Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	age_n	church_n	time_n	2,142	5	3.6322	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93642	Groanes for liberty· Presented from the Presbyterian (formerly non-conforming) brethren, reputed the ablest and most learned among them, in some treatises called Smectymnuus, to the high and Honorable Court of Parliament in the yeare 1641, by reason of the prelates tyranny. Now awakened and presented to themselves in the behalf of their now non-conforming brethren. With a beam of light, discovering a way to peace. Also some quæres for the better understanding of Mr Edwards last book called Gangræna. With a parallel betweene the prelacy and presbytery. / By Iohn Saltmarsh preacher of the Gospel.	Saltmarsh, John, d. 1647.; Smectymnuus.	1646 (1646)	Wing S489; Thomason E327_20; ESTC R200661	20,628	47

were once your task-masters What Ioseph said in his affliction wee shall say to you Think on us I pray you when it shall be well with you and shew kindnesse for it may be as Mordecai said yee are come to the Kingdom for such a time as this if not enlargement and deliverance shall arise from another place IOHN SALTMARSH GROANES FOR LIBERTY 1 Divisions ought to be no prejudice to the Truth BVt he upbraids us with our Divisions and Subdivisions and so doe the Papists upbraid the Protestants with their Lutheranisme Calvinisme and Zuinglianisme and this is that the Heathens objected to the Christians their fractures were so many they knew not which Religion to chuse if they should turne Christians And can it be expected that the Church in any age should be free from Divisions when the times of the Apostles were not free and the Apostle tels us it must needs be that there be Divisions In Greg. Nazian. his dayes there were six hundred errours in the Church doe these any wayes derogate from the Truth and worth of Christian Religion Quaere 1 Whether are not Divisions and Subdivisions objected now to all that are dissenting Brethren from the present way of Church-government and whether are Divisions any more scandall to Religion now then before 2 Whether is Independency Anabaptism Brownism Seekers of more evill report now then Lutheranism Calvinism Zuinglianism formerly 3 Whether is an hundred and eighty opinions as some would reckon them more to be cast in the face of Religion now then six hundred in the dayes of Nazianzen 4 Whether is this faire dealing for Brethren to make Apologies for divisions and severall opinions when they are oppressed and to turne back in accusations upon their Brethren when the oppression is off from themselves 2 Stinted formes not to be imposed The validity of which plea your Honours are best able to judge and therefore we leave it at your Barre yet these two things we know first that this forme viz. of Liturgy was never established to be so punctually observed so rigorously pressed to the casting out of all that scruple it or any thing in it Quaere 1. If former Liturgies were never established to be so punctually observed why is there such pressing now for establishment of Formes now to be observed in Worship and Discipline seeing the former Divines walkt as they thought by as true a light then as the Divines of this age doe now 2. If Synods did not formerly establish things for such punctuall observations why are there any penalties fines imprisonments called for now upon non-conformity to things established by them 3. Why are the formes composed now so rigorously pressed Uniformity so urged when such practises and designs were condemned but a few yeares since and they who urge it now would scarce then seem to believe it to be the minde of former Synods and Parliaments 4. If things were not to be rigorously pressed then to the casting out of any that scruple why now 3 No formes of particular men to be imposed on all the rest But if by Liturgy he understand prescribed and stinted formes of administration composed by some particular men in the Church and imposed upon all the rest as this we must understand or else all he saith is nothing we desire and expect that those formes which he saith are yet extant and ready to be produced might once appeare Quaere 1. If Formes composed by particular men be not to be imposed on all the rest why do the Brethren now urge upon us all and upon all the Kingdome their own Uniformity and Formes since theirs is no more a Truth to others then others Formes were formerly a Truth to them 2. Whether one Synod of Divines is not as well a few 1 compared with all the rest of the Kingdom as another Synod and the same that were but a few 2 six years since or sixty years since but a few 3 still unlesse the same numbers and accounts alter by yeares and seasons and if so what reason is there for ones imposing more then anothers since Truth is no more to be reckoned by multitudes and Synods in one age then in another 4 No binding to the use of Composed Formes All other Reformed Churches though they use Liturgies yet do not binde Ministers to the use of them Quaere 1. Why doe any Reformed Churches now undertake to binde any to the use of their Formes seeing the Churches formerly durst not usurp it and why under penalties now more then before 2. Whether is that lawfull now which was not foure years since and for these Brethren to doe which was unlawfull for their Predecessors 5 Severe imposing a sinne and a snare That which makes many refuse to be present at our Church service is not only the Liturgy it selfe but the imposing it upon Ministers Quaere 1 If imposing of Forms was a snare before how comes it to be none now 2 If Ministers were not to be compelled then why are they to be compelled now 6 Liberty in use of Formes breeds no disturbance Obj. If it be objected that this will breed divisions and disturbances in the Churches Ans. It hath not bred any disturbance in other Reformed Churches Why should the free liberty of using or not using breed more confusion then the free liberty of reading or not reading Homilies especially when Ministers shall teach people not to condemne one another in things indifferent Quaere 1 How comes it to passe that liberty in the use of Formes bred no disturbances before and yet now all is pretended to be undone if uniformity be not preserved 2 Why are Divines more jealous of conscientious and inoffensive liberty now that the Government is comming into their own hands then when it was in their predecessors 3 If Brethren are not to condemn one another in things indifferent why do they teach now a Persecution to all that conform not to things indifferent only but unlawfull as all parts in Worship and Government are which are Devices of men 7 No set Formes for the first 300 years For Christian Liturgies which the Remonstrant had affirmed to have beene the best improvement of the peace and happinesse of the Evangelicall Church ever since the Apostles times we chalenged the Remonstrant setting aside those that are confessedly spurious to produce any Liturgy that was the issue of the first 300 yeares Quaere 1. If solemne and set-formes and Directories were excepted against and accused then as no friend to the peace and happinesse of Churches why are they made now the choicest meanes of peace and unity and all those Churches condemned as erroneous that are without them 2. If no set-formes can be produced as the issue of the first 300 yeers why are they continued still * which have neither precept from Scriptures nor president from Apostles or Primitive practise to warrant them why are the crimes and will-worship