Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	authority_n	church_n	infallible_a	2,088	5	9.4927	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85420	Twelve considerable serious cautions, very necessary to be observed, in, and about a reformation according to the Word of God. Wherein diverse particular inconsistences with the word of God, very incident to reformations (so called) are briefly insisted upon, and argued from the Word of God. / By John Goodvvin, an unworthy servant of God in the Gospel of his deare son.	Goodwin, John, 1594?-1665.	1646 (1646)	Wing G1211; Thomason E322_31; ESTC R200586	8,524	10

gratifying inriching the strong and those that think they know all things to the grieving anguishing afflicting of those that are weak and not able to see this Name of Mysterie written in the forehead of it according to the Word of God It is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth or is offended or is made weak Hast thou Faith have it to thy self before God c. a But when ye sin so against the Brethren and wound their weak conscience ye sin against Christ Wherefore if meat make my Brother to offend I will eat no flesh whilest the world standeth lest I make my brother to offend b Therefore that Reformation which shall tread and trample under foot the weak and tender consciences of the Brethren for whom Christ dyed like clay and mire in the streets taking no pity nor compassion on them that it may recompence the contrivers of it with flesh to eat and wine to drink and make their faces to shine in the world is doubtlesse no Reformation according to the Word of God except it be the word of the God of this world Caution 9 Ninthly that Reformation which the Word of God will own as conform to it must take heed either of gathering or scattering with Satan and be carefull to do both the one and the other both to gather and to scatter with Christ must be a tender and nursing-mother unto all not a bloody cruel stepmother to any the Churches of Christ He that is not with me saith Christ is against me and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad c And the Apostle Paul Besides those things that are without that which cometh upon me daily the care of ALL the Churches Therefore that Reformation which is so far from taking care for all the Churches of Christ that it cannot subsist with any tolerable contentment without the dissolution and ruine of many of these Churches those of the most Apostolical Christian building is no Reformation according to the Word of God except the Word of God be divided against it self and destroyeth that which it buildeth up Some impeach that Reformation which gathereth Churches out of Churches as a Reformation over which the Scripture rejoyceth not nor yet countenanceth And do these men think that yet it will rejoyce over or countenance such a Reformation which scatters and ruines Churches of Christ into no-churches at all and that saith to the Saints sweetly combined in Church-fellowship and walking together with love and peace in the ways and worship of the true God Be ye scattered into the four winds of the heavens and go and serve other Gods Caution 10 Tenthly that Reformation which glorieth as being according to the word of God must not be partiall or a respecter of persons must not absolve the lesse and condemne the more innocent I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect Angels that thou observe these things without preferring one before another {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} doing nothing by partiality b My brethren have not the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ the Lord of glory with respect of persons c Therefore that Reformation wch justifieth those who professe they know God but deny him and that most notoriously in works but falls heavie upon those who make no such hypocriticall profession but rather ingenuously professe and acknowledge their doubts scruples in things appertaining to the knowledge of God and withall are far more regular and Christian-like in their conversation holds no other then a diametral correspondence with the word of God For doubtless he that saith he beleeves that there are three persons and one God and yet gives demonstrative testimonies or be it but strong presumptions against himselfe that he indeed and in truth neither beleeves the one nor the other is a far greater offender and consequently deserves a far greater punishment then hee who beleeving neither professeth accordingly Therefore that Reformation which shall punish men and that with greater severity not for not beleeving but for not professing to beleeve or for professing not to beleeve that which indeed they do not beleeve and shall connive at or passe over with some light censure those that shall abuse heaven and earth with their dissimulation in this kind and shall only say or professe that they beleeve so or so though it be as cleare at the Sun that they indeed and in truth beleeve no such thing Such a Reformation I say that shal be thus importunely and unconscionably partiall holds no good quarter with the word of God Caution 11 Eleventhly that Reformation which pretends to that badge of honor of being a Reformation according to the word of God must not seek to advance and lift up it selfe in the world by unrighteousnes by speaking evill especially untruly and against its own conscience of the Saints servants of the most high God Put them in mind saith the Apostle to speak evill of no man to be no brawlers but gentle shewing all meeknesse unto all men a The Cretians are alwayes liers evill beasts flow bellies b c. Yee shall not steale nor deale falsly nor lie one to another c For he said Surely they are my people children that will not lie e Lie not one to another f c. But if yee have bitter envying and strife in your hearts glory not and lie not against the truth g But the fearfull and unbeleeving and all liers shall have their part in the take which burneth with fire and brimstone c h Therefore if any thing be vero verius more true then truth it self true it is in this degree that that Reformation which shal take Satans office out of his hand and turn accuser of the brethren love all devouring words i that shal not spare the names or reputations of those who are as the Apple of Gods own eye whom he seeks to commend unto the world as glorious in their generation and more excellent then their neighbours and witnesses of the truth but shall consult with the powers of darknes oracles of hell by what calumnies reproaches slanders untruths to set the world on fire with hatred and indignation against them yea and shall still oleum addere camino write book upon book book upon book now a Treatise then a Treatise to grind all the credit and interest that such men have in the world to powder and all this to make it selfe a footstool whereby to ascend into its throne a Reformation I say that seeks to build it self an house with such polluted stones as these certainly doth not build with God nor God with it The word of God knowes no such art of building as this Caution 12 Twelfthly and lastly A Reformation that would not be flattered and yet be stiled A Reformation according to the word of God must give leave to the wind to blow where it listeth and give liberty to the Spirit of God to do with his own what he pleaseth to make what discoverie of truth he pleaseth and to what persons and when and where he pleaseth and must not confine him to his market or compel him to traffique only with Councels and Synods for his heavenly commodities The wind bloweth where it lusteth c a Friend I doe thee no wrong take that which is time own and go thy way I will give unto this last as much as to thee Is it not lawfull for me to doe as I will with mine own Is thine eye evill because I am good b And after six dayes Iesus taketh unto him Peter and Iames and Iohn so that the major part of the twelve were passed by in this dispensation carrieth the up into an high mountain alone his shape was changed before them and his rayment did shine c. c Therefore that Reformation which asserts the authority of Councels Synods Assemblies major parts of men as infallible against the light judgement apprehensions either of particular Churches or men or that restrains the Ministers of the Gospel from declaring unto men the whole counsel of God and in some things the truth of the counsel of God concerning their salvation that condemns as hereticall the works writings tenets of sober learned pious and conscientious men onely because an inconsiderable number of men for so is the number of 100 200 300 in comparison of those that are judicious learned and pious in a great and flourishing Kingdome imagines it may be only dreams them to be inconsistent with the Scriptures or that shall subject the world and indeed the glory of God himselfe to such hard and miserable terms as that men shall not publickly reap or tast of the pretious fruit of the gifts parts knowledge wisdome learning which God hath liberally bestowed upon many thousands in a nation but only according to discretion and at the allowance of a very small parcell of men and those it may be not of the greatest abilities neither for discerning when either the Alcoran of the Turks or the Missall of the Papists shall appeare to be according to the word of God then may such a Reformation as this hope to partake of the same honour also FINIS In nomine Domini incipit omne malum Esa. 36. 10. John 19. 7. James 1 20. a Mica 2. 7. b Jer. 15. 16. a 2 Cor. 13. 8 b Act. 5. 28. 40. c Acts 10. 15. d Joh. 4. 21. a 1 Cor. 11. 1. b Heb. 8. 5. c Gen. 30. 38 39. To violate an abominable and accursed oath out of conscience unto God is an holy and blessed perjury d Mar. 19. 5. a 1 Tim. 3. 2 3. b 2 Tim. 2 24 25. a Rom. 14. 21 22. b 1 Cor. 8. 12 13. c Mat. 12 30. 1 Sam. 26. 19. b Tim. 5. 24. c Iam. 2. 1. a Tit. 3. 2. b Tit. 1. 12. c Lev. 6. 11. e Esa. 63. 8. 8. f Coloss. 3. 9. g Iam. 3. 14. h Rev. 21. 8. i 1 Psal. 52. 4. a Iohn 3. 8. b Matth. 20. 13 14. c Mark 9. 2. 3.

Twelve considerable serious CAUTIONS VERY NECESSARY to be observed in and about a REFORMATION according to the Word of God Wherein diverse particular inconsistences with the word of God very incident to Reformations so called are briefly insisted upon and argued from the Word of God By JOHN GOODVVIN an unworthy servant of God in the Gospel of his deare Son Beware of false Prophets which come to you in sheepes cloathing c. Mat. 7. 15. Judge not according to the appearance but judge righteous judgement Joh. 7. 24. Beware of men for they will deliver you up to the Councells and scourge you in their Synagogues Mat. 10. 17. Adulterum est impium est sacrilegum est quicquid humano furore insutuitur ut dispositio divina violetur Cypr. ep. l. 1. ep. 8. LONDON Printed by M. S. for Henry Overton and are to be sold at his Shop in Popes-head Alley 1646. Cautions necessary to be observed in and about a Reformation according to the word of God IN the Name of God begins all that is bad was the complaint of many in the dayes of Popery And if men be carnal and unworthy in their end the Machiavillian directs them Agant sua vota sub illo let them take the Name of God and of Religion to make a covering for their nakednesse There is none like to this Am I now come up saith Rabshakeb without the Lord against this land to destroy it The Lord said unto me Go up against this land and destroy it The Jewes pretended they had a law meaning from God himself for the putting his own Son Jesus Christ God blessed for ever to death Wee have a Law and by our Law he ought to die even as some men now have a Reformation and that from God or according to the word of God by which the faithfullest servants of God ought to be molested and the light of the purest worship of God put out But if the hot-pressers of Reformation in these dayes have not an heart and an heart but are regular single and sincere-ended in their motions and really intend and desire to make all things according to the pattern in the Mount I mean according to the word of God the most unquestionable and least-ensnaring clause in all that solemn covenant which they adore as if it were {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the contrivement of God and not of man they shall consult this honour and a name of Integrity to themselves for ever in this noble enterprise if they will be carefull to advance by the way of these Cautions following but if they shall especially willingly and knowingly and most of all if consultedly digresse and sin against them as the Lord liveth the soule and spirit of their designe is no Reformation according to the word of God no nor yet according to the example of the best reformed Churches but accorcording to the exigency of secular interests and the inspiration of the accommodations and good things of this world Caution 1 First they who intend a Reformation according to the word of God must take heed of admitting human passions into their consultations For as in James his Divinity the wrath of man worketh not the righteousnesse of God i subjects a man to an incapacity of doing that which is truly agreeable unto his will so is it as true of other distempers also as of envie covetousnesse ambition c. neither do any of these much lesse all them in conjunction work the righteousnesse of God in this sense but are as hostages given to Satan to secure him that they mean no ill to him or his kingdome The tenor nature and frame of the word of God are of a pregnant antipathy against all these and such like inordinacies in the hearts of men and are bent with an high hand to oppose and contradict all their motions actings and proceedings whatsoever Therefore most certain it is that such a Reformation which is calculated for the meridian of these or any of them and the face of it set either for the molestation of such persons with whom we are offended or whose honor or peace we envie or for the enriching or exalting our selves in the world is not cannot be according to the word of God No man ever made hoops or bowes of timber that was streight according to the naturall growth or streightnesse of it but were fain to use art or force or both to destroy these to make those commodities Caution 2 Secondly a Reformation according to the word of God must not be obstructive much lesse destructive to the comfort and peace of the children and servants of God who worship him in Spirit and Truth Do not my words saith God himselfe by his Prophet a do good to him that walketh uprightly Therefore what Reformation soever grieveth the soule and makes sad the Spirit of the generality of those in a land who walk uprightly in the sight of God it is a certain signe and evidence against it that it is quite besides and not according to the word of God And if the inward and essentiall frame or constitution of the word of God be such as to make it the joy and rejoycing of the heart of godly ones b doubtlesse whatsoever is either acted or projected in conformity to it must needs hold the like correspondence with them Never was it heard to this day that a Reformation according to the word of God was ever burdensome or grievous to the most considerable part of religious persons amongst whom it was advanc'd or set up Caution 3 3ly They who desire to reform according to the word of God must beware of putting any such ingrediēt into their reformatiō wch is or is like to be obstructive to the course of the Gospel or to the propagation of the truth amongst men We can do nothing saith the Apostle against the truth but for the truth a meaning that neither he nor any of his fellow-Apostles had any power or authority from God to act any thing in prejudice to the truth or to the suppression or hindering the out-goings of that into the world And 2 Thes. 3. 1. he desires the Thessalonians to pray for him that the Word of the Lord may run or have free course and be glorified even as it was with them Therefore certo certiùs such Reformers who say unto men excellently gifted by God and affectuously inclin'd by God and ardently desired of men for the work of the Ministery Preach not in that Name b except you will preach in our name also except you will acknowledge in us a power to give you leave to preach and a power to restrain you from preaching and be willing to receive neither you nor we can tell what by our imposition of hands upon you such Reformers I say the second time that calculate and modell their reformation upon such terms that either the precious souls of thousands must