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	true_a	1,952	5	4.9061	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A11824	A secular sermon concerning the doctrine of the Gospell by the goodnes and power of God restored in the fifteenth age from the birth of our Lord Iesus Christ. Made by the reuerend and worthy precher Mr. Abraham Scultetus, in the High-dutch tongue. After by another translated into Latin, and now out of Latin into English	Scultetus, Abraham, 1566-1624.	1618 (1618)	STC 22124; ESTC S106166	22,063	46

before that beene present at a collogue and conference at Marpurge his minde tooke such a tast of true Religion as that after hauing receiued his Dukedome hee procured carefully the same true Religion to be preached vnto his subiects Neither hath God vsed these meanes onely for the propagation and aduancement of his word but also many other courses that haue beene maruellous For I call Hungary to witnesse that euen Souldiers and men of Warre haue giuen furtherance to Gods word For whereas the Dutch Army brought thither by King Ferdinandus had in it many Lutheranes by their meanes that Kingdome better discerned of Popish Idolatry Italy also may testifie the like of it selfe when both the Army of Charles the fifth besieged the Pope and some dissentions began to growe betweene the Pope and the Venetians To the number of these other meanes I may also adde diuine and spirituall songs which hauing beene made by Preachers of the Gospell and accustomed to be sung by poore Schollers insinuated and closely conuaied the knowledge of the truth into an infinite number of men in Germany and the Low-countries and chiefely in Hungary where for the want of the Art of Printing this meanes was deuised that the songs which had beene endited by the teachers young boyes and schollers should deuoutely and sweetely sing not onely at mens doores but euen at feasts and banquets Moreouer I thinke that I may truely say that it hath beene a great meanes to further the knowledge of the trueth that particular Schooles haue beene founded and erected in many places and that disputations haue beene held by the professors of the Gospell with the Papists Of which sort are the disputations held at that time at Lipswick in the yeare 1519 1519. at Zurich and Bresla 1523 at Basile 1524 at Norimberge 1523. 1525 at Bathe in Switherland 1526 at Bern 1528 at 1524. London 1549 and such like 1525. 6 Another likenes betweene this age and the primatiue 1526. Church may bee in this that the enemies of 1528. the trueth set vpon the Christians of the primitiue 1549. Church sometimes with seueritie of edicts and proclamations after which grieuous punishments and at the length by open warre in the very like maner for the space of these hundred yeares grieuous Proclamations haue beene often published against true Religion and the professors of it And when they little preuailed they killed infinite multitudes of men by fire and water by the sword and by hanging and many other kinds of punishments and when neither these meanes had the like successe which they desired they came at length to this that strong Armies were leuied and brought into Germany the Low-countries and into France to haue rooted out true Religion if it had beene possible Further also as in that time the heathen Emperours whether they would or no heard the confessions and Apologies of the Christian faith which are extant and to be read in Iustin Martyr Athenagoras Tertullian and others Euen so in this our age Kings and Kesars haue of necessitie beene made to take notice and information of the trueth of the Gospell which in all things they did not approue of For who is ignorant that the Emperour Charles the fifth was present at the publicke reading of the confession of Ausburge so named of the Citie where this was done Likewise to King Ferdinandus a confession of their faith was both exhibited and read by the brethren and professors in Bohemia and Morauia We read likewise that Frauncis the first King of Fraunce heard with his owne eares the famous confession of the Christians of Merindole Also Theodore Beza in the conference at Poessy the King and the Queene yea all Fraunce in a manner hearing it deliuered the Articles of our faith so soundly and so effectually as that the Cardinall of Lorraine saide that hee wished that either Beza had beene dumbe or that all the States there present had beene deafe that day 7 Yet will we not stay heere but obserue another point of comparison for in the primitiue Church there were very many Christians who as the Ecclesiasticall History doth witnesse professed the truth of the Gospell with the losse of their goods and also of their very life it selfe So likewise in these hundred yeares last past God hath set before our eyes notable and famous examples of Christian constancy in an infinite number of most worthy persons men and women rich and poore learned and vnlearned noble and vn-noble The regard of the time will not suffer me heere to enlarge my selfe yet can I not by any meanes passe by in silence in Germany the houses and the families of the Electors to wit that the house of Brandeburge Saxony and the Palatine haue brought forth those heroicall persons to whom you may truely apply the speach which by the Apostle is vttered of Moses that they esteemed the reproach of Christ to be greater riches then the treasures of the Egyptians First let vs goe to the house of Brandburge and call to minde George the Marquesse of Brandenburge who being then to King Lewis the great Prefect and Gouernour of his Court retained with his helpe and defended with his aide the Christians in Silesia Bohemia and Hungary being charged and burdned with diuers slaunders After also when the Emperour Charles the fift in the assembly at Ausburge published a seuere edict and Proclamation with a most grieuous punishment added to it charging all men to abandon the Religion of the Gospell the saide Lord Marquesse had this honourable report of his constancy that fearing nothing the Emperours indignation hee boldly saide kneeling before his Maiestie that he had rather yeeld his head to be smitten and cut off then to depart the least iot from the truth which he had once acknowledged and receiued which when hee once had spoken openly they say that the Emperour answered that the cutting off his head was not sought for Will yee goe from Brandeburg to Saxonie There we shall see Duke Henry the progenitour of the two most gratious Electors Mauricius and Augustus worthily shewing how deepe rootes the loue of the Gospell had taken in him For when his brother George Duke of Saxony who was a most earnest defender of the Popish Religion a litle before his death hauing caused it to be signified to him by messengers sent for that purpose that hee would make him his heire vpon condition that he would forsake the Religion Euangelical reformed but if he refused to performe the condition that he would giue all his dominions to King Ferdinandus Duke Henry of whom I spake answering presently saide plainly and expresly to him this your message euidently representeth and bringeth into my minde that which is written in the holy Scriptures when Sathan promised to Christ the Kingdomes of the whole world vpon condition that falling downe at his feete hee would worship and adore him Doe you thinke that I esteeme any worldly riches

and benefit more then I doe the glory of God Certainely your expectation doeth much deceiue you With which answere hee dismissed those messengers adding to his former speach this notable sentence that hee had rather bee poore with Christ then rich with the Pope Which memorable act of his religious pietie wanted not his reward from God For before that the legates and messengers had returned some Duke Georg his brother dying without executing that his determination altogether against his will left Duke Henry his heire and successor And what should I speake of Iohn Frederick Elector of famous memory Of whom the Emperour Ferdinandus himselfe is reported to haue said to Doctor N 〈…〉 vius chiefe Phisitian of the Elector of Saxony that Iohn Frederick Flector was a Prince of a magnanimous and high courage whose valour and vertue if his Souldiers had followed in the Warre with like animositie and bouldnesse hee had neuer beene ouercome Further hee is reported to haue said that hee stood by the Emperour Charles and beheld with how chearefull and gratious a countenance hee came to the Emperour presenting himselfe not as a captiue and prisoner but chearefull as one that should haue led a daunce And surely that he excelled in the greatnesse of an inuincible minde and courage he made it manifest in his very imprisonment and captiuitie to the wonder and admiration of all men For in the assembly at Ausburge the Emperour had drawen all the States of the Empire to his purpose that stricken with feare they freely professed that they would receiue whatsoeuer the Generall Councell that was to be called should determine of Religion Then he required and commaunded the Prince being prisoner to doe the like But he then answered that in all other things he was ready with all submission to yeeld his seruice and obedience but in that which concerned Religion and conscience hee humbly be fought him in his gracious clemency to respect him So great was the magnanimitie of this Prince Elector when he was a prisoner so great was his zeale for the true worship of God when the other States being yet free and yet affrighted with the feares of daungers professed that they would willingly obey the decree of the counsell that was to be held whose iudgement was yet vnknowen what it would bee Therefore Melanchthon a most religious Diuine notably in verse commended the constancy of this likewise most religious Prince and Elector saying He won more praise by constant profession of faith then if he at home had fought fierce and terrible battels Furthermore the County Palatine is able to shew also in this glorious field and to this day commendeth to all posteritie those most famous Princes Otto Henry and Frederick the third of that name either of them Electors and most constant defenders of the trueth Ottho Henricus desired rather to loose the principalitie of Neuburg then by forsaking the truth of Religion to keepe it and to win the fauour of Caesar and of the Pope which faithfulnes and constancy in Religion God recompenced with a large ample blessing For he not onely restored vnto him the foresaid dominion but also Frederick the second being dead he gloriously aduanced him to the Electorship Behold also the Count Palatine Frederick the third him to whom pietie it selfe gaue his Sir-name so that he was renowned called Fredericus Pious and consider with me a little his diuers and great trials which he endured for the cause of Religion He was constrained sometimes to auoide the darts of his brother sometimes to withstand his children and sometimes to resist his kins-folke yea at the length in the assembly at Ausborow he had the Emperour himselfe and the Princes and States of the sacred Empire greatest aduersaries vnto him Yet surely Caesars Maiestie notably made answere for him to the Electors and Princes that would haue excluded and shut out the saide Frederick Pius out of the peace of the Empire saying I must answere you as Christ did Salome you knowe not what you aske Doe you not know that he is a Prince of the Empire will you be at discord among your selues Notwithstanding the same Emperour very seuerely and peremptorily commaunded the same Elector Frederick to change and vtterly forsake his Religion which was said to be a diuers Religion from that which was said to be allowed at Ausburge and infected as they said with the error of Caluinisme Then the Elector openly and plainly as the loue of Religion perswaded him to this effect declared his minde to the Imperiall Maiestie that in the matter of Faith and Religion hee did acknowledge one onely Lord to wit God who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords That such question and businesse concerned not the losse of any temporal estate or of this present life but the euerlasting saluation of the soule which as he had receiued and had it recommended vnto him from Christ his Lord and Sauiour so he both ought and would keepe it entire and whole without hurt or blemish vnto him euen with the daunger and losse of this present life Furthermore he said that hee was willing and ready to yeelde to any whatsoeuer they were a iust reason apologie and defence of his Catechisme and Faith Which magnanimitie and courage of a constant faith Augustus Duke of Saxony and Elector admiring friendly and brotherly striking with his open hand the shoulder of this most pious Prince Frederick said Frederick thou doest farre excell vs all in pietie and Religion Behold a chearefull minde of a Prince in the profession of the truth nobly resembling the Emperour Iouinian who being taken by the Souldiers to receiue the Imperiall dignitie refused to take it vpon him except the Army by whom hee was chosen would cast away their Idols and embrace the sinceritie of Christian Faith Our owne Prince also in like manner a most constant professor of Religion resolued rather to loose the dignitie to be one of the seauen Electors then to abandon the truth of the Gospell if hee could not keepe his Electorship without the losse of true Religion Now let vs proceede from Germany to Italy and bring out before you two worthy champions for the faith out of the Kingdome of Naples to wit Galeacius Caracciolus Vice-Marques and the same a sonne of the sister of Pope Paul the fourth the other Iohn Berniardin Boniface Marques of Oria. Both these were enflamed with so great a zeale of Religion as that all their worldly dignities neglected and the honour of their life and state despised they forsooke their houses and their countrey and led the rest of their mortall liues in such a voluntary banishment as the sinceritie of Religion laid vpon them Heere also I could name you many other worthy and famous personages in Spaine Italy Scotland and Germanie which some of them secretly and some of them by open violence suffred death for the profession of the Gospell But the Martirologies and stories of the