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	faith_n	see_v	1,837	5	3.4858	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A31403	The Gospel preached to the Romans, in four sermons two on the 5th of November, and two on the 30th of January, 1680 / by John Cave ...	Cave, John, d. 1690.	1681 (1681)	Wing C1583; ESTC R17526	41,434	109

any other Figure than that which they used when they denoted absolute Universality by Romanus Orbis and Romanum Imperium and made Romanitas to signify the whole World only that which they called Barbaria excepted Romana Dominatio i. e. Humani Generis saith Florus 2. Another Mark of the Church is Antiquity which they much glory in as if theirs were truly antient and ours a novel upstart Religion Notwithstanding our learned Writers have abundantly shewed not only when the Errors we protest against were not in the Church but the particular time and occasion of the commencement of many of them tho not a few of those Tares were sown in the most ignorant and sleepy Ages and brought forth by such gradual Alterations that they might not so easily be discerned in their Productions and Progress as in their Maturity but this is besides our present undertaking which was only to shew that this Pretence also was a great support of Gentilisme * Si longa aetas authoritatem Religionibus conciliat servanda est tot saeculis Fides sequendi sunt nobis parentes qui secuti sunt saeliciter suos Symmachi Ep. ad Theod. Its Orators and Advocates upon all occasions set forth the Antiquity of their Rites and Ceremonies and the Innovations of Christianity Where was your Religion before Luther say the Papists to us and where was yours before Jesus of Nazareth said the Pagans to the first Christians When † Acts 17.19 St. Paul preached the Gospel at Athens the Philosophers there asked in Scorn What the new Doctrine was whereof he spake and the Historian calls the Christians Christianos genus hominum novae maleficae superstitionis Tacit. Annal. lib. 15. Bellarm. lib. 4. de Not. Ecclesiae cap. 4. Men of a new and mischievous Superstition 3. A third Mark of the Church which they think suits theirs very well is a Power of Working Miracles we cannot yield that this is a perpetual visible Note of the true Church as is pretended Miracles indeed are the clearest Evidences of Divine Truth and Authority and the most immediate Credentials of Heaven Our blessed Saviour attested his Divinity and the Truth of his Gospel thereby and in the Churches Infancy gave his Apostles the same Power of confirming their Doctrine but many good Reasons have been given to shew that there is not the same need and use of them now as then there was and how far the Devil by the Agility and Subtilty of his Nature may impose upon the Senses of Men and puzzle them with strange Appearances I shall not now enquire nor endeavour to refute the pretence of the Romanists in this kind by discovering the Vanity and Extravagancy of their lying Legends only to be named in a place and time fitter for Laughter and Disport than this wherein we are Nor shall I stay to shew how little cause they have to boast of this Faculty if they were more expert in it than indeed they are Seeing our Saviour and his Apostles have prophesied of the latter times that in a general Apostacy from the Faith Great Wonders should be wrought Mat. 24.24 able to deceive if it were possible the very Elect and that those especially who would not receive the Love of the Truth thro' an effectual working of Satan 2 Thess 2.9 10 11. in lying Wonders and strong Delusions should be brought to believe Lies But my Business here also is to shew that the Heathens talked as much and upon as good Grounds of this Gift of Miracles as they do it is well known how famous Pythagoras was for it in the Writings of Porphyry and Apollonius Tyaneus in those of Philostratus and Hierocles Histor lib. 4. besides what is said of Vespasian by Tacitus and those wonderful Manifestations of the Divine Power and Presence in the Roman Armies which Balbus boasted of Lib. 2. de nat Deorum p. 27. yea the idle and rediculous Reports of the frequent removals of the Chappel of Loretto from one Country and from one Place to another by invisible Hands in its most creditable Appearance seems to be but the counter-part of a Heathenish Wonder That I mean of the Temple of Diana's removal out of the Isle of Zazinthus unto Saguntum in Spain as it is related by Pliny 4. Another Mark of the Church with them is outward Splendor and Temporal Prosperity of which we read nothing in Scripture and it agrees much better with the Condition of Paganism and Mahumetanism than this of Christianity The Roman Orator Cicer. Orat. de Haruspic from the flourishing Greatness the many Victories and Triumphs of that Empire infers the Truth and Goodness of its Religion and the Idolatrous Jews will not be put out of conceit with their abominable Superstitions because they prospered and fared well in them Jer. 44.17 We will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth out of our Mouth to burn Incense to the Queen of Heaven and to pour out Drink-Offerings to her as we have done we and our Fathers our Kings and our Princes in the Cities of Judah and in the Streets of Jerusalem But why so resolute and obstinate in your way Why Because we have this Catholick Argument that we are in the right outward Plenty Health and Prosperity as it follows for then had we plenty of Victuals and were well and saw no evil I might here add That the Heathens have the same plea with them for uninterrupted Continuance Number and Variety of Professors but I forbear this because it is no reproach to true Christians that they are a little Flock seeing we are assured by Scripture Testimony that the whole World in a manner lies in Wickedness I proceed to examine the Popes pretended Titles of Supremacy and Infallibility It hath been observed that old Babel who was the Foundress of Idols and the Mother of all Heathenish Superstitions was the first Pattern in the World of ambitious Dominion And 1. For the Supremacy of our new and mystical Babel it seems to derive from that Lordship Mark 10.42 which was exercised by those that ruled over the Gentiles And indeed that Authority which the Historian attributes to the Pontifex Maximus may suit new Rome Dionys Halic Ant. Rom. l. 2. as well as old The High Priests have great power among the Romans and are the Lords and Controllers of their most important Affairs they decide all Religious Controversies between the Commonalty the Magistracy and the Ministry they call all Magistrates and Priests to account for the exercise of their Authority And what follows in the same Author shews in how great repute they were 2. For their Infallibility 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. They determine all Differences relating either to Traditional or Novel Customs in Religion I know the Papists would fain parallel the Infallibility of their Chair with that of Moses and endeavour to confirm it by a seeming Parity of Reason in their case with that of the Jews