vvil evince That those duties accompanied with some injoyment had among them a drawing near to God in a way of worship acceptable to him without this preparation being confident he will not aver a converted Believer in the state of grace for ten years never drew near to God in a way of worship acceptable to him Though we acknowledge contemners cannot have accesse with boldnesse unto the Throne of grace Fourthly in viewing the spirituality of it though it be spirituall as all Ordinances of the New Testament and more spirituall then Circumcision as sealing the remission of sins by the blond of Christ already come in the flesh and a more plentifull effusion of the spirit for sprinkling the conscience from dead works yet let it be remembred Circumcision an Ordinance administrate to Infants under the Law did require a spirituall subject being administrate to none but the seed of Abraham and such as were Proselites of the Covenant it had a spirituall intent signifying the uncleannesse which men bring unto the world with them and the removall thereof by Christ the Seed of the Woman sealing the Covenant betwixt God and Abraham and his seed calling to minde the fulfilling their part of the Covenant all their life-time importing their profession of faith and avowed interest in the Messiah to come distinguishing them as a divine badge from the uncircumcised Gentiles aliens from the common-wealth of Israel and the most eminent in holinesse even Christ Jesus himself was circumcised And it was accompanied with spirituall fruits as all divine ordinances accompanied with special grace Deus natura nihil faciunt frustra As for the Administrator we conceive the Author makes him of too large extent and desire to see proof in the next turn that it is lavvfull for every spiritually gifted man able to edifie the Church to baptize And vvhereas it is said it vvashes avvay sin vve shall desire it may be remembred it is true but in a figurative and sacramentall sense And properly neither Baptisme nor any other Ordinance hath so high a vertue neither vvill the distinction of mediatly and immediatly serve the businesse vvhether mediatly or immediatly making it properly a vvasher avvay of sin a justifier or remover of guilt it derogates much from the merits of the immaculate Lamb by vvhose stripes Saints are healed the blood of Christ may be not the immediate means of bringing a sinner on his way in coming to lay hold upon him but Preaching Prayer or Baptisme may have their influence herein but the blood of Jesus Christ or his obedience signified in this synecdochicall expression is the onely immediate cause in its order of washing from sin take it in a similitude thus One cold in the Winter season stands trembling without doors not knowing of house or fire and to him comes another knowing of a warm house well furnisht with fire having a commission from the Master of the house and in his Masters name invites him to come in and warm himself whereupon he approaching intreats the Master of the house to suffer him to enter in and it being granted he comes to the fire and findes the refreshment of warmnesse The servants declaration and invitation his belief and supplication were causes in their order of his in-coming but only the fire with its heating faculty was the immediate cause of his warmnesse We should be glad to know not being able to reach it at present how Baptisme can wash away sin more then by signification and confirmation seeing justification consists in indiviauo and is not capable of more and lesse and it is necessarily required in the Authors judgment that al●●●e actually converted at least to charities judgement before Baptisme which without all controversie is alwayes accompanted with washing from sin SUBSECT II. THe third particular we take notice of is a twofold Assertion p. 10. line 1 and 16. that confession with the month is essentiall to salvation and without practick holinesse no man shall see God It were no great matter to prove confession of the mouth not to be essentiall to salvation either to children or persons having a faculty to confesse if we should scan the words according to the acceptation of Philosophers from whom they had their first rise as also to prove that holines which we maintain is in Infants is practick as practick habits are opposed to contemplative for grace is ever a practick habit but as we said at first not desiring to contest about words conceiving it clear the Authors meaning is in the one that without confession of the mouth salvation cannot be attained and in the other without holinesse exercising or going actually about duties no man shall see God to which purpose that Text of the Apostle James 2.17 is cited We shall shortly out of the many strong arguments of many learned men writing to this purpose propound to the Authors view but two at present to which if we shall find satisfaction in the next turn we shall be a degree nearer conviction then at present we are The first stands thus Those of whom the Kingdom of God is without confession and practick holinesse may see God and attain salvation without confession with the mouth and practick holinesse but of little children who neither can confesse with the mouth nor have practick holinesse in the Authors sense the Kingdom of God is Therefore without confession with the mouth or practick holinesse some may attain salvation and see God We believe none will deny the connexion of the first part of the Argument The second Proposition is in Math. 19. at the 14. of such is the Kingdom of heaven Luke 18. at the 16. of such is the kingdom of God We know by some it will be answered Little children is taken figuratively to which we say for reply Let all sober and impartiall spirits but consider first how the Disciples knew them to be of such a frame of spirit to wit that they were little children in humility seing God only is searcher of the hearts 2ly knowing why did they rebuke them which brought them upon this accompt Were they men of such a profane temper that they could endure none of humble spirits to come to Christ 3ly or if there were nothing to be seen in them but what was ordinarily seen in others why did they not aswel rebuke the great multitudes which followed him and were healed of him and the Pharisees which came