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
A54151	The guide mistaken, and temporizing rebuked, or, A brief reply to Jonathan Clapham's book intituled, A guide to the true religion in which his religion is confuted, his hypocrisie is detected, his aspersions are reprehended, his contradictions are compared / by W.P., a friend to the true religion.	Penn, William, 1644-1718.	1668 (1668)	Wing P1301; ESTC R15309	49,937	66

appeal to the intelligent Reader if this blind Guide is not faln into the ditch that ascribes to such the title of Dissenters whom he at the same time characters for absolute sons of the Church for do the highest Conformists to the Church of England acknowledge more than that she 's pure in Fundamentals and things of a secondary nature and yet that such who confess her to be this should by this silly Guide be stil'd Dissenters away with this apparent Nonsense since none can properly be so esteem'd that differs not in one or both And how inconsistant aswell as saucy his expression is that will not allow Dissenters to be sober and intelligent when none are such in his account that allows not the Church of England what they can never do and properly be counted for Dissenters sufficiently appears in his admitting these very Dissenters to be Christian Churches and Children of the same Father though now he seems to represent them void of both understanding and sobriety Where his were when these rash and unadvised words were writ I leave for the Reader to determine Sect. 3. He speaks largely of the publick Worship loudly extolling the Constitution of the Church of England professing a separation there from to be unwarrantable and that corruption in manners both of Ministers and People should be no reason for disserting their Assemblies c. Contrary to the whole currant of Scripture-record and the best accounts that have been transmitted through Ages of the Primitive Christians who ever have withdrawn themselves from such as held the truth in unrighteousness and let the world judge if Paul was not thus perswaded when he strictly enjoyn'd separation from not only Schismaticks Hereticks and Apostates but such as held the form of Godliness which consisted in profession and external performances without the everlasting Power which alone could bring into true Obedience and give the possession of that eternal Life which rightly denominates people Christians or a Christian Church But as two strong Pillars to maintain and underprop his Assertion he tells us otherwise God would have no Publick Worship As if an Assembly in a House Field or Barn was not as capable to worship God in spirit as those who frequent the Parish Steeple-houses if not 't is fit this Guide should pay his acknowledgements to the Roman Society he calls Antichrist for his publick Worship But be it known to him and all the world that as God's Spirit is not tied to places so all Worship standing therein is truly Catholick and Publick Worship in Field or House whether three or three thousand convenient places being circumstantial not essential to God's Worship Sect. 4. His second Pillar is the example of Zecharias who sayes he disserted not his station in the Jewish Worship notwithstanding those many Corruptions that were innovated by which he would excuse his continuance in his Priestly Office in Wramplingam Parish But if this Guide will be inform'd he soon may see his error in this particular as upon occasion formerly was exprest to him the Jews were selected from all other Nations and impriviledged as God's peculiar People by an external Law and Ordinances all which were typical over whom he ordained Magistrates and a Priesthood which had no relation to any other Constitution that was contemporary or should succeed but were to continue till the times of Reformation and then to be abrogated yet inasmuch as Antitypes are represented by their Types it must be granted that many Legal Institutions did signifie and shadow-forth what afterwards should follow since therefore it must needs be granted that the Jewish State relates no further to us than typically it will not be unnecessary to examine how far this Guide can secure himself and justifie his many turnings from the confest constancy of faithfull Zicharias Consider 1. that the Jews were a People separated from among the Nations as his visible Church to whom he gave that intituling sign of Circumcision 2. That their Temple Worship and Laws moral judicial and ceremoninal were indisputably of Divine Institution 3. That as those who were their Priests were by the high Priest anointed thereunto so being once dedicated were to officiate with integrity and constancy at the Altar 4. That no addition was to be admitted to what God had so punctually ordered in any Circumstance Now unless this Guide can prove the Church of Englānd the Antitype 1. In being the Circumcision in Spirit by which she is rightly intituled to the Priviledges of the Spiritual Jewish Church 2. Can as infallibly and unquestionably prove the Divine Institution of her Faith Worship and Discipline 3. That her Ministry is the spiritually Anointed of God by that one High-Priest after the Order of Melchizedek and by him commissionated to preach the everlasting Gospel 4. And that in Faith Worship and Discipline she remains as clear and single from all Inventions Traditions and Ceremonies those only allowed as have their footing in the Divine Appointment and Order of God unless I say this be made good 't will declare great weakness in any to allow this Guide to argue from Zecharias's case to his own I grant that whosoever is annointed by Jesus Christ to preach his everlasting Salvation ought to do it incessantly not mattering the opposition or revolution of Powers and that NO defect in the generality can or ought to unminister him but rather that he faithfully should decry those Impieties and keep his station on God's behalf which righteous Zecharias did whose bold withstanding their Inventions and honest desire of preserving that Law pure of which he was instituted Priest procured no less than his Martyrdom from the Cruelty of those vain Superstitionists But what 's this to Clapham's case Zecharias was anointed by the High-Priest whence was Clapham's Ordination Zecharias was murder'd for opposing their unrighteousness and wicked Traditions where did Clapham do so but has he not preach'd for and against what he at times has own'd to keep his Parish Zecharias would not dispense with their Additions to God's Institutions has Clapham done so too how comes he then to call the Church of England Pure in secondary matters to wit her forms of Prayer Anthems Responses Litanies Baby-Baptisme Crosses Altars Steeple-houses East and West Bowings Organs Quiresters Surplices Caps Rochets Hoods with much more such like trash than my memory will serve at present to insert which fills up the English Worship and are known by persons moderately read in Story to have been brought forth by the womb of dark Popery that sink of Antichristianism But as there ought to be one Temple Worship and Priesthood to make Clapham's case resemble Zecharias's so that his may approach this Guide's let us suppose amongst the Jews three several Temples Worships and Priesthoods call'd Presbyterian Independent Episcopal If Zecharias had first been of the Presbyterian-Priesthood and as that should decline in esteem imbrace the Independents till by revolution of Government both

he hits not on the true one What 's this more than to say it's necessary man should do somewhat though he be dam'd for it And if it 's a dream to expect Salvation in being true to some Religion is it not a lethargy of impertinency that it 's necessary to be of some Religion and to live and die in it There are many false Religions in the world p. 15. It 's a mistake to think that there is such a multitude of Religious in the world p. 27. There being such diversities of Religions you had need to have your eyes about you p. 26. There are to speak properly but four Religions p. 28. These cross sayings must needs be manifest to the weakest capacity for if he speaks properly on one side he speaks very improperly on the other Sect. 2. It s not sufficient that it be delivered to you by tradition from Ancestors by education from Godly-Parents commended by the practice of wise and pious persons but make a wise choice for your selves p. 25. Man must discern the verity and certainty of these doctrins that he may venture his soul upon them for which end it s exceeding necessary to be conversant in those treatises which prove the verity of the Christian Religion p. 10. Those that take up Religion because it 's profest in the Country and commended by example how slight are they therein p. 19. I add one Rule of Caution more against a common but dangerous mistake Take heed of setting up your own apprehensions of the sense of Scripture though Fundamentals are plainly laid down yet points controverted are hidden from ordinary understandings that know not the Languages and proper Idioms of Scripture and other advantages of Learning p. 109. In one side this Guide is for every individuals chusing from a reason in himself in the other that he should accept things from the apprehensions and greater skill of others But it 's unseasonable to be contending about things not so clearly revealed in Scripture p. 44. Search the Scriptures and look well to them they are your Chard and Compass to steer your Course by try all things by them p. 47. But darkly laid down p. 47.   Take heed of that great mistake that nothing is to be admitted in and about the Administrations of the Church of Christ but what is held forth in Scripture p. 99 100.   O strange confusion A Rule and no Rule revealed and not revealed Is it not unreasonable to suppose that Christ instead of rendring his Church more glorious infallible than ever should leave her destitute of information in those things which concern her peace since contrary apprehensions about them have been the ground of all Division and Persecution through Ages and will be yet with most notwithstanding this Guide's directions Can the Scriptures be clear in deep and not in shallow matters God hath committed the care of Religion and the settlement of it to those in Authority in their Dominions in such a way as they judg most agreeable to the Rule of the Word p. 68. It 's not sufficient that 't is commanded by the Laws of the Land but make a wise choice for your selves p. 25. Let every one be fully perswaded in his own mind p. 53. They are to see all be administred according to the same and in the particular circumstances undetermined by God they have a power to order and settle things according to the general Rules laid down in the Word p. 104. And men that act according to Reason will look into the Oracles of God himself wherein God hath revealed his Will concerning Faith and VVorship p. 9. If God has invested Magistrates with the power of Interpretation and settlement of Religious matters accordingly is it not absurd to bid men chuse for themselves since they are to be concluded by anothers choice and how the Oracles of God should be perspicuous to all understandings and yet need an Interpreter I mean the Magistrate I would fain understand Sect. 3. The Christian Religion was confirm'd by many signs by the means of propagation of it by weak and unlearned men by whose preaching it overspread the world p. 31. The Quakers in respect of their want of learning and outward accomplishments are contemptible P. 62. The Fundamentals of Christianity are so plainly laid down in Scripture that the weakest Christians may understand them pag. 110. Controverted points are hidden from ordinary understandings that know not the Languages and proper Idioms of Scripture and customs of the Church and other advantages of Learning that its ordinarily impossible they should find out the mind of God therein p. 111. What Contradiction is here that what he designs to have been proof or argument to have recommended the more unquestionably the belief of the Christian Religion in old times to the primitive Christians he here should make the reason why he rejects and reviles the Quakers and their Testimony and that he should tell us the Spirit they received perfectly inform'd them and yet that Learning is to be the only means of knowing God's mind in these dayes whilst he confesses at the same time the weakest Christian may understand the Fundamentals of Religion God is to be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth p. 70. The essence of Prayer lies in lifting up true desires to God in the Name of Christ p. 71. For who is there that knows not that forms of Prayer have been of exceediag long continuance in the Christian Church p. 91. To pray is part of God's Worship but whether it be in a Book or out of it is no part at all pag. 109. Set-forms are not only used and prescribed in the Old Testament but also in the New p. 94. How Worship in Spirit and yet by words of man's prescription Can any man bring the Spirit to so many words to begin with I and end with R or who knows the Spirit 's mind so punctually as to prescribe for Generations to come the words it will use for all persons and conditions that may be in the world who can pretend to know all states that he may write prayers for each Why not forms of sighs and groans Was it not a Spiritual-Worship Christ Jesus set up above sixteen hundred years ago in opposition to the Jewish one and all other particular Worships in the World which are known to have been forms and such as this Guide pleads for at least the Jewish and produce me a Form put forth and establish't by any of the Apostles who were faithful in God's House But did not Forms creep up when the primitive Power and Spirit was lost imitating Prayer but not Praying And did not Tertullian in his Apology who is generally rank't in the beginning of the third Century write that the Christians prayed not by Book but as they were moved by the Spirit of God or to that purpose And I challenge this Guide or any living to make appear