Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	believe_v	church_n	pillar_n	1,678	5	10.0870	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47283	Ichabod: or, Five groans of the church: Prudently foreseeing, and passionately bewailing her second fall: Threatened by these five dangerous, though undiscerned, miscarriages that caused her first: Viz. [bracket] 1. Undue ordination, 2. Loose prophaness, 3. Unconscionable symony, 4. Careless non-residence, 5. Encroaching pluralities. Humbly presented to her supreme head and governour, the kings most excellent majesty, and his great council, the Parliament of England.; Ichabod.	Ken, Thomas, 1637-1711.	1663 (1663)	Wing K264A; ESTC R22531	49,473	66

Constitution for many happy years or if you will believe all men in England who have by oaths and Subscriptions by Vows and Protestations resolved to maintain the Protestant Religion as it was established in the Church of England who despair any where to find the way of truth and peace of holiness and happiness but in the use of those holy means and in the exercise of those divine graces which accompany salvation within me pro●essed and enjoyed I know nothing excellent in any Church for outward policy inward tranquillity and eternal felicity nothing that was pious or peaceable moral or vertuous ritual or spiritual orderly or comely or any way conducing to truth and holiness to grace or vertue to the souls edification and comfort which was not by me entertained with competent Maintenance noble Encouragements ingenious Honours peac●able Serenity and munificent plenty In which I flourished so many years by Gods gooduesse and mans indulgence Alas whatever I have done in the settlements of the Rites Circumstances and Decencies of Religion I have observed that modesty wisdom and humility that became a Church of Christ in discreetly and ingeniously comp●ying with sober primitive and venerable An●iq●ity in the Church as far as it observed the Rules of Gods Word and went not beyond the liberty allowed it in point of Order and Decency O you are too knowing to be ignorant and too ingenious to be insensible of your duty to God and your respect to me who was hereto●ore so much loved by my Children applauded by my Friends reverenced by my Neighbours feared and envyed by mine Enemies for those spiritual Gifts Ministerial Devotional and Practical which were evidently seen in me those heavely influences which people received from me those gr●cious examples and frequent good works set ●orth by me the blessed experiences men enjoyed within me the charitable simplicities exercised by my members the numerous Assemblies the frequent Devotions the reverent Attentions the unanimous Communions the well-grounded hopes and unspeakable comforts which thousands enjoyed both living and dying in obedience to and communion with me which to impartial men were most impregnant evidences and valid demonstrations of true Religion and a true Church setled by the joynt consent and publick piety of a Christian Nation He was a wise holy and reverend Son of my bosome who said That in the greatest maturity of his Iudgment and integrity of his Conscience when most redeemed from juvenile Fervours popular Fallacies vulgar Partialities and secular Flatteries be declared to the present Age and Posterity that since be was capable to move in so serious a search and weighty a disquisition as that of Religion is as his greatest design was through Gods grace to find out and persevere in such a profession of Christian Religion as hath most of truth and order of power and peace of holiness and solemnity of divine verity and Catholi●k antiquity of true charity and holy constancy So he could not apart from all prejudices and prepossessions find in any other Church or Church-way ancient or modern either more of the good he desired or less of the evil he would avoid then he had a long time disc●rned and upon a stricter scrutiny more and more in the frame and ●or● in the Constitution and Dispensation of the Church of England No where saith he diviner Mysteries no where sounder Doctrinals bolier Morals warmer Devotionals apter Rituals or comlier Ceremonials All which together by a meet and happy concurrence of piety and prudence brought forth such Spirituals and Graces both in their Habits Exercises and Comforts as are the Quintessence and Life the Soul and Seal of true Religion those more immediate and special Influences of Gods holy Spirit upon the Soul those joynt Operations of the blessed Trinity for the Iustification Sanctification and Salvation of a Sinner 1. Can you blame my Government that ancient and Catholick Government of godly Bishops which is so agreeable to Right Reason so suitable to the Principles of due Order and Policy among men so consonant to Scripture-wisdome both in Rules and Patterns so conforme to the Catholick and Primitive way of all Christian Churches throughout all Ages and in all places of the world Would you have me against all charity modesty humility or equity to fall away from the Apostolical way of all Famous Churches and religious Christians to cast off the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nec concili●s in titutum sed semper retentum non nist authoritate Apo●tolica institutum the Apostolici seminis traduces Episcopos that universam sucessionem Episcoporum those successiones ab initis decurrentium Episcoporum that ordinem Episcoporum qui in Iohannem stat Authorem that toto orbe de●retum Shall I not enquire of the former Age and prepare my self to the search of my Fathers for I am but of yesterday and nothing Shall not they teach me and tell me and utter words out of their hearts Shall not I stand in the way and ask for the old way which is the good way and walk therein Would you have me give offence to the whole Christian world which either is or wo●ld be governmed by Bishops as the most Apostolick Primitive and Universal Way Would you have me disown the right succession of the power Ministerial conferred by Episcopal hands unto this day Shall the Jewish Church have the Heads of their Tribes as Bishops and Rulers over their Brethren the Priests and Levites and the Christian Church in imitation of them as in other particulars so in this have their Ap stles Evangelists their Pastors and Teachers without reproach and may no●● O it is certai● e●that what is once well done in a regular publick way is ever after done as to the permanency of that vertue that is alwayes in a great and good example ple shall I lay aside Primitive right Episcopacy which hath s●ch grounds from Scripture both as to the divine wisdom so ordering his ●hurch among the Jews as also by the examPrecept and Direction evident from 〈◊〉 Lord Jesus Christ and the holy Ap●stles in the New Testament who preferred worthy pe●sons for their Piety Zeal and holy Gravity to exercise a christian authority over Ministers and people for their souls good which might consist with charity and humility for the pres●rvation of the Churches peace and purity in the best and primitive times ● such grave persons as for their Age were Fathers for their innocency Saints for industry Labourers for constancy Confessors for zeal Martyrs for charity Brethren for their light Angels and venerable for all Excellencies And I own no other Bishops but such in whom are remarkable the vertues of the most ancient and imitable Bishops the industry of St Austin the Courage of St. Ambrose t●e Devotion of St. Greg●ry the Learning of Nazianzen the Eloq●ence of St. Chryso●tome the Mildness of St. Cyprian the Love of St. Ignatius the Constancy of St. Polycarp the

Noblenesse of St. Basil and those who come neer●st the Apostolical pattern and resemble the most of any Christians or Ministers the Grace and Glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. I●en●eavour that my Bish●ps may be among Christians the most faithful among Men the most civil among Preachers the most painful among Orato● the most perswasive among Governours the most moderate among pious Men the most ●ervent among Professors the most forward among Severe Men the most exact among Sufferers the most p●tient among Perseverants the most constant the most compleat every way and perfect unto every good w●rk These I take care should be duely chosen should be esteemed with honour and reverenced with love My Rule to them is That they should over-rule with vigilance should rule with joynt counsel neither levelled with younger Preachers and Novices nor exalted too much above the Grave and Elder I allow these men an honourable competencie with eminencie wherewith they may exercise a large heart and liberal hand which may conciliare a general respect and deserve the common love My dir●ction to them is that their vertue and piety may preserve the Authority of their places and this in the order peace and digni●y of the Church that they may be the Tou●hst●ne of Truth the Loadstone of Love the Standard of Faith the Pattern of Holinesse the Pillars of Stability and the Centres of Vnity such as the Erroneous may hate the Factious envy good men may love and bad men may fear 2. Can ye blame my Doctrine approved by the Ref●rmed and agreeable with the Primitive Church a doctrine according to godliness teaching●a●l men that denying all ungodli●●ss and worldly ●ust they should live righteously soberly and godly in this present world 3. Doe you find fault with my Devotion in the Publick worship of God by Confession prayers praises Psalms and other holy Oblations of a Rational and Evangelical service offered up to our God by the joint piety of all my children the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Communi Oratio where nothing is expressed as my mind which I thought not agreeable with the mind of Gods spirit in the Scripture nor do I know any part of it to which a judicious Christian might not in Faith s●y Amen taking the expressions of it in that pious and benign sense which the Church intended and the words may well bear Indeed the whole composure of my Li●urgy is in my judgement so wholesome so holy so compleat so discreet so devout so useful so savoury so well-advised that I find nothing in the eighteen Li●urgies composed in the Eastern and Western Church that is excellent but is in this of mine and many things which are less clear or necessary in them are better expressed or wisely omitted here the whole being so ordered as might best inform all peoples understandings stir up their affections and quicken their devotions in a wholesome form of sound words such as Moses David the Prophets and the Lord Jesus left behind them solemnly recorded in the Scriptures So that according to the primitive care I first laid down Scripture grounds in the Creeds and Confessions and then I enlarged and fixed my Lyturgies and devotions as near as I could to the majesty 〈◊〉 and exactness unanimity and fulness of publick prayers upon all holy publick occasions so plainly that the devout soul knows well what it should desire of God and so affectionately that it earnestly desires in it what it knoweth God alloweth and so uniformly that it peaceably goeth along with the Congregation with one mind and one heart in the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace 4. Is it the Rites and Ceremonies I impose that displease you Alas I find the God of Heaven which we worship in England enjoyning more Ceremonies on his own people and forbidding no holy custome to any Christians in order to advance the decency and order of his service or Christ●stians mutual edification and joint devotion under the Gospel Our blessed Saviour hath by his spirt guiding the pens and practises of the Apostles sufficiently manifested the power and liberty given the Church and the Governours of it for the choice and use of such decent customes Rites and Ceremonies not as divine institutions upon the consciences but as humane injunctions upon the practises as agree with godly manners and the truth of the Gospel and may best serve for order de●ency peace solemnity and mutual edification of Christians agreed upon by publick consents in which every ones vote is personally or vertually included It 's true as the Lyturgy so the Ceremonies have something of Rome in them for to deal plainly I did freely and justly assert to my own use and Gods glory whatever upon due tryal I found to have the stamp of Gods truth and grace or the Churches wisdome and charity upon it I would not refuse any good I found amongst them because i● was mixed with some evil but trying all things I held fast that which was good beingintent upon the great ends of p●ety devotion and charity It 's true I enjoyn my people an inward worship of soul in sp●ri● and in truth before God but withal I enjoyn outward worship of the body which is but a reasonable service to God 〈…〉 the body exemplary and significan● before men in such habits an● gestures as ma● 〈◊〉 co●●uce by the advice of the whole Church for the private spirit of the prophets in th●●● things ought to be subject to the p●blick spirit of the Pr●●hets to reverence devotion and e●i●i●ation in knowing ●umble meek and q●iet spirits righ●●y discerning the innocent nature of such things not prohibited and so indifferent and the Christian liberty allowed to them to use those things indifferent when commanded and to la● them a side when not commanded However let the many Obligations to unity by the true Faith you jointl● professe give you more satisfaction then the occasions of dividing the Ceremonies in which you differ give you offence so that you may not upon so small occasions in such small m●tters sacrifice to your private passion and perswasion the publick peace and prosperity of the Church esp●cially since I never heard of any sober Christian or truely godly Minister who being in other things prudent unblameable and sincere did ever suffer any check of conscience meerly upon the account of having been conformable to and keeping communion with me nor did they ever complaine of Ce●emoni● Lyturgy and Episcopacy as any damps to their real graces or to their holy communion with Gods blessed Spirit but admired them as the united influence the joynt consent the combined devotion of all good Christians in this Nation who publickly agreed with one mind and in one manner to serve the Lord in a way allowed by the most pious of Princes practised by the best Nobility owned by the wisest Gentry maintained by the most learned Clergy and embraced by the

converted ten thousand Ministers with one glance of his eye Ah blessed Hammond thou didst write rationallie excellent Gauden thou didst perswade powerfullie devout Taylor thou didst urge patheticallie honest Nicholson thou didst answer satisfactorilie solid Sanderson thou didst 〈◊〉 clearly holy Vsher and Hall you did offer moderatelie heartily and learnedly But who O ye worthies believed your report who would hear you who was convinced by you The King is restored I flourish and dispose of all Preferments and my Converts are innumerable Well I have but two Wishes the first is That all who have gone astray may be reclaimed to the way of truth the second is That all who are reclaimed may be reclaimed from mature deliberation and a serious consideration of all that can be alleadged on all hands trying all things and upon good grounds holding fast that which is good Give me the men who conform upon the conscience of my principles and not upon the prosperity of my Cause who can neglect the most successful errour and own the most afflicted truth who are settled upon my principles which are constant and not upon my preferments which are uncertain Is it the Kings Majesties favour they depend upon he may fail Is it the Church-Government they depend upon that may fail Is it Church-encouragement they stick to that may fail Is it the ancient Truth and Faith they comply with that hath never failed and that will never fail Give me Ministers who as they preach so live upon the things which are not seen and not the things which are seen the things which are seen are temporal the things which are not seen eternal And must I have a Samaritan of Religion serve the true God in the Temple and the Calves at Bethel Must I have a sound form of words in the Desk and an extempory effusion in the Pulpit must I have the same man read Episcopally to walls and preach factiously to a throng use the Ceremonies and say to his confidents They are a burden to him use the Surplice yet unwilling to give offence use the Crosse in B●ptism yet say I wish it were forborn Well I shall never forget the words of a wise and judicious Father now with God They themselves meaning the Non conformists when time was seemed to be and if they dissembled not which we are unwilling to believe were indeed reasonable well affected for they submitted to Government used the ●●t●rgie and observed the Ceremonies appointed according to Law and order and gave their own professed approbation of the same as well by express words from their mouths as by subscription under their hands yet remaining upon record what hath wrought this change in them evidence of reason or worldly interest and how f●r it hath wrought upon them in reality or but in complyance and in what order too by immediate assault upon their judgment or by dealin● under hand first with their affection themselves do or should best know It highly conce●neth them as much as the peace of their consciences are worth and much more then so to be well assured that their hearts are upright in this affair and in order thereunto not to content themselves with slight and overly examination there is more wickedness and deceitfulness in the hearts of all men then most men are aware of but to make the more diligent distr●ct and impartiall search possible into the true Causes and Motives of this Change and for so much as fears and hopes have been ever found the fittest engines to work such seats to enquire particularly what influence or opperation either the fear of loosing what they had or the hope of getting more might have in this work towards the producing such an effect ●t will best become others to judge as charitably as they may but doubtlesse it will be safest for them to be very jealous over themselves lest so great a Change could not have been wrought in so short a space without a strong infusion of the one or of the other or both into the Medicine that wrought it especially since the conjuncture of time wherein this change happened may very probably raise some suspition that a visible hope and advantage had some co-operation at lest with whatsoever was the principal cause of this so sudden an alteration If not so nor so but that they find themselves clearly convinced in their judgements of their former errour and that they are fully perswaded that they are now in a better way then that wherein they formerly walked it is happy for them and I doubt not but that they will fi●de matter of rejoycing in it if they be not mistaken a thing not impossible in the tryal of their own hearts O that I had men that in the change of times were unchangeable in their mind and opinion and to hold to their former and well-grounded Principle so long as they can neither apprehend any reason of sufficient strength to convince 〈◊〉 understandings that they are in the wrong or to mainfest unto them the necessity of making such a change CHAP. II. The Church of England's resentment of Scandalous Profanenesse OH you my Sons why doe you these things for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people Oh Sirs m● God above looks upon you and is provoked t●e ble●●ed Angels see you their fellow-servants for you are a spectacle to God and Angels and are grieved wicked men observe you and blaspheme God good men behold you and are ashamed Is it for this that you are delivered that you may work wickednesse Hath God punished you and will you yet sin more and more Will not twelve years sufferings reform will not twenty years reproaches awake you will not miracles of judgement decer you from evil will not miracles of mercy oblige you to good Oh despise you the riches of Gods goodness towards you not knowing that the goodness of God should lead you to repentance But after your hardnesse and impenitency of heart will you treasure up more wrath against another day of wrath Is this the return you make to a gracious God to dishonour him Is this your kindnesse to me to undoe me Is this your gratitude for the publick favours of King and Parliament to be utterly unworthy Religion hath honoured you with a high Calling you betray it Your Prince vouchsafed you Royal Favours you shame him Honest people afford you their pity and compassion you deceive them Is this your kindness to your friends I saw indeed the late scandalous Centuries but I neglected them as slanders and calumnies I heard the late complaints and outcries but slighted them as I do envy malice and hatred Dreadful things were daily suggested against you great things were daily offered for you the Faction reviled the Orthodox maintained you sober men writ for you but now you confute them holy men excused you but you contradict them good and great men spoke for you but who will now believe them Must you