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	holy_a	scripture_n	2,400	5	5.5262	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08206	The plea of the innocent wherein is auerred; that the ministers & people falslie termed puritanes, are iniuriouslie slaundered for enemies or troublers of the state. Published for the common good of the Church and common wealth of this realme of England as a countermure against all sycophantising papsts, statising priestes, neutralising atheistes, and satanising scorners of all godlinesse, trueth and honestie. Written: by Iosias Nichols, a faithfull minister of the Ghospell of Christ: and an humble seruant, of the English Church.	Nichols, Josias, 1555?-1639.	1602 (1602)	STC 18541; ESTC S101326	105,186	267

in danger by this meanes For vvhen the people be so ignorant may not euerie Seminarie entise them as they list and if euer the Papist shoulde set one foote their longed hope Alas hovv coulde the state trust them that vere ignorant that no conscience nor honestie could mooue them but rather the bellie and that part that would vse them best and vvere most liklie to preuaile Where as the Protestant that hath knowledge of his dutie and faith in Christ he stands immoueable thogh all the world would forsake his Prince yet vvould he neuer A mirrour of this had you in Queene Maries daies vvhen the learned Protestante knowing his dutie did patiently and constantly suffer for the truth but the ignorant multitude were quickly turned from God Furthermore the vviser sort of Papists and Atheistes vvhen they see that vve speake against the hedge-Priestes of Poperie and the pride idlenesse and pleasure of their greate and glorious Prelates and that we our selues fall into the same scandall doe they not despise vs and count vs at the least as bad as they yea and verie hypocrites and time-seruers taking the ministrie vpon vs for vvealth and pleasure and not for the feare of God or the loue of his people And so their hartes are hardened and they fall away more more vvhereby the Queene is robbed of her faithfull subiectes and the strength of her estate is effeebled Whereas if vve could be content vvith a measure and that euerie Parish had a godly learned teacher vvee should see a merueilous encrease of good Christian people and an inuincible power of the great King of heauen among vs. Subscription a bar against good preacher● and so hurteth the common wealth Then commeuh in subscription and doth as much harme an other way namelie it maketh a barre against manie good and painfull learned Ministers and some it thrustes out And so for vvant of good lightes much people of this lande vvalke in darknes vnto this hower Little doe men think vvhat domage this is to the common wealth For let the neutrall Politician saye vvhat they vvill this I dare aduenture vpon my ●●fe to auoutch that if the vvhole people of this land vve●e in euerie Parish furnished vvith learned and godly teachers the power of the Queene which cōsisteth in the multitud of faithfull people vvould haue bene augmented by vere manie degrees and the enemies exceeding much abated euen in the eyes and knowledge of all men For if the Southern partes of the Realme and the cittie of London bee compared to the other partes where they haue had little or no teaching men shall easilie discerne that which I say to bee true namely if they weigh well the number of Papistes and Recusantes and the manifold dotages of the common people in such places where the godly Preacher hath not continued Therefore in regarde of my loue to my most gratious Soueraigne and natiue countrie I can not passe this ouer so slightly The subscription being vrged and the ceremonies they cause an honest godly painfull Preacher to bee suspended imprisoned and depriued What then The multitude reuerencing as it is meet their superiours presently iudge the godly Preacher to be a naughtie man Againe when they looke vppon the simplicitie of the vnpreaching Minister and the pride and coueteousnes of the non-resident what followeth They esteeme of no Ministers at all they stumble and fall and continue verie Atheistes readie to bee caried awaye after euerye deceauer which maketh a shew of godlines and to be drawne away by these pestilent Seminaries and wicked Priests and I esuites from their allegeance Whereas if the one of these were reformed after the rule of holy Scripture and the other Subscription being taken away c. had the fauour that their labours doe deserue you shoulde see an other maner of working namelie that reuerence to the Ghospell and loue to the Magistrate that no deceauer coulde possible enter into them The fruite of preaching before Subscription was last vrged Some fiue yeares to gether before that vnhappie time that Subscription was so generallye offered vvhich is nowe some 18. yeares past there was such vnitie betweene the Ministers and they ioyned in all places so louingly and diligentlie in laboure that not onely did the vnpreaching Minister and non-resident quake prepare them selues in measure to take paines in the Church but also many thousandes were conuerted from Atheisme poperie and became notable Christians And I am perswaded that the fruite of that time will be able thorow Gods blessing when so euer the Queene shall haue need which I pray God may neuer bee to Maister and calme all the storming Papistes and traitoures what soeuer But when Subscription came abroad how did it shake the heauens darken the skies O Lord mine hart trembleth to think vpon it how manie godly and worthie learned Preachers were silenced depriued and greatly disgraced Howe were the holy Ministers diuided and distracted Howe were the Christian subiectes grieued and offended and the Papistes and wicked men encouraged and emboldened What a dampe brought it to all godlines religion since that time what horrible wickednesse whoordome drunkenesse and al shameles filthienes and what grieuous plagues of God one succeeding an other haue followed eueriegood Christian subiect must needs see lament And the laste degree of these euills shewed it self about the time of the last Parliament so farre and apparant as I thinke manie of the reuerende Fathers were not a little touched with the grief thereof as their zealous preaching did most plainly testifie to the no small reioysing of many good gentilmen and others whoe louing her Maiesties honoure and present gouernement did blesse them in their heartes and with their mouthes praysed God for their zeale and faithfull dealing Now what will follow all this when God hath so long called vnto vs and admonished vs of these three capitall enemies beside all other our sinnes and we still remaine in them and maintaine them and make so little regarde of his faithfull seruantes they which knowe the holie Scriptures may easilye iudge I will saye no more but the Lorde bee mercifull vnto vs and keep farre away his deserued wrath displeasure from vs. 3 Now heere me thinketh I see the scorning Atheist to laugh in his sleeue thinking that all men are fooles but him selfe Atheistes doe thinke them selues the only wise men And some beginne to say that the wiser and greater sort of men make no account of religion but think baselie of it namelie that it serueth but to keepe the simple people in awe Some cause I must confesse they haue this their stumbling when they see the better sort of Christians so diuided But yet by this verye thinge they confute them selues and shewe their naked shame by proouing and fulfilling in th●mselues the truth of holy Scripture First they shew the want of faith according to the saying of Christ saying When the Sonne

synagogue of Rome wherein we haue established an order of Ecclesiasticall ministrie and of liturgie and a confession of faith in articles as neere as wee could for the time to the Canon of holy Scripture Which thing is confirmed and ratified by lawes and actes of Parliament Anno 1 and 13 of the Queene Ordered executed expounded explained and defended by iniunctions Canons and apologeticall writinges Wherein and whereby we haue iustlie separated our selues from the erring sea of Rome because they are fallen from the true faith and doctrine of the primitiue Church as it was taught and planted by Christ and his Apostles according to the Scriptures of the old new Testament And we are vnited into the fellowship of the true Church of God whereof Christ onlie is the head and his word and holy writings the only law Canon and rule Now concerning all these things The Minister and people desiring reformation be louers of the Ecclesiasticall state the Ministers and people which desire reformation doe glorifie God on our behalfe And with all godly quietnes are glade to enioye the benefit and comfort of these things and labour to make the most profit to their soules they can by the vse of the same desiring and labouring onlie for the perfection thereof namelie that such remnants of poperie that remaine thogh in comparison of the other they be not so great altogether might also be abolished The Ministers they doe enioy and execute their ministrie according to the order heereof they accept and acknowledge no other faith and doctrine and vse in their ministrie no other liturgie And that which they doe in requiring reformation in some things is not opposite to any of these things in generall but only tendeth to the further building vp beautifying of our Ecclesiasticall state in particular According to that which is saith let vs follow the truth in loue Ephes 4 15. and in all things grow vp into him which is the head that is Christ In tymes of reformation especiallie when ignorance apostasie and superstition hath raigned so many hundred yeares It is hard to reforme all thinges at the first it is harde and rare that euerie thing shoulde be reformed at the first instant and he that commendeth that which is well done at the first wisheth that men shoulde goe forwarde to doe more more in like sort is he an enemie to the first doeings or a friende Doubtlesse an vpright man voide of a cauilling minde will say he is a friend When the inhabitantes of Iudah and Hierusalem Ezra 3● first came out of Babylon in the first yeare of Cyria King of Persia built the Altar of God for burnt offeringes they were in state of saluation being entred againe into the couenant of God yet are not they to be called enemies to the state which in the second yeare after laid the foundation of the Temple And in the verie laying of the foundations whereas many shouted for ioy many of the Priests Leuites and the chiefe Fathers auncient men which had seene the first house when the foundation of this house was laid before their eies wept with a loud voice no doubt because it appeared not vnto them so glorious as the other shall they therefore bee reputed enemies to this last house Cap. 47.24 because they desire it were better Which being hindred in the time of Artabshaste by malicious men vntill the second yeare of Darius King of Persia Cap. 3● at which time Zachariah the Prophet and Haggai called vpon the people and encouraged them to goe forwarde in the building of the Temple and after Ezrah came and taught them the lawe yea euen the Priestes Cap. 7. 9. and caused them to put a way their strange wiues shall wee say that these latter comming manie yeares after were enemies to the state because they endeuoured to bring them to further perfection according to Gods word Lastlie Nehemiah Nehem. 1. and 2. and 3. when they had the Temple and as it should seeme the full and whole worshippe of God yet is he not content but mourned when he hard that the walles of Hierusalem the gates thereof were not built Although he came after and went a bout a thing not done before not onlie in building the wales of Hierusalem but also in taking order for the carefull obseruation of the Sabbath and diuers other things yet is he not called a Puritane which was not content when things were well but his storie is commended to the Church and his example to be imitated of the people of God according to euerie mans calling and place throughout all ages And if wee with the Prophet Haggai doe reprooue the people which say Hag. 1.2.3 The time is not yet come that the Lords house should be builded are we by and by enemies and troublers of the state God forbid If we subscribe that the preaching of the pure word of God is a mark of the true Church of God here vpon desire that all things in the Church euen all our actions should be squared according to the same pure word and nothing left contrarie to the same are we by and by enemies If we be sworne to her Maiesties most lawful supremacie ouer all persons and espie in our Church a Lordelie prelacie a thing brought into the Church by humane inuention by meanes whereof it is apparant that the Pope of Rome hath climed aboue all estates both Ecclesiasticall and ciuill so the Crowne and royall dignitie of this Realme hath in time past bene in bondage to a forraine Potentate euen a proud and vsurping Prelate If now our desire extende it selfe so farre that our Lordlie dignities and power of our Bishoppes might be examined by holy Scripture and brought back a degree or twaine neerer to the Apostolicall practise and Christs institution that so all occasions might be cut of hereafter that this climing vsurpation might neuer take holde vpon England any more are we troublers of the state I protest vnto you before God it hath bene a griefe vnto me when in a simple mind I haue according to the Queenes iniunctions preached and declared the right of her Maiesties authoritie and against the vsurped presumption of the Pope of Rome vsing verilie such arguments as the Apologeticall writings of our learned men haue done agreeing to holie Scriptures I haue bene reprooued as preaching against law and against the reuerend Fathers and Bishopes of our Church Surely if I were an Archbishop or a Lord Bishop I would cast my selfe downe at her Maiesties feet and craue humblie begge of her Highnes that by her Christian wisedome and godlie moderation some meane-way might be foūd profitable for the Church that might in no manner hinder the free course of the preaching of her Maiesties most lawfull authoritie neither euer hereafter leaue such a power in the Ecclesiasticall state as might bee made preiudiciall to the royall preheminēce

of man commeth shall hee finde faith vpon the earth Luc. 18.8 Which doth argue the great encrease of Atheistes in these last daies And Saint Peter foretelling of such mockers they doe fulfill his wordes by their so deriding of religion 2. Pet. 3. And when they leaue the hearing of godlie sermons and take vnto them skilfull Philosophers and wife Naturalistes doe not they fulfill the Scripture which saieth The time will com when they will not suffer wholsome doctrine but hauing their eares itching 2. Tim. 4.3 shall after their owne lustes get them an heape of teachers and shall turne their eares from truth begiuen to fables Because they are Atheists 2. Thes 2.10 and God hath giuen them ouer to a reprobate mind for not beleeuing a manifest truth that by beleeuing lies they might fulfill the Scriptures and bee damned Therefore they care not and doe not vnderstand that God hath foreshewed all these things shoulde so come to passe They perceaue not that God hath decreed for mens punishment Gen. 3.13 continuall warre betweene wicked good men betweene Christ and Sathan They can not see that by the comming of Christ and preaching of his Ghospell God hath perswaded Iapheth to come into the tentes of Sem. Gen. 9.27 That is the Gentills are ingrafted into the Church of God among the Iewes They cannot consider that this teligion which wee now professe in Englande is the same that God preached and taught Abraham Gen. 12.2 with Gal. 3.8 and that the power of his worde vnto Abraham hath effected that no tract of time no inundation or change of states coulde ouerthrow that religion And that when Christ and his Apostles at the time by God appointed did incounter with the Prince of this world then was fulfiled the Scriptures which say Esai 45.25 Euerie knee shall bow to me and euerie tongue shall sweare by me Confounded bee they that worshippe grauen images c. Psal 97.7 Then all religions in the world which were nothing but Atheisme though they fought againt God and his Christ killed his seruants were crusht with the iron Scepter of his word Psal 2. and broken in peeces like a potters vessell and all the Monarches of the world fledde before him Dan. 2.35.44 and vanished as the sommer flowers And they marke not that the same which the Scripture hath told vs of Antichrist to be reueiled 2. Thes 2. and of the Apostasie of the whole world and of the manifold false Prophets and deceauers Mat. 24. is nowe truely come to passe Lastly they doe not regarde that the uertue of the same worde in these last daies hath preuailed aboue all reason against the Emperour and Pope and that by the simple preaching thereof that it is so mightie 2. Pet. 1.24.25 that it changeth the nature of a man to bee an other then hee was before namelie to turne from dumme idoles to serue the liuing God 1. Thes 1.1 And this I dare prouounce in the behalfe of Gods word preached that if the Atheist woulde heare but such a meane preacher as I am diligently and attētiuely but one half yeare he should find the power of the mightie King to pearce his heart and to make him to tremble like to Felix and Agrippa And though he beleeue not yet should he wonder as Simon Magus These and a great manie things more the Atheist not seeing nor considering hee stumbleth at the stumbling stone Esai 28.16 with ca. ● 14 And so to my comfort and soules health he proueth Gods word to be true the name of the most high and euerlasting God bee blessed and magnified for euer Cap. 11. Wherein is discried that neither the reuerende Fathers and learned Prelats standing for conformitie neither the godly Ministers desiring reformation are the onely or proper causes of these troublesome dissentions euils following the same but there are some other things more speciallie to be looked into which may and ought to induce both parties vnto peace and to ioyne louingly in the building of Gods house and that all English people humbling them selues by prayer vnto God doe carefullie conforme them selues to the Ghospell of Christ AS a dogge runneth too the stone which is cast at him or leapeth at the arrowe which is shot on high The people reregard not their punishmentes and hath no wit to marke from whence it commeth So the most part of the people doe behold the troubles of our church as if it pertayneth not to them and make it as a stage-playe and common talke delighting in the rehersing the faultes of the ministrie and being void of that discretion which pertaineth to good and wise Christians they doe not knowe nor regard that the smiting of the sheepheards is the scattering of the sheepe Zach. 13.7 Heb. 13.17 and the more domage that befalleth to the ministrie the greater is the losse punishment of the people And as a druncken man perceaueth not when hee is stricken Prou. 23.35 and hee that sleepeth in darknesse 1. Thes 5.3.4 thinketh not that the theefe stealeth vppon him Eph. 4.18.19 so men by ignorance and custome of sinne are made past feeling that they doe not consider when God by his plagues punishmentes calleth them to repentance Therefore God complaineth of his people Esai 9.13 that they turne not to him that smiteth neither doe they seeke the Lord of hostes Little doe any thinke or waigh with them selues Rom. 10 2. Cor. 3. that the Ministers preaching the Ghospell are the meanes ordained of God to bring men to saluation hauing the ministrie of the spirit of righteousnes Math. 5. 1. Cor. 4.1 therfore they are called the light of the world the stewards of Gods secrets the Ambassadors of Christ to whome is committd the ministrie of reconciliation betweene God man 2. Cor. 5. cap. 2.15 and so they are the sweet sauour of life vnto them which shall be saued If then their mouthes bee stopped their light ouer-cast and by troublous contention the free and prosperous course of their laboures hindred diminished or cut of is not all this the greate hurt and spirituall plague of the people who leese so great and so proper meanes which God hath ordained for mans saluation If God shutt the heauens that there be no raine men can quickly espie that there is a plague So is it great pittie that men see not that in regard of our soules the ministrie is as necessarie as the raine and therefore when the same is hindered or taken away it is a verie great and damnable punishment In so much as the holy spirit of God calleth it by the name of a famine And when the Ministers doe not teach the people Amos. 8.11 it is also said The people perish for lack of knowledge Hoshea 4.6 And if it might be truly said that the children of Israell committe a