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	know_v	true_a	1,829	5	4.7479	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85121	A plain-dealing, and plain-meaning sermon, preach't in the parish church of St. Nicholas, Bristol, April. 6. 1660. Being the day appointed by the Parliament for publique fasting and humiliation for the sins of the nation, &c. Together with a prefatory epistle, and subsequent vindication both of the sermon, and author. Wherein (besides an apology for home and plain-preaching) you have something offered to allay the heat of thier stomacks, and to temper the tongues of those, who (being ignorant in scripture) reproach and revile Presbytery and Presbyters. With some hints at Satans subtlety, and the mischief of those people, who brand zeal for God and truth (in free, home, and faithfull preaching) with the reproachful names of anger, passion, and railing.	Farmer, Ralph.	1660 (1660)	Wing F443; Thomason E1025_5; ESTC R208684	39,155	50

you one thing According to the usuall apprehension and among us in England what was the office and businesse of a Bishop And what is the office and business of a Presbyter You 'l say the office of a Bishop was to rule and govern for so they did And the office of a Presbyter or Elder is to teach and feed the Flock But now doth the Scripture thus distinguish and put a difference No but if there be any to be found there 't is on the other side the leaf That puts the honour of ruling upon the Presbyters the Elders and the businesse of teaching and feeding upon the Overseers the Bishops 1 Tim. 5.17 The Elders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Presbyters that rule well are worthy of double honour And the Apostle in Acts 20. puts the businesse of feeding one part whereof is teaching upon Bishops For vers 28. Take heed sayes he unto your selves and to all the flocke over which the holy Ghost hath made you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops so in the Greek to feed the Church of God See here you are made Bishops to feed Elders to rule and Bishops to feed So that by this it seems in the Apostles times the Bishop was not the better man But beloved are you willing to know the truth and wil you not kick against it when 't is laid plainly before you Why then know that then in the Apostles time Presbyter and Bishop were all one And that as the before-commended Mr. Lawson hath it whatsoever some of late have said to the contrary Presbyter and Bishop were onely two different words signifying the same Officer And for evidence undenyable do but read the 17. verse of that Chapter Acts 20. and there you shall finde who those persons are whom he calls Bishops or Overseers even the Presbyters the Elders of the Church of Ephesus put both together and it runs clearly thus St. Paul said to the presbyters or Elders of the Church of Ephesus Feed the flocke of God over which the holy Ghost hath made you Bishops I wonder why our last Translators of the Bible did not render it Bishop here but Overseer which they have not done in any other place where this word is used But I know the mysterie and I could give you some account as I have been credibly informed But to be short compare 1 Tim. 3.1,2,3 c. with Titus 1.5,6,7 c. and you shall finde the qualifications of a Bishop and of an Elder or Presbyter to be the same And in that place to Titus if you compare in 5. verse and the 7th you shall finde the Apostle using Elder and Bishop as synonimous signifying the same This is plain the Apostles themselves were not the onely Bishops even in the Apostles times And to close all in this particular let that place 1 Pet. 5. beginning be considered where St. Peter writing to the severall Churches as appears Chap. 1.1 in that 5th Chap. he exhorts the Presbyters or Eldrs to a faithfull discharge of their duty which is a diligent feeding their Flock without lording it over them much lesse over their fellow Elders vers 2 3. of which he professes himselfe to be one in vers 1. The Elders or Presbyters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are among you I exhort who am 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also a Presbyter or Elder a fellow-Presbyter or a Presbyter together with you Feed the flock of God which is among you taking the oversight thereof so we read it but in the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 playing the Bishops or doing the work or businesse of Bishops So that then Bishop and Presbyter both name and thing Title and employment was all one without any domination according to the rule and Canon of their Lord and Master Mar. 10.42 where a request having been made in the behalf of some of his Disciples for domination he calls them to him and sayes Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over Gentiles or Heathens exercise Lordship over them and their great ones exercise authority upon them But so it shall not be among you c. Much more might be said and is said by others in this matter And if any desire further information satisfaction herein let them without prejudice read Mr. Baxters five Disputations of Church-government and worship and there they shall finde these things plainly and truly stated and discussed What then will some say you would have all leveld and equal And you would have every Minister every Presbyter a Pope to domineer and Lord it in his own Parish Friends be not too hasty I do not say so nor would I have it so I would not have all equall all are not fit for every thing I am not of their opinion who say all things requisite to government and discipline in the Church are fully contained I mean punctually and particularly in Scripture Nor do those who say so make it good in their practice nor can they And I say further That opinion hath been the mother and nurse of much schisme and faction I grant that much here must be left to prudence and that not of single or particular Pastors Presbyters or Bishops but to the consideration and determination of the most godly learned grave and able in the Nation to which I would have all to conform If any like it not they are at their liberty Vnity and order is more precious then to be destroyed for the satisfaction of such as will never be satisfied as not well knowing their owne mindes And as for Lordly dominion and Poping it in our Parishes I do professe I do abhor it under every form I as much adhominate a lording Presbyter as a lording Bishop no name title or pretext whatsoever gives us any such authority And I would begge as I do desire that we might be kept to that which shall appear to be our proper businesse which if those of our profession had been England had not been in so sad a condition as it is this day I like not the Scotch Stool of Repentance nor would I have excommunicate persons driven into the Church again by the secular power As by Writs de excommunicato capiendo or the like It may force men to an hypocritical acknowledgment of some kinde of penitence but it cannot produce true repentance I would have Church-censures reach no further nor cut any deeper then their spiritual sword will penetrate I approve not rigid compulsions by the arme of flesh in such things which are the onely work of the spirit as is true and unfeigned repentance Of which if people by constraint make a feigned profession it doth but harden them in their sin and make them impudent which as I have been credibly informed is too manifest in some places of the world notwithstanding the strictnesse of their discipline I would have Church affairs in this respect so managed as if the Civil Magistrate were no friend to Religion farther

reverent person To end with him he tells us These are not times to palliate and speak smooth and soft things Never age had fouler humours or tumours more felt and more painfull more hard and less mollified And sayes No as he would not injure any man or fester the times so he abhorr'd to flatter them which is the greatest injury a Preacher can do to Church and State And now I must confess the subject of my discourse was not of so high a nature nor had I to do with so high an Auditory Nor am I fit for such an undertaking nor have I quoted all this to any such purpose But to let our petty world here at home know that plain free home and as this worthy Doctor phrases it personal preaching is not such a sin as our Ignaro's would make it And that though people be angry with us for such preaching we must not cease to secure our conscience in the faithfull though unpleasing discharge of our duty And good Reader know That as a necessity is laid upon those who are sent to preach So a necessity is likewise laid upon them to deale punctually and particularly with the personall sinnes I don't say naming the persons of those they preach to which if they do they shall be sure to heare on 't If not with persecution of the hand yet with persecution of the tongue And whereas some may say this or that in such or such a Sermon might have been forborn Perhaps we may say so too But if we whom the Lord hath sent to do his work And in our Studies applying our selves unto it having besought the Lord to teach us what to speak and how to speak as may be most for his glory and the peoples good And it be suggested to us that such or such expressions would be most taking or best remembred Our discourse thus and thus clothed in language would be most effectual and conducent to the end intended If we are thus perswaded in our Consciences How shall we refuse it Obj. It may be 't will offend displease some They 'l cavill at it Ans It may be so We hope not We know no reason for it Wee 'l pray they may not But is it a necessary truth Is it usefull and seasonable Is good like to be done by it which is our errand and businesse Must we forbear that which God in our Consciences according to his Word tells us will do some people good because it will offend others Truly friends we Preachers many times offend yea hurt others when we know it not nor ever meant or intended it But is it our fault or theirs We meane the whole Congregation good If any do not understand or mis-understand or mis-interpret or pervert our words or meaning Is it our fault I tell you Sirs this great truth and minde it Much hurt yea more hurt then good is many times nay most times done by our Sermons And we Preachers in that not to be blamed but are accepted of God therein and shall be rewarded It 's a sad word too true to many that we further their damnation by our preaching That one place 2 Cor. 2.14,15,16 ver fully proves all this And whence all this But because people do not heed as they ought what we say Or they don't understand it Or they won't practice it Or which is worst of all they withstand gainsay pervert or wrest it And what must we therefore forbear preaching Must we forbear the truth because they abuse it And perhaps us for it I trow not And let me put another Case It may be God by his Spirit for we hope we are not without his imbreathings and suggestions according to his word convinces and perswades me that such or such a truth as before is very seasonable and usefull And in steps selfe and tells me This truth is teo tart and it may create me trouble I may heare ill and beare ill for speaking it What shall I do in this case Why truly Selfe is sometimes to be hearkned to For we are not to create to our selves trouble unnecessarily But as before it is a truth necessary and seasonable May I for fear forbear it Will you read what one no phanatick or of a factious or turbulent spirit sayes A man of great parts learning and judgement Dr. Jackson Dr. Jackson heretofore President of Corp Christi Colledg in Oxford In his Treatise of Justifying Faith sect 2. cap. 15. pag. 279 Ministers of the Gospel sayes he may deny Christ or manifest their ashamedness of his Gospel as directly by not laying his Law as closely to the great Herods of the world as John Baptist did supposing the case to be as notorious and as well known unto them he meanes the Ministers as Herods was to John Baptist In this case they may as directly deny Christ or be asham'd of his Gospel in not dealing plainly and reproving as if they had been afraid to confesse him for feare of being put out of the Synagogue c. And he says were John Baptists kind of preaching used in many Kingdoms though by such as professe the same Religion with the Potentates whom they should offend with their boldness I think sayes he it would prove matter of Martyrdome in the end And he farther sayes In that any age since Christian Religion was first propagated hath wanted store of Martyrs 't is more to be a tributed unto the negligence ignorance and hypocrisie or want of courage in Christs Ambassadors or appointed Pastors then unto the sincerity mildnesse or fidelity of the Flock especially of the Bel-weathers or chief Ring-leaders And now friend sare we Ministers thus in danger what shall we do Truly we have more need of your pitty and your prayers then your censures and reproaches But jacta est alea It 's better obey God and fear God then men and please God then men Or our selves either for in so doing we shall have peace with him and in our own consciences which is better then all the peace and comforts the world can afford us And therefore we will bear it patiently comfortably But yet because Sathan makes no small advantage of those reproaches that are cast upon the Ministers of the Gospel of which farther in the vindication I shall once more appear in Print though much aginst my purpose to stop the mouth either of prejudice or wilfull calumny or sottish and sleepy ignorance or byast interest which will pervert any thing be it never so innocent and harmlesse And this not without the advice and counsell of some worthy friends and well-wishers who have been very sensible of those unworthy rumours that have bin raised spread by occasion of this ensuing Sermon which I shall now good Reader lay before thee according to mine owne notes and the best I could get of those who noted after me Possibly this trouble might be brought upon me that some may reap benefit by this Sermon or appendant