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	know_v	word_n	2,143	5	3.8658	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A42036	A most excellent and pathetical oration, or, Declamation of Gregory Nazianzen's stigmatizing, and condemning the Emperor Julian for his apostatising from the truth and containing, by way of history, the persecution of the Christians during his reign, the confutation of pagan abominations and the obscenity, as well as absurdity, both of the substance and ceremonies of their pretended religion, with respect unto its doctrine and the ... ceremonies approved of among the primitive Christians.	Gregory, of Nazianzus, Saint.	1662 (1662)	Wing G1879A; ESTC R293	69,488	210

ravish't with admiration 〈◊〉 mind not the incomprehensib●● height of God's Providence governing all things and ascribe litt●● or nothing to him in the all-wise di●posing and regulating of State● who whatever they imagine to th● contrary as sweetly as secretly ordains whatever he will hav● brought to pass in its due seaso● and the same for the better alway● though silly men sometimes mislike thereof and are not perhaps satisfied in their understanding wherefore he doth so No● this Divine Providence you mu●● know induced not this man 〈◊〉 do evil For God is not the Author of evil but of all goo● things sin proceeding never from him but from the party alone tha● makes choice thereof As for this wicked Impe of Satan I mean Julian he stayed no● his restless motion but readil● running to those Companies thi● were of his government and unto a part of the Marches of the Barbarians whereof rather by craft ●hen by open war he became Ma●ter approached the Imperial Court as instructed so to do say ●ome of his Party by Prognosti●ation and the advertisement of Devils who promis'd him an hap●y adventure and a change of ●hem that then governed the af●airs or according to the saying ●f those who know truth he the ●ooner advanced thereby to arrive ●t a day prefixt to effect horrible ●nd secret wickedness as hasting to ●e at the murder whereof himself was the author covering the con●piracy then by means of one of ●is Domesticks So that it was ●ot divining but knowing certain●y and the act it self a work of wickedness and not a benefit the Devils had granted him who by ●hat which fell out in Persia have ●ade the power they had well ap●ear of luckily conducting his af●airs Let them be quiet then who attribute to Devils his celeri●y or quick dispatchin that matter however we cannot deny but th●● the foul act of his consulting with d●vils was damnable Nevertheles● had not the disease of the Emperour prevented the incursion of th●● Tyrant and the secret war bee● stronger then the disclosed army the Villain had soon felt that 〈◊〉 hasted to his ruine and that before he was chastised by the astonishment he was put into by 〈◊〉 Persians he had carried the punishment of his deserts to the R●man Territory where he befo●● that had contrived his wicked conspiracy which was likely enough because as then he discovered no● himself although enclosed with th● army of the most valiant Emperor that he might have no way of escaping as it was easie to judge by that which happened afterwards there being but little expectatio● of cutting off the means of retreat to him that had already th● Empire in his hand But as th● Emperour marched vertuously against perfidiousness and impiety Good God what a mischeif do I 〈◊〉 make mention of he dyed 〈◊〉 the middest of the way repen●●●g himself to God and Men 〈◊〉 he had been so kind unto Julian 〈◊〉 as much as it was then 〈◊〉 for him to do shewed the af●●●tion he bore to the true Religion Years at present mixt with joy 〈◊〉 down my cheeks and as the 〈◊〉 and Floods strive together 〈◊〉 in their meeting mingle and ●●●uble one an other while I am ●●●covering what happened after 〈◊〉 the end and issue was pleasant 〈◊〉 agreeable to us as the begin●●ng had been sad and heavy not ●●ely in regard of the Christians 〈◊〉 their afflictions which pro●●eded either by the instinct of 〈◊〉 evil Spirit through the will of ●od who knows the cause there●● or it may be from our ar●●gance which had need of being ●●strained and purged but also 〈◊〉 the regret of that wicked soul 〈◊〉 of those carried together with 〈◊〉 to perdition There are some who bewail onely the last plagu● and torments they endure here below as having no respect at al● but to this present life and 〈◊〉 their mind regard not the futur● nor believe any chastisement sh●●● be imposed upon or recompe●●● done them for the things commi●ted by them in this world leadi●● the lives of beasts and mindi●● nothing but the present time onely placing their soveraign good in h●mane tranquillity and contrarily attributing misfortune and infelicity to adversity and to thing that happen crosse to their desires But as for my self I deplore mo●● the torments they shall receive i● the other world and the which 〈◊〉 surely though secretly prepare● for the wicked to say nothing 〈◊〉 that which is more grievous viz. to be deprived to be banished from the presence of God for evermore Alas what sore punishmen● will that be But how can I refrain bewailing of this miserable man how otherwise chuse but more lament ●●ose who of their own accord 〈◊〉 self-motion have retired them●●lves to his false worship then ●●ose that compelled thereunto by ●●rsecution And how can I hinder 〈◊〉 lamenting yet more him that ●●rried others then those who vo●●ntarily rendred themselves and 〈◊〉 part or sided with the wicked 〈◊〉 their profaneness Contrarily it 's a thing neither ●rievous nor irksome to Christians 〈◊〉 suffer for the Name of Christ ●ut a happy contentment not one●y in consideration of the heavenly ●●fe but also of the constancy and ●lory he hath made way for them to ●ttain unto here below among pe●ils Whereas to the followers of Ju●ian the evil that 's already befallen ●hem is beginning of future torments that are threatned and destined for them hereafter So that it had been much better they had been longer punished here then to be reserved to that high seat of justice in heaven But I will not in●● hereon further that I may 〈◊〉 the Law that forbids rejoycing 〈◊〉 the fall of an enemy when he 〈◊〉 cast down and that rather bei●● our selves in better condition 〈◊〉 should shew our compassion towards him in his greatest nece●sity I will resume therefore the chi●● scope of my discourse and spea● of him from whom proceeded 〈◊〉 unlimited a desire after vice 〈◊〉 immense a zeal to all manner 〈◊〉 wickedness How came it to pa●● that he ran so fast to mischief● from whence was that his enmity to Jesus Christ He entre● and entituled himself his Disciple he had the knowledge by conference touching many subtle discourses of truth proposed by himself and heard from others fin● precepts of saving health or eternal salvation And behold no sooner came he to be Emperour but he made open profession of Paganisme as if he had been ashamed of being formerly a Chri●●●an and for that reason would ●ischief the Christians because ●●mself had been a Christian in the ●●ginning But here was the ori●●nal of his audaciousness as they 〈◊〉 who boast of their being of his 〈◊〉 Counsel having washed 〈◊〉 ground with filthy and dete●●●able blood see into what foul ●●rms I am constrained to fall 〈◊〉 had a purpose to have establish●d abominable ceremonies in op●osition unto ours being himself ●according to the Proverb as the ●ow that wallows in the mire He ●rofaned his hands thinking

delights for the ●rder discipline of a more severe 〈◊〉 to follow Christ who though 〈◊〉 attaining to the grace of eloquent speaking true piety not consisting in Rhetorical straines and in the fruit of wisdome proceeding from the lips according to the opinion of one of your own Poets and being of little value yet most excellent they were notwithstanding in the sweet disposition of their souls in the sincere and exact government of their lives and actions to the Will of God But this man shutting his eyes to all this and aiming onely to please Devils which already many times justly overwhelmed him before he made any Ordinances for common affairs rush'● upon the Christians and althoug● he had two things which gave hi● trouble viz. the Galileans for 〈◊〉 he was pleased injuriously to ca●● us and the Persians who bearin● troubles patiently continuall● made war against him So it was he had a business came so near him that the Persian war seemed 〈◊〉 him but as a Play and Fable where of though he made no shew yet he was so transported with fury that every one took notice of him But this so prudent person so good a common-wealths-man considered not that in the first Persecutions there happened but a little confusion and trouble because our doctrine was not then spread among so many people the knowledge of the truth as then made manifest but to few that had need of more light but now that the Word of our Saviour is so far spread and so well establish'd among us to strive to pull it up and to shake Christianity it 's no other thing then to overthrow the Roman Empire to expose to all manner of danger and ●azzard the whole State of the Republick which is the worst that our greatest enemies can wish to us namely to see us receive these evils from our selves and by the means of this new and admirable Philosophy and Policy by which we become so happy and return to the first age and golden condition of the world that was without trouble without all kind of dissention or Warring one with another But they 'l tell me the People are gently governed Taxes remitted Magistrates worthily chosen Theeves punished and such like things with respect unto temporary felicities and make it good For it must needs be we should have our ears tingle with such manner of applauding him in his Government But the divisions neverthelesse and commotions of Towns and Countryes the destruction of families the quarrels of private houses the separation of married folks that were likely to follow such a mischief and as the truth is indeed have followed the same brought they any augmentation to his glory or commodity and benefit otherwise to the Common-wealth Who is he that is such a Partizan of Paganisme so void of common sense as to avow the same For even as in a mans body when a member or two are out of order the other cease not to do their office and to conserve the welfare of the rest that are in health and the greater number by means whereof even those that were ill affected ●ut of frame often come again to their naturall constitution but when too many parts are ill affected there 's scarce any remedy but ●hat the whole body becomes in danger to be overthrown So in ●tates and Republiques particular defects may sometimes be made ●p when at the same time it fares well with the generall but when ●he greater part is weak without doubt the General is in much haz●ard to be destroyed A case so obvious and trivial to every common understanding that the grossest enemies we have cannot possibly ●ut soon foresee the same especi●lly at this time that the Christians ●re so increased But the malice of this man hath ●o blinded his reason that hand over head he ceaseth not to molest ●ll manner of Christians little and great Yea so tainted he is with all kind of wilfull hatred against us not onely unworthy of a judiciou● Emperour but also of a far meane● man in understanding and place that as if with our Name h● could take from us the beleif whic● we repose in Christ he hath commanded our Name should b● changed and that we should be no longer called Christians yea 〈◊〉 make us ashamed as if thereby w● were accused of some great crime● he made a new edict touching th● same calling us therein and o●daining we should be called Galileans in stead of Christians she●ing indeed thereby that the name o● Christian is a glorious and honourable Title otherwise certainly 〈◊〉 would never have taken it from us and in lieu thereof given us a● other lesse famous and not of the like reputation Or whether fearing some vertue to lye hid under tha● Name which might cause those o● his Party tremble so oft as spoken in their hearing in like manner as those Devils in the Gospel are reported to have trembled at the name of Christ took away the occasion of their being so troubled by forbidding us to be called after that name As for us we desire not to change those names whereby he is called knowing nothing more ridiculous then those appellations of Phales Isiphales venerable Pan c. wherewith he takes a pride to be stiled being Names not onely infamous and shamelesse but such as upon consideration of the reasons wherefore at first they were taken up cannot otherwise then give offence unto modest ears that take notice thereof Neither envy we his title of Caball whereof he boasts so much in his follies or that other epethice of Hercules Kill-cowe c. worshiped as a God because in his Thirteenth labour he begot with Child in one night fifty daughters of Thyestes If endeavour to find out new names wherewith to reproach him for his fouler and more villanous actions we are not ignorant how to fit him with a great many more to the purpose then those whereby to vilifie us he hath invented against the Christians The History of his unworthy Acts is not so altogether unknown to us but that it 's an easie task thereout to furnish our selves with Names more then a good many whereunto to intitle him as due to his deserts though much unbeseeming the man he would be taken for being not content to be stiled by the Title of Emperour of the Romans onely but also would be called Emperour of the whole world For so he perswaded himself he should be before his death as being bewitched into such a beliefe by those Devils and Magicians that thereinto infatuated him As for our being call'd Galileans that are Ch●istians we are no whit ashamed thereof seeing Christ our blessed Redeemer was so called Yea further seeing he that is Lord Creatour and Governour of the Universe Son and Word of God the Father sitteth on the same Throne with him Mediatour and High Priest and for the love of us that despised and cast his Image in the dust as ignorant perhaps a great many of us

together with a foul company of other devouring Devils ran so fast to that pompous and magnificent Feast of the Aethiopians without reproach a jolly means to remove and take away Gluttony In like manner Hercules Kill-Cowe as he is sometimes styled who tormenting upon a time a poor Labourer devoured one of the Oxen of his Team And for that rare act of his got himself a Name or Title of renown and generally all those other Gods that make so much hast to be fed with the fumings and incensings and pourings out of all manner of Offerings made unto them in their Sacrifices These heathenish customes hatefull doings horrible abominations usually put in practice by those of your Party approach they any thing near think ye to that innocency that excellency that integrity of sound faith and good life whereunto we are exhorted and which we all that unfainedly desire not only to be thought but also to be indeed Christians are commanded in our Religion and Doctrine No such matter Besides we have other manner of light to lead us other Teachers namely Christ and his Apostles and Prophets c. to instruct us otherwise and to instill into our hearts obedience and reverence unto what enjoyned we are or upon whatever terms councelled and advised by them From whom we upon every occasion whatsoever too many of us God knowes either through weaknesse or at least willfulnesse have not the power or goodnesse to perform as becommeth their Disciples are nevertheless at all times lovingly invited in the words of our Saviour Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets Again it is with us a sin not only to commit an evil actually either in word or deed but also to do the same in thought as being liable thereby unto punishment before God who discerneth the secrets of the heart thought not so easie to be taken notice of by men who cannot see the same and consequently punish the offenders by that means Yea so exactly are we bound to carry our selves in point of Continency according to the Rules of Christ our Master that even the eye is by him forbidden us thereby onely to lust after any unlawfull thing In Point of Anger not only the bloody hand but also the bloody heart is restrained In case of swearing not onely that we swear not falsly but also that not lightly in like manner or not at all not at all that is in our common and ordinary discourse and talke or when as not legally called before a Magistrate thereby to attest the truth As for our goods of fortune as we usually call the wealth of this world to possesse them as if we possessed them not by not valuing them in comparison of our chief good reposed in heaven With respect whereunto some among us have taken little thought for possessing any some instead thereof have imbraced poverty and not a few having first renounced the voluptuousnesse of the belly and vice of gluttony a dangerous Mistrisse and Mother of many sins have after that so consumed the part Mortall by means of the immortal it may be said of a truth a man could not discern almost any flesh on them having acquired a law of vertuous living to themselves by not being carried away so much as unto smaller sins and whereof there is no account made that they are so Is it not an excellent thing thus whereas others punish onely acts outwardly committed against God or Man we the evil intentions of our hearts likewise and thereby endeavour at least to cut away not onely the branches but the root also to stay not onely the streams but to stop up also the head of that impure fountain from casting forth that noysomness which would quite poison us after through its more violent and dangerous defluxions Tell me in what place among you and what People they are that wish well to these that injure them Where is it I beseech you that your men do good to those that hurt them as if reproaches offended nothing but the truth Who are they on your Party that take it patiently when persecuted that upon with-holding from you your Cloak will render unto them your Coat also pray for those that curse you and in a word by a singular sweetnesse overcome evil with goodnesse endeavouring by innocently suffering wrong to make those that afflict you therewith better if it be possible But admit we should grant you that by your manner of endoctrinating your Disciples in time you might cause them thereby to cut off somewhat from their former excesse and superfluity of naughtinesse how could you for all that by your never so much instructing them in your Precepts make them or your selves attain unto that perfection whereunto our Religion aspireth Seeing we are not content with well doing only for the present but think ill of our selves if not make a dayly progresse further and further in godliness so long as we live in this world and also cause the same to appear evidently unto all that are acquainted with us If not endeavour with all our power to do thereafter we should be very sorry and fitly enough might be thought only to resemble Moles who are said to move continually and yet not to stir far from the same place or otherwise to appear unto those that look upon us like Horses in a Mill who by the force of a whip turn all day incessantly in the same room without advancing from where they began at the time when they were first set about their work in the morning For whatever mediocrity you suppose sufficient for those of your Party by the Laws of your heathenish Religion to consist in we hold it our duty to strive still and labour more and more to add vertue to vertue grace to grace one good work still to another as never thinking our selves perfect enough or to have done all that is commanded us while living in this world till at length our race being run out here we are brought unto the end of our journey unto that glory which is above and after shall be revealed unto us for which we were created at first and whether through Gods mercy we doubt not but we shall attain at last if by the operation of the Holy Ghost we fail not to set our mind and thoughts for recovering the same on the love of God the Father through a lively faith in his onely Son and our alone Saviour Jesus Christ who by the mighty working of his power whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself will without all peradventure change these vile bodies of ours and make them like unto his glorious body take off from us the corruption of our flesh and put on upon us the incorruption of his Spirit give us in exchange for this Bochin or vail of tears here the endlesse comfort and everlasting joyes of that heavenly Jerusalem which is above or that secure Haven after all our storms in this life of never failing happinesse in the life to come where we shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the Sun light on us nor any heat where there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying neither any more pain Where the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world shall feed us and cloth us and cherish us and lead us continually unto flowing waters of the Fountain of all felicity and content for evermore To whom with the Father and Holy Ghost three Persons and one ever living and wise God be all Glory and Honour and Dominion and Might and Majesty and Thanks-giving now at present and world without end Amen FINIS Esa 1. 2. In Orations and Speeches the Antients heretofore made to set forth sometimes the goodness of famous men by way of ●postrophe they spake unto them as if they had ●●en present and had sense and apprehension of ●●at they spake whereof they were yet doubtful ●appeareth here by our Author Gregory Nazian●●n and not contented thus to commune with ●●em they intreated them That if they had any 〈◊〉 as here or knowledge of things in this ●●rld to do so and so This was a kind of doubtful ●mpellation and solliciting of them if their state 〈◊〉 such as that they could take notice of these 〈◊〉 that then they would c. and no otherwise 〈◊〉 Dr. Fie●d of the Church lib. 3. cap. 20. Ps 50. 14. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God Joh. 1. 1. 1 Cor. 4. 9. Ps 66. 12. Ps 73. 3. Ex. 15. 1. Amos 5. 8 9. Luk. 1. 52. Ps 37. 17. Isa 49. 13. Rom. 8. 20,21,22 Isa 54. 1. Of the 10. Commandements Isa 1. 13. Pro. 29. 23. Psal 119. 67. Admit we grant this History to be true and that Satans flight at the sign of the Cross made by Iulian was inforced might not God for the confusion of the Apostate and for the glory of the cross which Iulian out of spight 〈◊〉 hate of Christ despised put that terrour into Satan 〈◊〉 the sign of the Crosse that he was affrighted there●ith I think the●es no Orthodox Christian who will 〈◊〉 but that God might do it for such an end and so 〈◊〉 suppose G. Nazianzen here with respect to this mira●●e of the Crosse may be understood 1 Kin. 19. 18. D●n 3. 18. Num. 21. 8. Janu● The Persians worshiped the Sun under the name of Mythra by offring up men as a sacrifice unto it Phil. 2. 7. 1 Pet. 2. 24. 1 Cor. 4 12. 1 Cor. 2 2. Mar. 5. 39. 40. 5. 44. Ps 73. 37. 2 King 18. 17. Ecles 3. 4 7 8. Mat. 7. 12. Rev. 7. 16.