Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	ancient_a	church_n	doctrine_n	1,896	5	6.2759	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A63826	A good day vvell improved, or Five sermons upon Acts 9. 31 Two of which were preached at Pauls, and ordered to be printed. To which is annexed a sermon on 2 Tim. 1. 13. Preached at St. Maries in Cambridge, on the Commencement Sabbath, June 30. 1650. By Anthony Tuckney D.D. and Master of St Johns College in Cambridge.	Tuckney, Anthony, 1599-1670.	1656 (1656)	Wing T3216A; ESTC R222406	116,693	318

into them So with these in the Text in outward peace we may maintain yea and advance in our Hearts the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the holy Ghost But there is yet one word more which we must think of and that Ambulans Vulgat Vergentes Beza is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They walked in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the holy Ghost and that containeth and holdeth forth to us Assiduity constancy and Progress It was 1. their daily practise 2. And this in their constant continued course and 3. Which they advanced in and so should we joyn both holy fear and heavenly joy together and then labour to be assiduous and constant and increasing in both for else either suddain uncertain pangs of fear or flashes of joy will be no evidence of such as walk with God to heaven and happiness but if both be joyned and dayly and constantly held on and advanced in it will be the due temper of a right travelour in the way and a sure pledge and first fruits of what we shall come to and meet with at our journeys end where our fear shall be only and yet most fully reverential and our comfort and joy most spiritual full and eternal The form of Sound Words 2 Tim. 1. 13. Hold fast the form of sound Words which thou hast heard of me in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus IN the 4th verse we find young Timothy weeping not out of a childish weakness but from a sad apprehension of real danger He a young Steersman in his new office of an Evangelist was lanched out into the deep when windes were loud and seas went high and it may be he might think of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of some making shipwrack of the faith which he had read of in the first chapter of the former Epistle And then wonder not if Moses be loath that Jethro who might Numb 10 31. be in stead of eyes to him should have been in a wilderness if the Disciples cry out for fear in the Matth. 14. 26. Tempest when they think Christ is absent if Aeneas sigh when Multa gemens casus animum concussus amici he hath lost his Palinurus and if Timothy weep when Paul his former Pilot had left him So hardly is this Nursling snatched Aeneid 5. from the breast ready if not with the Galatians to pluck out Gal. 4. 15. yet to weep out his eyes for such a loss And therefore to buoy up his spirit that it might not sink in these deep waters he writes this second Epistle to him in which He Partly incourageth him to keep up his heart and to bear up against the storme that lay upon him in the foregoing verses and partly he directs him in This to have his eye fixed on the card and compass which he had left with him Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus In which words we have these particulars 1. A forme of words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Set out by their excellent quality 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are sound ones 3. By the speaker or utterer of them Paul himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which thou hast heard of me 4. From the Subject matter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in faith and love 5. From the Principall Author 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is in Christ Jesus 6. By the Adjunct duty which we owe and must performe to them in that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hold fast It is to have and to hold so have it that he hold it and so hold it that he may ever have it Hold fast the forme of sound words c. From the first it seemeth that 1 A form of words Formes so much decryed in our times were not so undervalued in Pauls who you see had left with Timothy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a forme of words which the Greek Interpreters paraphrase Chrysost Theophylact Oaecumen Theodoret by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. a picture or pattern c. and make account that He alluded to the Painters or Limmers Art as Polycletes made a Statue according to the rules of his Art which he called his Canon to be the stander or standing rule and Sampler which others should work by Such a copy had Paul written Timothy both for matter and forme things and words in his doctrine and preaching that indeed it was not so much like the Painters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which most properly signifieth the first lines or ruder draught as the Orators Grotius rather which the Rhetoricians describe to be a Representing a thing Aretius by words so fully to the life that it is not so much heard as seen Such was that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that forme of knowledge and truth Rom. 2. 20. and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that System or short Modell of the Principles of the doctrine of Christ Heb. 6. 1. Such were of old their ancient Creeds Canons of Councils and since the Confessions and Catechismes whither of whole Churches or of particular men their Summes Institutions Systems Syntagmes Synopses or by what ever other name you call such Modells of Divinity as orderly lay down together such divine truths as are scattered up and down in the Scripture or explain such as there seem to be something obscure and so present them in a full and clear distinct view for the better help especially of a weaker eye against the fascinations of jugling Impostors A practise 1. Ever in use since God himself Exod. 20. 31. 18. wrote the Decalogue as the Summary of things to be done And Christ taught us his own Mat. 6. 9. prayer as a Pattern of ours in what is to be desired And the Apostles their Canons Act. 15. and the Primitive Churches and Fathers their Creeds and so along till the Arians and other Hereticks who were pinched by them did therefore complain of them as in our times of deformity and confusion we have systems and confessions of faith often twitted and slighted but the best is that it is by such as will in this as other things tread in their dear friends the Socinians and Arminians steps who cannot indure such checks of their extravagant corruptions and it is but the wild ass that brayeth against such inclosures and treades down all fences because she meaneth to run wild in the wilderness Of great use 1. Not with the widow of 2 Sam. 14. 20. Tekoah to fetch about 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a form of speech the better to deceive or to train up men to rest in Formalities as the Jews did in that Form of knowledge Rom. 2. 20. or as those Deceivers in a forme of godliness 2 Tim. 3. 5. who yet are not there blamed because they had a forme but because they wanted life and power we very readily subscribe to

what Hierom saith that Scripture truth is in medulla non in superficie non in terminorum foliis sed in radice rationis and say with Synesius that the holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though every Title and Iota in it is sacred yet it is the kernel of the doctrine and not so much the shell of the words that we so much stand upon And therefore if any shall conceitedly affect and insist upon any formes of words of their own making as are either meerly leaves or that cover some poysonous toad of error and impiety under them we will very readily call them as Nazianzen Orat. 6. de Spir. S. did his Adversary A. B. C. sophysters and wording Sycophants Such empty shells of Formalities we leave to more empty vain hearts like children to play with and those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those formed feigned words which the Apostle speaks of 2 Pet. 2. 3. to those deceitfull Huksters to make merchandise with which some of them who now a dayes decry formes most are most notoriously guilty of and in this kind of all others the most affected Formalists who with their new lights have got a set of new-minted words and phrases a strain of high flown canting in their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 right out those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 2. 18. even swelling words of vanity which Peter observed and noted in the Seducers of his time and Calvin in the Libertines and Instructio adversus libert cap. 7 Quintinists of his and the Shiboleth of many in ours by which although we cannot understand their language yet we may easily come to know them whilest their form of speech bewraieth them 2. Nor to be onely bare Declarations of what we believe An ecce fidem meam or Apologies and Purgations of our selves from the Aspersions and slanders of others who either misconceive or willfully misreport us For this Prefat ad Confess Atque etiam sit Res propria Remonstrantibus qua ab omnibus aliis in tota Christianit●te p●aecisis s●ctis disernuntur Synod Remonstra cap. 3. use the Remonstrants themselvs wil allow of them and no wonder because when they are deservedly taxed they have need to Apologize But this is all that they will allow them because they do so dearly hugg that Helena of theirs their libertas prophetandi as their main interest and on which they have set their property as being their p●c●lium onely and so become impatient of any such restraint though I cannot but wonder that they should say that the Primitive Churches and Christians intended no more by their Creeds Canons and Confessions Prefat ad confess in libro de fide ad Petrum then by them onely to testifie Non quid credendum esset sed quid ipsi crediderint when they read so often in Austin Firmissimè crede nullatenus dubites and when in their Synods and Councils they did so frequently and I fear too too liberally thunder out their Anathemaes Remonstra in exam praefat Censu●ae against those that taught contrary to their determinations and when the Remonstrants themselves do so cry out of Athanasius for pride and in his Quicunque vult salvari c. which he prefixeth before the Articles of his Creed 3. I add therefore in the 3d place that these Formes of sound Words are useful and in some cases are necessary and so have been used as Declarations not onely of what we our selves believe but also of what we judge that all should believe unlesse we could think that others might rightly believe that as true which we in our conscience judge to be false a goodly peece of our ingenuous loving-hearted Arminians charity and also desire and require that all should professe or at least not openly contradict with whom we joyn in nearest Church Communion So it was with the Apostles in their Canons Acts 15. And so it is with particular Churches in their Articles and Confessions to this day and so may it be alwayes Ringantur licet rumpantur Socino-Remonstrantes Notwithstanding all the rage and invectives of Socinians Arminians Libertines and other Sectaries Haec sacra aliter non constant Praefat ad Apologiam who will rather disturb yea and ruine both Churches and States and snap asunder the sacred bond of Peace then be thus hampred 4. They are therefore in the 4th place Communionis Tessarae Judices not onely badges of our Christian Church Communion but also great helps and furtherers of it whereby uncomfortable divisions may be prevented and the peace of the Church the better preserved whilest we all profess the same Truth and speak the same thing being perfectly joyned together in the same minde and the same judgement 1 Cor. 1. 10. The Remonstrants indeed tell us that there are Non pauci pii probi many honest godly men Praefat ad Confess they mean their own sweet selves and their dear party for who so honest and godly as they who dislike such Formes and Confessions as derogatory to the Authority Sufficiency and perspicuity of the Scriptures 2. As a wrong to liberty of conscience and of Prophesying 3. As a great cause of Schismes and Factions in the Church For the first They fear where no fear is No fear of taking from the Authority and Perspicuity of the Scriptures by these confessions which are wholly built upon them and for matter wholly and for Words and Phrases in a great part taken out of them not so much as by a single private Ministers confirming and explaining of them in the course of his Ministry which I hope they are not against unlesse they who are so chary and tender of the liberty of Prophesying will quite take away both the office and gift of Prophesying which when Christ instituted in his Church he sure never intended it should be any blemish or prejudice to the Scriptures Authority or Perspicuity For the 2d let the Papists answer Solum pontificium atque Hispanum regnum videte jumenta ibi sunt non homines quicquid imponitur id portat vulgus ut ascenus Isidi Sacra to God and man for their Tyranny over Gods Peoples Consciences and true liberty The Spanish Inquisition when God makes inquisition for blood there shed in this kinde will be sadly accountable We that have been this way pinched our selves I hope should never have imposed upon others the like yoke of slavery Some indeed that their tongues might be as licentious as their practises lavish it at large speak loud as though they had hired a Tertullus to help them with invectives or some mercinary Lawyer to draw up a bill in chancery with a most horrid charge that hath never a word of truth in it General outcries against an intended acted Tyranny but they should instance in particulars and make them good mean while as long as the skin is whole though they pour vinegar on us it

Endlesse Genealogies 1 Tim. 1. 4. like some of our hot disputes about some Punctilio in Chronologie Jewish and profane old wives fables 1 Tim. 1. 4. 4. 7. Tit. 1. 14. It may be not much worse then the dust that is raised about some old Legend or some doubtfull or false passage in Church History strife about words and Logomachies 1 Tim. 6. 4. 2 Tim. 2. 14. Such Tully saith made up the greatest part of the sage Stoicks disputations and how much better are the high and proud contests of those who account themselves the greatest Scholars about their verball Criticismes Oppositions of science falsly so called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 6. 20. answerable to the ancient and our now present Gnosticks high flown sublimated speculations Foolish and unlearned questions and perverse disputations and contentions about the Law 2 Tim. 2. 23. 1 Tim. 6. 5. Tit. 3. 9. paralleled by our busie Questionists and Querists with whom all that should prove fruit runs up into the blade the power of godlinesse evaporating into debates debates indeed in more senses then one who study to dispute more then to live and that usually about doubtfull Queries whilest they deny confessed and grounded even fundamentall truths or about the Mint and Anise of Church Discipline Mat. 23. 23. and Ceremonies and such Accessories with the neglect of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the weightier things of the Law more solid and substantiall truths and such as contain in them the life and power of godlinesse Quantum est in rebus inane O the vanity of corrupt mindes and destitute of the 1 Tim. 6. 5. truth that kindle such fires in chips and straw to set all in a combustion Our Apostle in one 1 Tim. 6. 4. place calleth it a disease 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our times are very sick of in another an Itch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 4. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for as that is seated in the outward parts of the body so this in the tongues and fancies of superficiall Christians who after their own lusts heap to themselves teachers not being able to endure sound doctrine But it is firm ground that a wise man treads hard on good food that a good stomach feeds heartily on that which the faithfull soul must hold fast is the faithful word Tit. 1. 9. The Form of sound Words as here in the Text. First Sani in themselves Sound and not trash Sanantes in their use wholsom 2 and not poison for too many such destructive words and doctrines there are which eat like a canker and subvert the hearers 2 Tim. 2. 14. 17. make them erre from the faith yea so as to make shipwrack of it 1 Tim. 1. 19. 6. 21. Trent Canons are a Form of words but so far from sound ones that some have not amiss expounded Brightman that in Revel 16. 3. of them that they made the sea become as the blood of a dead man that every living thing died in it H. Nichols his Evangelium Regni A Raccovian Catechism the Remonstrants Confession are formes of words too but many of them dangerous ones Many such Formes are in these times of Deformation rather then Reformation minted daily which He would ingage very far who should give his word that they are such words of truth and sobernesse that the soul which hungers Act. 26. 26. after Christ may have wholsome food or Physick from them Some of them swelling the soul with the proud doctrines of perfection and self-exaltation Others nay some of the same 2 Pet. 2. 19 rendring it very caryon and rottennesse with their ranting Principles and answerable practises of Libertinisme and loosnesse Some starving it by corrupting or denying the food of it the holy Scriptures and Sacraments All so poysoning it that you may see those of this diet like Amnon 2 Sam. 13. or some other man who hath some foul disease upon him ill thriving colour fading hair shedding flesh decaying and putrifying even his bones and marrow consuming the very outward profession of godlinesse blasted and the inward power of it not so much neglected as despised witnesses from Heaven against such corrupt doctrines and saddest evidences of Gods wrath from heaven Rom. 1. 18 against such wretched men whilest he thus sends leannesse into Psal 106. 15. their souls But is this wholesome food that they no better thrive by No but such as 1. A true savoury spirit relisheth for although some poyson be so subtile as it 's hardly at first discovered yet as the ear tryeth words and the mouth tastes its meat so Job 12. 1● 34. 3. the sheep of Christs pasture even by a divine instinct discern what food is wholesom and what is otherwise and not onely they who have their senses exercised to discern good and evil but even the Heb. 5. 14. new-born babe hath such a taste as soon as it 's made partaker of the divine nature that it can tell 2 Pet. 1. 4. 1 Pet. 2. 3 4. when the sincere milk of the word is adulterated though it may be it cannot tell wherein or wherewith as that godly Christian who had a better heart then head had his spirit rising against something which he heard in a Sermon but he could not tell why which afterward was made out to him to be very corrupt doctrine and I think He said not amisse who said that in judging doctrines and practises he gave much though not to vain Enthusiasmes yet to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or propension of the spirits of sober believers for although the Scripture be the Rule or the Pole-starre yet the spirits of the faithfull savingly touched from heaven point to it so that it is likely to be an unsavoury or poysonous weed which the flock of Christs sheep generally will let stand and not feed on and I should much suspect that either Doctrine or practise which the hearts of the godly universally have an inward Antipathy against as on the contrary It seemed good to the holy Ghost and us was the ground and tenor of a Synodical decision in the best times Act. 15. 28. and proportionably the hearty complacential closing of those who have the Spirit of God though not in the same kind or measure which those had is a great help and a good guide to a right judgment of discretion and to this conclusion that it 's like to be wholsome food which healthfull sound men do generally and in a manner naturally relish and feed on 2. Especially that which they recover and gain health and strength and so thrive by It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sincere milke which the new-born babe batten's and growe's by 1 Pet. 2. 2. Jerichoes waters were healed when the 2 King 2● 21. Lands barrenness was removed and the Sun of righteousnenss is then risen with healing in his wings when they who are under his beams and influence go

Bellarmine made more use of traditions then of the Scripture so the Papists plainly shew that they set more by them then they do by the written Word of God whilest they plead more earnestly for them and are more sedulous and copious in this controversie then in most do most rigorously presse them and more severely punish the neglect and transgression of them then of the expresse commands of God in Scripture as the profaning as they call it one of their Traditionary Saints dayes much more heavily then of the Lords own Day and a Priests marrying then the committing of fornication or adultery in this imitating not the true Israelites indeed but the degenerate Jews who made the word of God of none effect through their Traditions But Mat. 15. 3. ● those who have been savingly taught as the truth is in Jesus abhor such blasphemies and by all their sweet words cannot be brought to relish their Traditions which as Irenaeus and other of the Ancients plainly shew have been all along the subterfuge of Hereticks and of which for many of them it is uncertain from whom in particular they first sprang and for all of them it is most certain that coming from men at best they are but fallible and that in continuance of time they may be much altered from what they were at first nor can Bellarmines four preservatives be able so to keep them in pickle as to prevent it And therefore although the Truth of God was delivered from hand to hand before Moses first writ the Law and that Christ delivered to his Apostles and they to others the Doctrine of the Gospel before the signing of the Canon of the New Testament which we grant and although the Apostle 2 Thes 2. 15. a place which the Papists much triumph in commandeth his Thessalonians to stand fast and to hold the Traditions which they had been taught whether by word or his Epistle yet for all that they must give us leave to hold fast to the Scripture till they shall be able fully and clearly to prove 1. That there is the same use and need of Traditions now that the Canon of the Scripture is perfected as there was before 2. That there are now as immediate and infallible inspirations and manifestations of Gods will as there was to the faithfull before the writing of the Old Testament and to the Apostles before the writing of the New viz. Infallibly to direct about these Traditions and to correct in case there should be any failure or corruption Such extraordinary Manifestations we for our parts do not pretend to and that we cannot think that they are made to the Romish Antichrist it is not from want of charity but of ground of faith to believe it and indeed from sense and evident experience of the contrary 3. That for the substantials of faith and life for of eternall circumstantials I now speak not there be any such Divine or Apostolicall Traditions which the Apostles vivâ voce preached and delivered from hand to hand which were not for substance written in the Old Testament before Acts 26. 22. or not in the New Testament afterwards Many indeed of their Traditions which they obtrude are not as holding forth not Apostolical divine Truth but partly such errors and superstitions and partly such ridiculous fooleries as are not fit to be much lesse in the sacred writings much lesse in the sacred Writ But for what ever is necessary to be known or practised in order to salvation we must believe Irenaeus saying Quod tunc praeconiaverunt postea per Dei voluntatem in Scripturis nobis tradiderunt till Lib. 3. cap. 1. they be able to prove the contrary and mean while we are confident that this expression of Irenaeus in Scripturis nobis tradiderunt and yet more evidently that place to the Thessalonians which they so much urge where they are exhorted to hold the Traditions which they had been taught whether by word or Epistles fully evinceth that what is written in Scripture may be and is there called Tradition Such traditions and so written we allow to be within the compasse of this Form of sound Words but not first Humane unwritten or Popish forged Traditions Nor 2dly The Enthusiasts feigned and Divine Revelations Feigned Revelations These the Papists decry as loud as we Non enim novis revelationibus Deverbo Dei non scripto cap. 9. nunc regitur Ecclesia saith Bellarmine though by their favour they cannot so easily wash their hands of them whilest according to their Doctrine the last resolution of matters of faith is to be made into the determination of the Pope and that as infallibly directed by Divine Revelation as his Sycophants would flatter him So that thereby he is made the prime and greatest Enthusiast An artifice which seducers in all ages have made use of to conciliate the more credit to their delusions by intituling them to Divine Revelation I do not here speak of Numae's Aegeria or Mahomets Dove or the practises of other Heathen Founders of Commonwealths who out of craft and policy to gain more reverence and obedience to their lawes and government have deluded their silly people into a belief of their being appointed by divine inspirations But even in the Church of God the Apostles in their times gave warning of such as pretended the Spirit 2 Thess 2. 2. As also charge and direction how to try them 1 Tim. 4. 1. 1 John 4. 1 2 3. 6. The Nicholaitans of old Swenckfield and the Familists of Germany in the former age and their spawn both in Old and New England in this age have been all for immediate Revelations with a supine nay a most scornfull neglect not onely of other studies and learning but even of the holy Scriptures also which to them is but a dead Letter a Covenant of works c. And before their new lights such shadows must fly away They are but History to their mystery and as the Papists in their way and Castellio in his so these in theirs make account that the Spirit revealeth to them higher and more hidden mysteries then the Scriptures teach or contain such indeed as are not onely besides and as they think above it but sometimes nay oftentimes quite contrary to it a most proud and dangerous delusion and therfore Austins watch-word Prolog ad Doctrinam Christianam in regard of such is Caveamus tales tentationes superbissimas periculosissimas the direct inlet of all corruption into the Church and confusion into the Commonwealth as other places have felt and the Lord grant that we who in this kind have already found so much may not yet feel much more Purest Primitive times have been defiled with them The darkest and blindest times have talked much of such visions In the times of in-breaking light and Reformation still a great noise of Revelation But for our better settling in the Truth know that Revelation we acknowledge and humbly blesse God