Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	apostle_n	believe_v	word_n	2,728	5	4.1658	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77240	The marks of the apocalyptical beast, plainly decyphered and the danger of having communion with him clearly discovered. The testimony of a reverend and learned divine concerning the following treatise. As to the treatise, Mr. - and I have perused it carefully; and not to speak to please, but as the thing is, it is very clear, strong, and useful, and very fit to open the eyes of those Papists whom God hath a favour to: I wish the nation enjoyed it, being it is so solid, short, and fitted for good.	Bagshaw, Edward, 1629-1671.	1667 (1667)	Wing B418A; ESTC R203034	15,160	19

Saviour expresly affirmeth that he gave his flesh Joh. 6.51 i. e. his humane Nature for the life of the World and nothing can be more undeniable than that excellent Argument of a Divine Writer Heb. 9.13 14. If the blood of Bulls and of Goats doth sanctifie to the purifying of the Flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ who by the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot unto God purifie our Conscience from dead works The shedding of that blood which was the price paid for the satisfaction of sin being abundantly sufficient to merit forgiveness for millions of worlds because the Mortal Nature which suffered by its Union with the Divine was of Infinite and Incomparable Value If then the Beast shall dare to extenuate and lessen it by pretending that some part of the Ransome is yet unpaid and that he hath power by his Indulgences to add something to it this must needs bee a Blasphemy of the highest kinde because it is in effect to say that the Son of God did not finish the work for the full performing of which Heb. 10.5 10 14 a Body was prepared him 3. Those that dwell in Heaven are the Angels and the departed Saints who are then Blasphemed when any thing is ascribed or done to them which were they now on Earth they would not dare to own Thus when the men of Lystra who had the excuse of an amazing Miracle to justifie them did prepare to offer Sacrifice unto Paul and Barnabas we read that those blessed Apostles did rent their cloathes Act. 14.14 2 Kings 18 37. Mat. 26.65 which was usual in the cases of Blasphemy and shews what Opinion they conceived of that Action So when our Evangelist perhaps onely in a pious gratitude for such great discoveries would have fallen down at the Angels feet to Worship him The Angel in a kinde of sacred horror forbad him Revel 19.10 saying See thou dost it not for I am thy fellow-Servant Worship God And a greater than hee even the Son of God himself yet appearing in the forme of an Angel would not have Sacrifice offered to him Jud. 13.16 but saith hee to Manoah If thou wilt offer a Burnt-Offering thou must offer it to the Lord If therefore Sacrifice and Adoration was not at all pleasing to those blessed Spirits upon Earth 1 Pet. 2.5 Heb. 13.15 we cannot think but Prayer and Praise which are a Christians Sacrifice and other acts of Divine Worship must needs be accounted by them as Blasphemous now they are in Heaven For they have not altered their minds nor are they now lesse zealous of Gods Honour than when they did on Earth express their utmost abhorrence of what-ever did but seem to intrench upon it So that to summe up all the parts of this first Mark together for a sinful man to assume the prerogative and incommunicable properties of God to lessen the Invaluable Merits and Satisfaction of our Lord Christ and to injoyn undue honour unto Saints and Angels such as were they now on earth they would detest these all are Blasphemies of the grossest nature which who-ever belcheth forth he is the Beast we are commanded to beware of Secondly Another Marke and that no little one Mark 2 by which the Beast may be known is the numberless number of his followers even the whole Earth saith the Text Rev. 13.3 with 17.8 or All that dwell upon the Earth whereby is not meant every individual person throughout the world but as is afterwards explained Every Tribe and Tongue and Nation That is All the Professors of Christianity throughout the world except the Elect Mat. 24.24 Rev. 17.8 Rev. 13.7 Rev. 12.17 or They whose Names are written in the Book of Life These are called the Saints or the seed of the Woman i. e. the Sons and Daughters of the true Church Whom the Dragon persecuted Who keep not the Traditions of men but the Commandements of God and in direct opposition to the Usurpations of Anti-Christ do hold the Testimony of Jesus Who in comparison of that vast Rout or rather Heard which Worship the Beast are stiled a little Flock left as it were Luke 12.32 to humane view altogether Naked and Defenceless in the midst of many fierce and ravening Wolves Rev. 11.7 by whom they are no sooner discovered but they are hunted taken and slain Which General delusion and raging madness of the Bestal crew together with the distressed condition of the Lambs company must needs even in the eye of common Reason make those swelling Titles of Universality Visibility Pomp and Extent of dominion very unsafe and most unfit to plead as signs of the true Church since during the whole time of the Beasts Reign they are applicable onely unto his Followers If any ask how it was possible for the world professing themselves as they did to be Christians to become so stupid Rev. 5.6 and senseless as instead of the Lamb Christ Jesus to shew a Tyrannical and outragious Beast his greatest Enemy in answer to this we must consider that from the first moment wherein the Beast was invested in his Soveraignty there was universally conceived a slavish dread of his Power which made the over-awed and captivated world to cry out who is like unto the Beast Rev. 13.4 who is able to warre with him For if those of Samaria were exceedingly afraid of Jehu 2 Kings 10.4 and thought they reasoned well when they said Behold two Kings stood not before him how then shall wee stand How much less able then were any to resist the Beasts encroachments who had ten Horns i. e. Ten Kings his Vassals Revel 17.12 13. that owned him for their Head and tamely gave up their Authority to be disposed of and ordered by him But besides this Argument from Force and Fear which alone had been sufficient to enslave the world there were two other causes which did concur to make the spiritual Thraldome plausible and universally taking 1. There was a willingness in the world to bee deceived as the Israelites being many years accustomed to the taste of Mannah though it was bread of Heaven Ps 105 40 Psa 78.24 25 and food for Angels began to loath it so did the World grow weary of the plainness of Truth which made God in his just judgement give them up to be acted by a Spirit of Errour 2 Thes 2.10 12 Joh. 7.18 1 Cor. 13.6 So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 52.3 because they loved not the Truth saith the Apostle but had pleasure in unrighteousness or in falsehood as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 often signifies Men having then their Ears open to receive and their mindes ready to believe a Lye and offering themselves as a willing Prey to every one that would but take pains to cozen them 2. To this propensity and readiness which was in the world for the embracing of any kinde of Errour there was

not wanting the Vigilance and care of a False-Prophet to promote and preach it Rev. 16.13 Who being twin with the Ten-horned Beast rising out of the Earth at the same time Rev. 13.12 and ever present with him used all his craft and industry to enlarge the Beasts Kingdome as being himself a sharer both in the Profit and Power of it And therefore by his false Doctrine which he had power to confirm by Miracles Vers 13,14 he easily perswaded the credulous world to enslave themselves unto the Beast and willingly to receive his Mark and if any refused it Vers 16,17 he caused them to be killed Preaching no doubt as his predecessors did before him concerning the Apostles Joh 16.2 That who so killed them did God good service Which False-Prophet in the usual Scripture Dialect where the frog the Locust Exod. 8.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exo. 10.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Pet. 2. 1 Joh. c. 2 and c. 4 1 Tim. 4.1 2. and the like in the singular Number doth comprehend the whole Species signifies all those False-Teachers which were to arise in the Church whose Doctrine and Manners almost all the Apostles do fully declare It is no wonder then if such vast Multitudes for so many ages ran blindly into pernicious and destructive Errours who being first disposed by themselves unto the love of false-hood were afterwards forsaken by God and had besides many fly and cunning Impostours to lead them farther astray Their Eyes it seems being so dazled with the false Fire Rev. 13.13 which by Miracles came down from Heaven that men were content to forget their way thither and willing to be led to Hell in company But had the world been then awakened as now through the goodness of God some part of it is they would have known that true Doctrine did alwaies precede and give a lustre and credit to Miracles for without their aid Truth alone can maintain its Authority as it did in John Baptists time Joh. 10.41 42 But Miracles without true Doctrine of which the Word of God must be the Touchstone are sometimes suffered by God to try the grounded sincerity of our Obedience See Deut. 13.1 2 Mat. 24.24 25. 2 Thes 2.9 Rev. 13 13 14. and 16.13 14. 19 20 And therefore wee are strictly cautioned that we be not deceived by them So that whenever Miracles are urged in defence of False or Questionable Doctrines they only serve as Evidences to shew that the False-Prophet is at work and the way for setting up the Kingdome of the Beast or the Throne of Anti-Christ is secretly prepraring Thirdly Another Mark Mark 3. and equal in Evidence to any of the former is the time wherein the Beast began not to Be but to Reign Of this is to be understood that Aenigmatical speech of the Angel The Beast which is not although he is Rev. 17.8 Which Phrase as containing some singular sense is repeated twice in one Verse and this seems to be the meaning of it that although the Beast as to some of his parts was then actually in Being and some foundations were already laid for his future greatness as likewise is elsewhere witnessed yet he had not hitherto arrived to his full growth or as the Apostle Pauls Phrase is See 2 Thes 2.6 7 1 Joh. 2.18 4.3 He was not revealed as yet which word revealed when it is applied to the Man of Sin I take to signifie the setting up of his Kingdome and actual exercise of his Soveraignty or the visible displaying of his Power For thus the revealing of Christ is used for his Reigning and that by the Apostle Paul in the same Epistle 1 Pet. 1.7 13. 4.13 2 Thes 1.5 7 where he treats of Anti-Christ what therefore the Apostle John speaks concerning the Beast that Hee is not although hee is amounts to this That though he was in some degree already even at that time as a Poisonous Plant may be said to be as soon as it is sown and hath taken root in the Earth yet he was not come then unto his absolute Dominion which saith he afterward you must then look for when ten Kings Rev 17. 12 13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Thes 2.6 7,8 who are to be his Horns do arise with whom at the very same instant of time the Beast shall begin his Reign This though somewhat more darkly was intimated by the Apostle Paul when he says The Mystery of Iniquity doth already work only that which hindreth shall hinder until he be taken out of the way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then that lawless one shall be revealed Which words the Primitive Christians did generally understand to signifie the Roman Empire Tertul. Apolog c. 32 as Tertullian witnesseth in the name of them all and this made them in all their meetings to pray for the continuance of that Empire that thereby the coming of Anti-Christ and the Desolation to be wrought by him might be prevented For while the Empire of Rome was undivided and in its height of Soveraignty the Beast whose seat was in the City had neither pretence of Plea nor force of Power sufficient to make himself acknowledged as Soveraign there but when that Empire was broken and several Kingdomes did arise out of the Ruines of it all which for the better establishment of themselves did agree to submit unto the Bishop of Rome and to own him as their Head then there was nothing left powerful enough to hinder the Beasts Usurpation The time therefore when these Monarchies or Principalities arose must be carefully enquired after because from thence we must date the beginning of the Beasts reign and Independant Supremacy which was to last from that period of Time even until the coming of Christ See of this 2 Thes 2.8 Dan. 7.21 22. Rev. 16 13-16 19.19 20 21 See Dan. 7 c. 8.20 Dan. 7.25 12.7 Rev. 12.14 Rev. 11.2 3 12.6 13.5 who by the brightness of his personal appearance will finally destroy the Beast and fully plead the cause of his persecuted and cruelly slaughtered Servants against him From what hath been said three things do evidently follow 1. That the Beast is not one Man as some do vainly imagine but a Series or Race of Men succeeding one another in the same Bestial and Blasphemous Government and Titles 2. That the Time Times and half a Time the 42. Months The three years and an half or which is all one account The 1260. Years so often mentioned in Daniel and the Revelation as the precise time limited by God for the duration of the Beasts Dominion must necessarily be understood of Prophetical daies that is taking a Day for a Year as it is in that famous instance of Daniels weeks Dan. 9 Numb 14.34 Ezek. 44 5 6 and more than once elsewhere in Scripture before and this Interpretation as it is usual so it is

Lake which burns with Fire and Brimstone and all such are to be confounded i. e. To perish for ever who serve Graven Images and boast themselves of Idols 5. If they who believe a lye 2 Thes 2 9-12 as that a piece of Bread is turned into the very Body and Blood of the Son of God and have pleasure in such unrighteousness are all to be damned 6. If they who Worship Angels hold not the Head Christ and therefore cannot look for any life from him Lastly If they who in a proud conceit of their own Righteousness either prefer it to or else mingle it with the Righteousness of Christ for Justification do commit the very sin of the Reprobate Jews See Rom. 9 30-32 and 10.3 Gal. 2.21 and 5.4 making the death of Christ in vain and consequently have no Interest in the Redemption purchased by it If I say these things are of that hainous nature as who ever is guilty of any one of them is by the Word of God pronounced Worthy of death then the Papists who besides their bearing the Name of that accursed Beast 2 Pet. 2.1 the Pope do hold all these and many more such destructive Heresies are certainly in a state desperately and deplorably dangerous and for any to teach otherwise it is to speak peace and Pity where the mouth of the Lord hath not spoken it For us therefore who through the infinite goodness of God have escaped the snare to have any Church Fellowship or to seek Reconciliation with them it is not onely ingratefully to slight the Mercy of our deliverance but foolishly if not impiously to sell the Truth or rather to betray it into the hands of its most prejudiced hardened and implacable enemies Let them therefore in the Words of God by the Prophet to back-slidden Israel Jer. 15.19 Return to us by renouncing their Blasphemies forsaking their Idolatries and with-drawing their Obedience from that Beast they serve but let not us return to them by parting with one Iota of Scripture-Truths Rev. 18.4 Deut. 7.25 26. and 13 18 19. Levit. 14.44 Rev. 18.23 24. least by partaking in their sins we become likewise sharers in their Plagues and by touching the accursed thing do make our selves a Curse and incur that guilt which still cleaves like an incurable Leprosie unto that Idolatrous and bloody City of Rome Against which City God hath formerly sent the Goths and Vandals and other Executioners of his Vengeance to scrape and to pare and to cleanse her filth out of her but she is now returned to her Trade again still Worshipping Devils and Idols Rev 9.20 21. and not repenting of her Fornications Witch-crafts and Murders It remains therefore Heb. 6.8 that like the Barren Earth which having oft been Rained upon brings forth onely Briars and Thorns she is nigh to a curse and her end is to be burnt with fire This glorious spectacle Rev. 18 ib. v. 20 Rev. 6.10 11 Rev. 11.17 18 2 Tim. 2.10 11 Rev. 20.4 6 Rev. 22 20 Cant. 8.14 though worldly-spirited men will lament and tremble at the sight of yet the Heavens and the blessed Inhabitants of them are commanded to rejoyce at For which the Souls of the Martyred Saints that are already under the Altar and all their Brethren who are yet witnessing in the Wilderness do earnestly pray as being then to receive a full Reward for their labours and to Reign with Christ for whom they suffered Even so come Lord Jesus come quickly POST-SCRIPT THough a Doctrine which is built upon and confirmed by the Scriptures the word of God needs not any Testimony from Man for its farther establishment yet because this Truth comes forth at this time without a Name and some of the Protestant-Readers may possibly suspect it to be New and not agreeable unto the Judgement of our Reformed Churches the Authour therefore of the foregoing Treatise hath thought fit to adde that he hath delivered nothing for substance but what is exactly consonant not only unto the Scripture but unto that Interpretation of it which the most Learned and Judicious of our Protestant Writers have already given And this was thought so clear a Truth in former times that this Article The Pope is Anti-Christ hath been put into most of the Publick Confessions of Faith of the several Churches And in our own Church hee thinks it still is but he is assured it was till of very late years the Judgement of almost all that were of any Reputation either for Religion or Learning It were easie to exscribe their Words and Arguments but I shall content my self with the Testimony of One whose imcomparable Learning and Piety together with the eminent Place and Authority hee enjoyed may serve either to make his words to bee received or at least mine not over forwardly condemned It is the Reverend Dr. Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh Pag 438. who in his Catechisme writes thus As Christ is the Head of the Church which is his Body so Anti-Christ is the Head of the Romish Church which is his Body Quest Who is that Anti-Christ Answ He is one who under colour of being for Christ and under Title of his Vice-gerent exalteth himself above and against Christ opposing himself against all his Offices and Ordinances both in Church and Common-wealth bearing Authority in the Church of God ruling over that City with seven Hills which did bear Rule over the Nations and put our Lord to death A man of Sin a Childe of Perdition a Destroyer establishing himself by lying Mircacles and false Wonders All which MARKS together do agree with none but the POPE of ROME Pag. 439. Quest What is the use of all his Doctrine Answ That whosoever are partakers of the Sins of Rome are also under the same curse c. Quest What farther Answ That there can be no sound Agreement betwixt Popery and the profession of the Gospel no more than betwixt Light and Darkness Falsehood and Truth God and Belial and therefore no RECONCILIATION can be devised betwixt them For if the members of Anti-Christ shall be destroyed we cannot in any sort communicate with them in their Errors unless we will bear them company in their destruction also The Author hath no more to adde but to beg of God that he will own this Work by giving a Blessing to it in this Dark and Cloudy day FINIS