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	spirit_n	true_a	2,352	5	4.6188	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A95897	The schismatick sifted. Or, The picture of Independents, freshly and fairly washt-over again. Wherein, the sectaries of these times (I mean, the principall seducers to that dangerous and subtile schisme of Independency) are with their own proper pensils, and self-mixed colours, most lively set forth to be a generation of notorious dissemblers and sly deceivers. Collected (for the most part) from undeniable testimonies under their own hands, in print; for the more fair and full satisfaction, and undeceiving of moderate and much misled Christians; especially by the outward appearance of their piety of life, and a pretence of their preaching sound-doctrine. / By John Vicars.	Vicars, John, 1579 or 80-1652.	1646 (1646)	Wing V326; Thomason E341_8; ESTC R200902	40,154	51

suffering-Saints and Martyrs they were insuffering so sorely for their tender-conscience sake This you shall see Apol. Nar. pag. 2 3 Where they tell you of their pitteous banishment forsooth But withall fairely confesse it was a spontaneous or voluntary banishment a banishment of their own choice and election both for Time Place and Company and I may add as easily undergone as undertaken for they went into the choicest and fattest parts of all beautifull Holland no way pincht in body or purse for as reverend Master Edwards notes in his learned Antapologie and at large most notably sets forth they were able some of them to spend two or three hundred pounds a year and to doe other expensive acts besides They went I say in their own time were fitted with all conveniences for themselves and their families had brave company with them Gentlefolke of none of the meanest rank and quality and yet These call themselves Gods poor Exiles or poor despicable banished creatures Which how fairly and fitly let any godly judicious Christian or even meer rationall creature which knows what Banishment is speake and judge by those forementioned premises And now tell mee good Reader whither these our Independents be such fair dealers and truth speakers as the world deems them and as the Spirit of God would have them to be according to the forementioned Characters of the true Saints and Citizens of the New Jeruselem Again In their foresaid Apologeticall Narration pag. 5 6 they have these very words For the Congregations in England where we were by the grace of Christ converted mark this and long exercised our Ministry both in our own and multitudes of the Assemblies and Parochiall-Congregations thereof mark again those words good Reader we make this sincere profession before God and all the world mark here again I beseech thee that notwithstanding all the defilements which we conceived to cleave to the true worship of God in them or of the unwarranted power in Church Government exercised therein yet we ever esteemed and held this opinion of them That they were the true Churches and Bodie of Christ and that the Ministers thereof were true Ministers much lesse did it ever enter into our hearts to judge them Antichristian yea wee always have protested that in these times pray marke these words well when the Churches of England were most actually over-spread with defilements and in the greatest danger thereof We both did and would hold a communion with them as the Churches of Christ and baptized our Children and administred the Lords Supper in their Parochiall Congregations and all this both before and since our returne from our foresaid exile Now then from all these premises see and consider seriously good Reader The Independents most unjust and injurious Separation from us even under their own hands testified and by such a deep and seeming-serious Protestation to God and the whole World protested against themselves wonderfull strange it is me thinks that truly holy and godly men should dare to deale thus in so sacred and serious things nay those premises touching our Churches or Congregations and Ministers being so granted by themselves how most ungodlily and ungroundedly doe they now and long time have forsaken our Assemblies as Antichristian and creep into corners shops and chambers and now adayes also some of their Schismaticall brethren are not ashamed most impiously and most unjustly to preach print and prate against us and our Assemblies directly under such notions even as if we were abominable Babylonians and Antichristians Now truly my Brethren if this be to deale ingenuously and to speake the truth from the heart as becomes the truly godly Saints and Citizens of the New-Jerusalem specified before to be Davids Character of a godly man let any impartiall Christian judge and determine Again In the same Apologeticall Narration pag. 24 25 Those five Apologists and Grandees of the Independent faction Yea those high-grown Sauls that are taller then any of their Presbyterian-Brethren by head and shoulders in parts and piety if we would believe the loud boasts of their Sycophanticall Proselites have these very words in that foresaid place evident to all that have eyes and understanding and wills to see and read the same viz. Wee call God and men to witnesse see how they here begin again with a deep asseveration that through the grace of Christ our spirits are and have been so remote from a spirit of faction division pride and singularity which are the usuall grounds of all Schismes that we have expressed our constant forbearance either to publish our opinions by preaching although wee had the pulpit free or to print any thing of our own or others for the vindication of our selves although the Presses also were more free than the pulpits Marke good Reader I beseech thee these their own words and yet consider how that most insolent and proud-spirited man Mr. Lilburn in his most flashy and foul-mouthed Letter to ever to be honored Mr. Prinne complains of the restraint of Printers-presses as a peece of their persecution forsooth pag. 2 of his said Letter or to act for our selves or for our way All these foresaid particular branches of their protested forbearance were indeed by them and the Presbyterian City Ministers mutually covenanted to be done on both sides but how faithfully religiously and conscienciously they have kept and observed the same yea notwithstanding their protesting before GOD and men neither to write preach dispute or any way to act for themselves or their Church-way and all this thus promised since their last returne into England from their fore-mentioned pretty piece of Banishment now we will see and discover I say how faithfully and fairly they have kept their word and engagement herein Although 't is most true that learned and religious Master Edwards hath in his elaborate Antapologie given his impartiall and unprejudiced Reader aboundant satisfaction touching these things and I might here multiply many testimonies from thence of our Independents self-condemnation touching the premises yet because I maynly endevour brevity in this little Treatise I will content my self with these few following most true and undeniable self-confutations extant there in Print under their owne hands namely that even not all these Apologists who have thus protested as yee have heard have not according to their so deep Protestation before God and Men forborn to Preach or Print any thing of their own in the behalf of their Church-way First then take Master Burroughs his self-conviction herein Who in his Sermons and Expositions on the three first Chapters of Hosea hath Preached and Printed severall things about and for their Church-way As for example In his first Lecture on Hosea the second at 1 2 p. 224 225. And the seventh Lecture Hos. 1 at 11 p. 173. And thirteenth Lecture on Hos. 2 15. Together with many other places in those his Lectures now extant in Print Secondly

as they say they preach as sound-doctrines as any of the best-Presbyterians doe Hereunto I answer first in generall That although I deny not but that oftentimes they preach sound-Doctrine yet they frequently intermix much of their own unsavoury and unfound leven of false-Opinions together with the sound-Doctrines which they deliver Witnesse That vehement pernicious yea even most damnable plea for a Toleration of all Opinions and Liberty of Conscience the high-way to ruinate and destroy all Religion and Conscience Together with their most ungodly inveighing against both in Pulpits and Presses that godly Church-Discipline which is regulated as neere as may be by Gods sacred Word and the pattern of the best and most purely Reformed Churches in Europe and only crying-up a most licentious unlimited and Independent-destructive Government of their own ungrounded invention Whereby by a cleere and undeniable necessary-Consequence they most undiscreetly yea irreligiously-endevour to overthrow and utterly I say to ruinate all sound-Doctrine and pure Truth it self For as it cannot be denied by any that the Word of God soundly preached and the Sacraments purely administred are Gods Field of Corn his precious Vineyard his Garden of fragrant Flowers and wholsome Herbs And as a wise Gardiner or provident Husbandman or Vine-dresser when he hath planted a Garden or Vineyard or sown a Corn-field presently takes care to build a wall or make a strong Fence or Hedge about the same to preserve them from hurtfull Beasts which otherwise would break-in destroy the Flowers or Grapes and root up and utterly spoyle the good Corn So although in the first place it must be most justly granted as I said before that sound-doctrines and the Sacraments rightly administred are the Garden of God and do contein the Body and substance of soul-saving-Soul-saving-Truth as being the Fountain and Foundation thereof yet it is as true that godly-order and Scripture-Discipline or Church-Government is the Hedge Wall or strong-Fence which God the most prudent and provident Gardiner or Husbandman of this his pretious Garden Vineyard or Field of Corn hath planted and built round about the same both to keep in safety and security the specious and pretious Flowers Herbs Corn and Grapes for the pious Professours of his Word and Truth to be nourisht cherisht and fed by them to eternall-life and thus to keep out the noysome and hurtfull wild-beasts and Boars of the Forrest I mean all sorts of tyrannizing Misbelievers Hereticks Papists and prophane Atheists and all crafty Foxes yea even the little-Foxes I mean Anabaptists Antinomians Independents Seekers and such like Libertines who otherwise all of them this Wall Hedge or Fence being pluckt up or taken away would soon run in ruinate and root up and destroy the pretious Corn fragrant Flowers and tender Grapes thereof even utterly overthrow the Fountain and Foundation of sound-Doctrine and put in poyson of Errours and blasphemous and most dangerous yea damnable Opinions and Heresies among them I say to the utter undoing and overthrow of the Foundation or Fountain even of sound-doctrine and Truth it selfe This I conceive is a most faithfull and undeniable Truth and though I know all sorts of Sectaries will carp snap and snarl at it shall therefore satisfie me and may also I think satisfie all other godly and moderate Christians who desire to be wise with sobriety But if it will not then to come to particulars and so more closely to the point in hand Is not to broach and preach that most wicked and accursed doctrine of Toleration of all Religions as I toucht before yea of all Heresies Errours Sects and Schismes under that slie subtile ungrounded and most ungodly pretext of Liberty of Conscience forsooth is not this I say a preaching of false-Doctrine Is not the broaching and preaching of the Scripture not to be the Word of God Of the performance of holy Duties and expression of godly sorrow for sin and penitent praying for forgivenesse of sin yea and the performance of all these with an honest humble self-denying and Christ-seeking broken-soul to be called or counted no better than casting dirt as it were into Gods face Are not all these my Brethren together with exceeding many more such like yea some far worse if it may be blasphemous and damnable Doctrines and enormous Opinions set forth at large by reverend Master Edwards in his Gangraena are not all these I say palpable Preaching and broaching of false-doctrines and if not all of them yet many of them preached by our so admired Independents and either few or none of all the rest are at any time preached against nay are they not countenanced and encouraged by them Wherefore if any shall still object and say That those forementioned dangerous Opinions and the rest related by Master Edwards are not the Opinions of the more solid and temperate Independents but are the Anabaptists Antinomians and such like I answer They are moderate and most seeming solid Independents which plead and Preach mightily for Toleration and Liberty of Conscience which most directly are the Inlets open sluces and wide-gaps for all the rest to rush and gush in amongst us And therefore distinguish them as you please and call them what you will hereof I am most confident That though our most moderate and supposed most discreet Independents may seem only in some things to differ and vary and in their Heads or Brains as I may say to be somwhat distant from some of the rest of the dangerous Sectaries yet are they all like Sampsons Foxes fast tyed by their Tayls with destructive Firebrands of Dissention Division and Confusion between them to destroy as much as in them is the good-corn of Gods-field by their most ungodly struglings studies plots and calumnies to ruinate the Wall and pluck-up the Hedge or safe Fence I mean as we all too sensibly feel at this day to hinder and oppose with all might and malice power and policy the Settlement of the godly Government and Scripturall-Discipline of our pious and peacefull Presbyterians And are these now the sound and orthodox men that are so highly commended and blazoned abroad for their sincerity and soundnesse in Doctrine Who thus dare so boldly yet craftily I confesse broach abroad such false Doctrines and thus preach and prate against Gods most pure and soul-saving Truths Certainly then am I mightily mistaken But now to come to the second or other main part of our own Presbyterian friends Common-plea for Independents the other cause of their great growth amongst us viz. their Holines of life which we have great ground and cause to feare and more than to feare is but pretended and in appearance which indeed is I say the main thing I here intend to insist on and principally to prove against them as I have promised and that under their own Hands by most undeniable testimonies And herein I shall first desire briefly to premise thus much by

Dogs Sorcerers Whoremongers Murtherers and Idolaters Now then I say if our Independents be found and that by testimonies under their own hands to be such as speak not the Truth from their hearts and when they have promised and covenanted break their promise and violate their Covenant witnessed I say by their owne hands against themselves yea and that when as it could be no prejudice to their livelihood or estates save only perhaps to their ungodly private ends And such as do That to others which they would not be content should be done to themselves Then can any truly-gracious or impartiall Good-man choose but at least greatly feare that they are not so holy-Saints godly men as they should be or as the World too vulgarly and easily takes them to be Truly me thinks they cannot Thus then now to come to the try all hereof And here I will by way of preamble tell the Reader one pretty passage not altogether impertinent to our present purpose touching Master Peters my-self which briefly was this I being occasionally about-half-ayeer since at Westminster-hall was there encountred by Master Peters that most Pragmaticall Quicquid in Buccam c. of whom I will only say this by the way That Whosoever loves to laugh at a Sermon which is Satans Musick let him go heare Master Peters preach This Gentleman seeing me singly walking in the Hall and being my old acquaintance came unto me together with his Independent Brother Master Bachiler who heard our conference all the while which was this O Master Vicars says Master Peters certainly a great deal of repentance must needs lye upon your soule Why Master Peters said I what 's the matter what have I done O sayes he in sadding and grieving the hearts of Gods Saints as you have done in your Book which you call the Picture of Independency Why Sir said I pray tell me what 's amiss in it Truly Master Vicars says hee 't is naught all over just like my self he might have added Naught all over Is it naught all over Master Peters said I then I hope you have read it all over and if so then I beseech you said I since you know Dolosus versatur in generalibus The Deceiver loves to deale in Generals shew so much candor and ingenuity toward me as to tell me one particular passage therein which you can make evident to be false or naught and I assure you said I I will yeeld you all the rest to be naught without any farther controversie whereunto here was all his reply Alas Master Vicars 't is naught all over naught all over which words he uttering in his old quick blustering manner instantly ran away swiftly from me All which his brother Bachiler can testifie if he will speake the truth to be most true who stood by and heard and saw all I have related from the first to the last And was not here thinke you a brave Independent Champion fit to finde fault with other mens Works and then run away when he should give account of his slanderous words But now to come to some more serious and sollid matter and fully to make good and confirme what I have promised and affirmed in the Frontispice of this Treatise namely That Independents I meane very many of the best and bravest of them are a Generation of notorious Dissemblers and sly Deceivers Most sorry I am the Lord knows that I can so truly indeed too truly say and assure these things against them but in regard of their so elated and selfe-flated conceit of themselves and others too-too high opinions of them and also the great injurie which Gods Cause receives thereby many ways Therefore for Sions sake I cannot hold my peace for Jerusalems sake I will not rest until the righteousnes thereof and the unquestionable innocency integrity of her Presbyterians go forth as Brightnesse And for this end to add my poor Mite of Zeal what in me is to help to vindicate Gods abused Churches honour against these her close and subtile enemies who have made their great and gross untruths as so many Satanicall stratagems and staulking horses to abuse and disgrace even the godliest partie of the most innocent Presbyterians by thus suggesting and protesting their palpable untruths to the more moderate indifferent and too credulous Presbyterians among us whereas themselves the Lord knows are the main if not onely offensive and destructiue-partie and all this onely to uphold for ought that can to this day be discerned to the contrary maintain and enlarge their too apparent spirituall-pride and selfe-aymes and ends which I conceive to be most vile and ungodly in them And because Master John Goodwin in his late supercilious and unsavorie Treatise Entituled Cretensis pag. 5. sayes That Master Edwards in his Sectarystinging Gangraena judges so and so onely of some few at least as hee would have it of those that are the Retrimentitious-Party or dregs of the Independents and other Sectaries to use his own words and expression as if sayes he a man should judge of Cheap-side by the dirtie-channel that runs in the midst of it I therefore here omitting purposely the most notorious jugling of M. J. G. himself most properly fitly termed Cretensis that is to say a lyer both by himself and by reverend M. Edwards in his second part of his excellent Gangraena and pretermitting also the most unworthy double-dealing of those two Grandees of the Independents Master Burroughs and Master Greenhill and these are none sure of Master Goodwins retrimentitious partie in their unfaithfull dealing with Master Edwards as hee hath most fully manifested to the world against all these three in his said second part of the Gangraena pag. 86 87 88 c. to omit these I say as being so fully set forth as aforesaid I will here in the first place shew to the godly and impartiall Reader diverse notable passages of some of the most eminent and highest prized Independents even of the five famous Apologists most cleerely setting forth and that under their own hands their most unfaithfull and deceitfull dealings with God and the world and with their Presbyterian-Brethren Which I have extracted and briefly culled-out from their so mightily magnified and broadly bosted of Apologeticall Narration attested and avouched under their own hands of purpose as they certainly conceived and wee have justly deemed to paint out their own Piety and unspotted Integrity to the World Whereas contrariwise they have thereby even with their own pensils blazoned abroad their own shame and most unfaithfull double-dealing First then I will begin with that poor delusive trick of theirs of their pretended falsely so called Exile or Banishment out of England which they themselves set forth In prima fronte libelli in the very front and face of their Apologie to make the world take notice of that first and fair piece of their Martyrdome and to believe what rare

Master Simpson another of these so deep Protesters as aforesaid In his Sermon called Reformations Preservation on Isaiah 4 5. And on Proverbs 8. 15 16. hath there many things for their Church-way and for a Toleration p. 25 26. 27. of those Sermons Thirdly also Master Bridge another of them in his Sermons Printed and published and entituled Babylons Downfall And that on Zech. 1 at 18 19 20 21. Together with many other to be seen in Master Edwards his most excellent Antapol afore-said But this Truth being thus confirmed under the hands of three such eminent proofs and testimonies I think it may give sufficient satisfaction herein Besides the very many other Books and Pamphlets Printed and reprinted for their Church-way since this Parl. began and since there Covenant made to the Contrary all which for brevities sake I say and to avoid tediousnes I willingly pretermit and will not so much as mention as indeed I need not they being so notoriously known or may be known abroad to all that know ought herein And as for their other kinds of acting by themselves and others in and for their Church-ways advantage and advancement I shall I say to avoid prolixity referre the Reader to the learned Antapologie p. 220 221 c. very worthy the reading for abundant cleer satisfaction in these premises Only I cannot forbeare to give thee one particular instance more hereof which may mee thinks be Instar omnium to shew to the World their faithlesse craft and subtilty yea and most palpable Double-Dealing with their single-hearted Presbyterian Brethren and thus according to my promise to let all men see that will not obstinately shut their eyes against such cleer and known truths what a godly-party and what holy-Saints these Independents are The thing in brief is this About the beginning of the second yeer of the sitting of the Parliament The Presbyterian Pastors in London and the Independents met together at reverend and religious Master Calamies House in Aldermanbury where with mutuall consent they all entred into an engagement one party to the other That for advancing of the publike Cause of a happy Reformation neyther side should Preach Print or Dispute or otherwise act against others way And this to continue til both sides in a full meeting did declare the contrary and by mutuall consent set each other at liberty touching these things And for the confirmation of this agreement a Writing or Instrument was drawn with full and cleer desire and assent of all and also by all there and then present it was subscribed with every mans name And this so done was with a generall consent to be left and so to abide with Master Calamy at his House there to be seen at any time by any of them that would have recourse unto it to shew and see their agreement all which was accordingly done and this Writing or Instrument was left in Master Calamies custody Heere now let me hint this to the Reader by the way That notwithstanding this Writing or Instrument of this their so solemne agreement no nor their own fore-mentioned Protestation of their own voluntary forbearance so deeply but deceitfully professed and protested in their Apologie to be so sacred unto them to be kept so strictly by them with such deep silence for these are their very words All these I say notwithstanding they in the interim immediatly after went on in a too evident cōtrary practice as hath bin before sufficiently declared and all these their Protestations proved the most advantageous Piece of Policy on their side of any one that was or could be done by them for the increasing of a Party for them Just like the Declarations set forth by King CHARLES by means of the crafty Bishops in their late flourishing and domineering times that their should be no Disputes no Preaching or Printing on either side for or against the Arminian-points which then were in great controversie Which Declarations and Inhibitions being observed by many Ministers but not so by the Arminian-faction was a mighty means to increase them and to suppresse Orthodox-Doctrines Even so I say it fell out heer for by this means of the Agreement nothing was Preached or Printed or any way acted against their way according to the foresaid agreement to hinder the growth of Independents on our side Ours making conscience most honestly and tenderly of their engagement But in the mean time I say many things were both Preached and Printed for it as I have touched before which if it were not apparent unfaithfulnesse and plain Double-dealing I know not what is But now to come to this notable trick of theirs acted by Master Philip Nye that notable Independent-Politician and nimble-Agent for their Schismaticall Church-way which was this The fore-mentioned Writing or Instrument of the mutuall Agreement between the Presbyterian and Independent parties being as aforesaid left in the hands of reverend Master Calamy by him to be kept and shewn and seen as occasion was offered It so fell out that Master Nye came one day to Master Calamy and pretended some reasons for his desire to see and borrow this Writing of him for a little while whereupon good Master Calamie in his courtesie and singlenesse of heart suspecting nothing amisse but thinking he meant fairly and would bring it again presently as he had promised let him have it But he after he had it carried it away with him into Yorkeshire that so upon any complaints of the breach of the agreement when ours should have consulted with that writing or shewn it against them and brought their own hands subscribed thereunto the Writing was gone and nothing now to shew against them As for conscience they as it seem'd car'd not a rush for it no marvell then that they so cry out and plead for Liberty of conscience for this Master Nye hath ever since kept away this Writing and having been often intreated to restore it his answer still hath been that hee left it at Hull among his other papers This Truth is also fully related by reverend and faithfull Master Edwards in his learned and most excellent Independent frighting Antapologie and is backt also by the unquestionable testimony of our most grave and godly Assembly of Divines in their most excellent Answer to the seven Independents most false and scandalous Remonstrance lately printed and published by the Independents for the honour forsooth of those seven Authours thereof but which in the issue turned to their most just eternall indelible dishonour And are not these then my deare Presbyterian friends most soule blots and blemishes in so godly apartie so gracious and holy Saints so cryed-up rare Christians as Independents are now a dayes hugely boasted to be Doe these their practises in word and deed answer to the Characters of Davids holy Citizens of the New-Jerusalem To speake the truth from their hearts and to keepe their promise though to their prejudice Or are they like

Scripture Revelation of some rare Truth of God not formerly known but a meere conceit yea a plain deceit ô then presently I say our Independents call and count us as my selfe heard Master Burroughs deliver such an expression in one of his Lectures at Michaels in Corn-hill Carnall and prophane Presbyterians Grievers and despisers of the Saints and Godly party forsooth and contemners of the gifts of the Spirit whereas indeed there is no such thing in them but they most palpable and impudent impostors And thus the Lord knows they goe about deceiving and being deceived and truly Hinc illae lachrima Heer 's the source the rice and originall of all these unhappie and unholy jars and divisions between us They are so nimble and quick-sighted in apprehension of New-Lights and we are so dull and obtuse if they will have it so and hard of belief to be led or rather misled by them as not being able to discerne so much out of Gods Word Till when we shall ever question and quarrell at this novell and vain device of theirs But again our Independents have one trick more at least to put us Object 2 finely off from our just objurgations with them and accusations of them concerning their most dangerous and damnable errours now adayes broacht by them and brag'd of among them viz. That wee are too uncharitable in thus upbraiding the Saints with their infirmities forsooth yea and as I touch'd before in laying the failings and slips of onely the Retrimentitious Partie as Master Iohn Goodwin terms them as before that is in plain English the excrements or dregs of Sectaries Independents Anabaptists and such like Where first Answer 2 take notice good Reader by way of reply hereunto in generall that Master Iohn Goodwin confesses there is a Retrimentitious or Excrementall-Partie among his Saints Secondly That he calls and counts their dangerous damnable and blasphemous Errours with the rest of their foul impieties but sins of infirmity But more particularly to the first I briefly answer That as I have sufficiently made it clear all along in this Treatise they are not onely the Retrimentitious-Partie of their Independent Saints that deale thus dangerously and deceitfully with us but the very best and bravest yea seemingly gravest Grandees of them all Secondly Is not Master Iohn Goodwin or any of the rest of them ashamed to call such abusive and abominable Errours and such foul and frequent facts of impiety as they are too justly taxed with and found guilty of Sins onely of infirmity Can he or they make us beleeve that they know not how to distinguish between Sins of weaknesse or infirmity and Reigning-sins Church-disgracing and conscience-wounding abominations For my part I conceive under correction sins of infirmity are such as are committed either ignorantly or if knowingly yet fearfully and with much reluctation of spirit seldom and that with much vehement repentance and godly sorrow after conviction with purpose and bent of heart by Gods grace to be more watch full against them for the future and such like As for Reigning-sins I conceive them to be sins committed or acted knowingly affectedly promeditately resolutely constantly or frequently and familiarly against all evidences of conviction or exhortation against them yea and so far from repentance for them as to justifie them and rejoyce and boast in them together with such like other sad symptomes thereof Now whether very many of our profest Independents embrace or act their dangerous Errours lying double dealing and the like as aforesaid in the former or in the latter capacity or condition as sins of weaknesse or of wilfulnesse and affected obstinacy I leave themselves to judge and faithfully to examine their own hearts and consciences for to their own Master they stand or fall And to all others also who impartially observe and take notice of their carriage and conversation especially upon serious consideration of those Characters of a true Saint which I have faithfully fore-mentioned to them all that I will for my part say herein is to tell you my strong fears that in regard of the premises I cannot but greatly suspect and doubt in the latter capacity I say very many of them so proud so pragmaticall so insolent and obstinate are they in a most ungrounded defence of their evils and errours And on these grounds I must confesse I cannot judge more tenderly of them And again I say in yet more full answer to this Objection How dare any of them call or account any the seeming least of their Errours small-sins or no-sins being against the eternall truth of our most pure Object 3 and holy God And whereas in the last place they cry out against us and tax us not onely of want of charity but asperse us with plain impiety for urging against them and accusing them openly or inprint of their foul offences and openly taught and maintained dangerous Errours Schismes and Enormities and of their damnable Doctrines and Opinions I say and will avouch and maintain it That our work and way herein is both holy honest and warrantable from the word it self And particularly from that of the Apostle Paul Who Answ 3 himselfe tels us that When Peter who at that time seemed a Pillar of Gods house the Church did that which was worthy of blame and that openly to the prejudice and so and all of Gods people and Cause This blessed Apostle I say tels us That he withstood Peter and rebuked him even to his face for his dissimulation and for being a means thereby to ensnare Barnabas also into the same foule fault with him Even the very same whereof I now here complain in our Independents and their Schismaticall brethren namely Dissimulation or Double-dealing Yea and as the same blessed wise and holy Apostle said They are most worthy to be even most sharply rebuked and also openly in regard they have offended and dissembled so openly even in print therefore are I say to be reproved in paint whereas indeed had they offended but in private God forbid but we should tenderly have dealt in private with them And this indeed hath been a main ground of the quarrell between reverend Master Edwards and his Independent Antagonists who have most injuriously abused him with slanders onely or mainly for his zealous opposing and sharpe reproving the open Errours Schismes and scandalous miscarriages of these men who can be content to dishonour God and his Truth but cannot endure to be taxt and told of it though the Apostle tels them they are worthy to be blamed for it and therefore in this respect though according to that old Axiome Amicus Socrates amicus Plato magic tamen amica veritas though such an one is my friend and such an one is my old acquaintance and friend yet by Gods grace Truth is and shall be my best friend yea and I say as my blessed Lord and Master Christ Jesus said To this end was