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	lie_n	strong_a	3,401	5	6.7531	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A79880	The lying-vvonders, or rather the vvonderful-lyes, which was lately published to the world, in a lying-pamphlet, (called Strange and true news from Gloucester) containing a relation of the wonderful power of God, shewed for injustice at Fairford, by frogs and toads; and in the sudden death of the Clarks daughter at Brokington in Gloucestershire. Presented to the view of the world, with some observations in the end on another such like pamphlet (The Lords loud call to England) I. That the subtilty of deluders may be discerned. II. That the simple may from their delusions be preserved. III. That the lovers of truth may be strengthned. IV. That all men about these wonders may be satisfied. By Robert Clark, minister of Gods Word in Norleach.	Clark, Robert, minister at Norleach.	1660 (1660)	Wing C4488; Thomason E1045_5; ESTC R207952	19,861	29

like unto Frogs Now what St. John saw come out of the mouth of the false Prophets we may ordinarily at Fairford as well as in other places of the County see also Namely the spirits of lyes and that in the likeness of Frogs the which unclean spirits resembleth Frogs in these particulars First Ranae ex limo natae Frogs have their beginning and life out of filthy Ponds and Pools and do most delight in filthy Ponds and Pools whence they had their beginning and life So doth these unclean spirits which are like Frogs fetch their life and beginning from the Ponds and Pools of filthy errors and stinking abominations of doctrine and do continually delight in those most filthy Ponds and Pools of corrupt doctrine out of which they fetch their beginning and life Secondly Called by the Poet Ranae Clamosae Frogs doth importunately croak and make a noise about the Ponds and moorish places where they are being called therefore Ranae from the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is vehementer exclamare So doth these unclean spirits like Frogs croak in those places where they frequent by sounding out their errors and heresies with importunate clamors haunting the poor simple people with loud and incessant importunity Thirdly Limosoque novae saliant in Gurgite Ranae Ovid. Frogs do hop and skip from place to place And therefore a Frog is called in Saxon Hopper ab Huppen saltare to leap or skip because he doth hop and skip about with his four feet So do these unclean spirits skip and hop about the Countrey They are now here now there to day in this place to morrow in another Nay before their Kingdom shall be abolished they will hop far to propagate Fourthly Rana anima amphibium coaxans Varro Frogs are both for water and land Varro so describes a Frog to us to be an animal which croaketh on the water as well as on the land so do these unclean spirits being for water as well as land they live and croak in both places when their Proselites have any need of washing of their foul bodies then ye hear them croak on the waters when they are willing to eat their broken bread then they croak on the Land Fifthly Ranae apibus mimicae Plin Frogs are great enemies to the labouring Bees that gathereth Honey so are these impure spirits like Frogs sore enemies both to the true Preachers of the Gospel and established Christians the true lovers of the Gospel which like painful Bees yeeldeth and gathereth the Honey of the truth and by meditation and conferences franieth their Honey-Combes within their Hives Sixthly Ranae ictus apum non sentiunt Plin. Frogs have such skins as they feel not the stinging of Bees no more do these impure spirits so singular they are in their own opinions and so hardned in their Resolutions that the sharpest sting of reproof from those labouring Bees Gods Ministers cannot make them sensible of their errors Seventhly Ranae linguae mirus in Magicis usus Plin. The Inchanters and Witches maketh great use of the tongue of a Frog so these impure spirits which are belched out of the mouth like the tongues of Frogs are of wonderful use for the inchanting of the hearts of simple people for these being the Prophets that have sweet tongues mentioned Jer. 23.34 Who having taught their tongues to speak lyes with sweet words and fair speeches deceiveth the hearts of the simple So that knowing the Inchanters we need not ask our simple people as St. Paul did the Galatians O ye foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you from knowing the truth Eightly The use of Frogs is that they may be instruments which God useth sometimes for the punishment of wicked men so those Frogs which did cover the Land of Aegypt were sent to take revenge on the sins of the Aegyptians these impute spirits which resembleth Frogs is a greater punishment to the people of England in that they have the souls of people which God permitteth in his Church not only for the good of his Church they being like the Nations which God left to prove Israel Judg. 3.1 but for the just punishment of wicked men who will not obey and stick to the truth 2 Thess 2.11 Ninthly The plague of Frogs was the next punishment upon the Aegyptians to their waters which were turned into blood so these impure spirits which at this time like that Aegyptian plague of Frogs covereth the Land followed our bloody waters of affliction No sooner were our waters turned into blood but these impure spirits like Frogs sprang up and filled the Land nay we find them in our streets in our market-place in our very houses These not such Frogs as the Relator speaketh of are often seen at Fairford The which impure spirits in the likenesse of Frogs are often to be seen hopping and skipping about their streets nay they are known to creep into their houses often filling the same but not the houses of the Lord of the Town or of the Justice adjacent as the Relator expresseth their housen are better disciplined then to be harbor for such filthy vermine but the housen of some men of giddy and unstable brains whom these Inchanters have bewitched with their sweet tongues whose houses they make as filthy Ponds and Pools of stinking errors and vile abominations of doctrine wherein they do most delight and where they do importunately croak whose croaking noise did invite the children of the Town to enter into one house who became like a stone cast into a Ditch where multitude of Frogs are making them for that time cease their croakings The which judgment the Lord did not send upon Fairford for injustice as the Relator saith but for their not receiving the love of the truth Mark that place 2 Thess 2.11 For this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeve a lye For this cause what is that Mark the precedent words because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved And this is not a peculiar judgement on Fairford alone We have such filthy Ponds and Pools of corrupt Doctrine at Norleach wherein are often to be heard the croakings of such Frogs but they are not so troublesome to the ears of many at Norleach as they are at Stow Burton on the water and other places adjacent But indeed not a rational man but may perceive this judgment to be a general judgement Men have so fallen away from truth that they are given up to strong delusions to believe lyes So that these impure spirits in the likeness of Frogs may be seen hopping and heard croaking in most places of the Land But my hope is That as the plague of Frogs on the Aegyptians was not an everlasting plague but removed by the prayer of Moses Exod. 8.12 So neither this punishment of Frogs on England but may in time be removed from the Nation by the endeavours and prayers

by making it the fountaine of those lyes and this is not the first time that that City hath been thus abused by such Deluders who for the more generall and speedier vent of their delusions and for the more generall and easier beliefe of them maketh their lyes to take rise from thence But I dare acquite Glocester of the coyning of these Lyes There be severall Mints out of Glocester as Cicister Fairford Stow Burton on the water Kemp●ford and Norleach where are men as famous for the promoting of such coyne as at Glocester and indeed the very impression on the coyne though the Author concealeth his Name giveth to many hereabouts a manifest Guesse who was the coyner thereof But what is the Newes 1. A perfect Relation of the wonderfull and miraculous power of God shewed for Injustice at Fairford by an Innumerable Company of Froggs and Toads 2. A Great and Terrible Earth-quake the Running of Blood and Hail-stones of a pound and an halfe weight in France 3. The wonderfull Example of Gods Justice in the sudden death of the Clarks Daughter of Brokington in Glocester-shire Observe the Workings of this Serpent which is after the working of Sathan with all power and signes and Lying Wonders 2 Thes 2.9 The relation of which he calleth a perfect Relation though every string in his Relation be out of Tune he would not have his musicke to sound amisse which discovereth the Author to be of the seed of a Serpent * Serpentina Soboles whose wayes of undermining of Gods Church is as the way of a Serpent on a Rocke unknowable Pro. 30.19 When they cannot suppresse it by force and crueltie they will undermine it if they can by craft and lyes Though the Relation be altogether counterfeit coyne yet it must passe for currant And that it may so The Author as a chiefe Emissary of Sathan courts the worlds Beliefe of it with a knowne impudent Lye calling the Relation not only a perfect Relation but telling us That the Relation is entred according to Order The which Order he would have us beleeve to be from the present power at Westminster when it is from the Court of Hell but no question the printing of these lyes were like his daily walking Disorderly so that if the Inscription stumble and fall from Truth what encouragement have we to thinke that the Newes enclosed will stand upright I confesse for the French Newes I had rather beleeve then * The Author is lame Travell to find out the certaintie of it but for our Glocestershire Newes I have weighed in a Ballance by a strict inquirie and find them notwithstanding this Faire Colour the Author hath drawne over it in calling a perfect Relation Grosse Lyes The which let the Author be what he will must needs proceed from a man of an evill Conscience though he hath not such an impudent Face to prefix his name to it Secondly Concerning the Monstrous false Newes inclosed THat Great and heavie Judgements of God have attended those that have reviled and injured Gods chosen people as the Author beginneth his Newes Those Scriptures alledged by him 2 Kings 2.23 24. Exod. 7 8 9 10 11 12. 14 Chapters are sufficient Testimonies But who the Author meaneth by These his chosen people and how the Froggs and Toads at Fairford and the death of the Maid at Brokington may be said to be Gods Judgements on the Revilers of those his chosen people craveth our inquirie No question by These his chosen people the Author meaneth the Company of Christians as if all the rest of the Towne were Heathens which met together at Fairford on the Lords Day in private in opposition to the publicke worship of God and those that met at Brokington on the third of June where was those Famous Gifted Brethren Brother Collet and Brother Collins and those that met in the Market-place at Stow to heare him whom the Author stiled John Belcher as if he be not worthy to be one of the Brotherhood as well as the other and is not as precious an humble and tender-hearted man as Brother Collet But how these can be thought to be the only Chosen people of God I leave to any Rationall man and true Christian to Consider of being Men of Turbulent Spirits preferring their own houses before the Temple Meetings in the Market-places before our publicke Meetings in our Churches The Jewish Sabbath before the Christian being enemies to all Ordained Ministers crying up themselves to be the only Propagators of the Gospel who under the name of Truth have brought in damnable heresies and by good words and faire speeches deceive the hearts of the simple Surely if these be the only chosen people of God God hath precious children indeed And as for the Armie of Froggs and Toads which the Informer saith he saw at Fairford and the sudden death of the Clarks Daughter when they met at Brokington how they can be thought to be examples of Gods Judgements on those the Informer nominateth putteth me to a stand Indeed The Author speaking of his Relation which he published saith that it is sufficient to reclaim any rational man whatsoever Had the Relation been as he calleth it a perfect Relation he might have had the better hopes of it but that Lyes should reclaime any rational man whatsoever I must beg the Authors pardon not to believe And the fulnesse of both which stories I come now to present to the eyes of all rational men to consider of The true Accompt whereof is as followeth I. Concerning the Authors Relation about the Frogs and Toads which he reporteth to have seen at Fairford THe Author in the beginning of his Relation telleth the world of a company of Christians met together as if there were no Christians in the Town but them their businesse being to serve God according to their present apprehensions what zealous worshippers of God be these who having no rule for their worship but their present apprehensions must needs differ therein as their apprehensions differ at the place before named that is I conceive as the Inscription telleth us at Fairford but whither the Church or House was their meeting-place the Informer is silent but sure it must be at the house of some knowing eminent Christian because the Informer saith there was none but a company of Christians met together Not the Church the house of prayer where is the presence of the blessed Trinity God in his Son by his Spirit The presence of Gods Angels the presence of his Minister and of the greater number of people assembled to enjoy his Ordinances whose Ranks being likened to Beds of Spices which is an Holy Place set apart for Holy uses wherein the power and glory of an holy God is to be seen and felt that is an abomination to those Christians The which Meeting being collected not by the noise of Bells but of some Tinckling Cymbals was disturbed by the rude multitude who were as I

Collins nor that precious humble tender-hearted man B Collet will attribute it though the Informer doth as an effect which followed upon the Death of the Clarkes daughter But being as Full of State-pollicy as they are of spirituall Revelations I know they cannot but conclude their peace and and freedome to proceed either from the wisdome of the State forbidding all publicke disturbances and the Loyalty of peaceable Subjects who in their conversations subscribes to Government or from the clemency of the State by conniving not approving of their separations and divisions upon which clemency of the State they have mightily improved themselves who must know they are not favoured though not punished who may have though the State sitteth silent for a while in a short time by the prudence of the State their errors set in order before their eyes But their great Boasting of their much peace and Freedome that they enjoy now in Market-places and other places putteth me in mind of the difference between Loyall Subjects and Rebellious Sectaries The Sectaries without disturbance have now their Freedome to publish their errors and lyes in the very Market-places but we could not heretofore enjoy our Liberties in our Churches to publish Gods truths without high disturbances And seeing they have so much peace and freedome from Molestations in the Market-places I would they would take this Counsell from one that wisheth their conversion not their destruction their safety not their perill that neither the Relator that boasteth so much of freedome neither any of the Brotherhood that doth enjoy it use any more their peace to provoke warre by blowing up all Coales of dissentions amongst us and their Freedome to set Rebellion againe in a Blaze to fire both Church and State If so Let them be men as well Gifted as Brother Collins as precious humble tender-hearted men as Brother Collet and have as much Freedome in the Market-place of Stow as John Belcher The hand of Justice may soone find them out when by the hand of the Magistrate God may in the very Market-places where they proclaime their Rebellion make them more evident Examples of Gods Justice for their Rebellion then was the sudden death of the Clarkes Daughter of Broking●o● for her revilings who was a Sister a Disciple one that against them was not heard to open her Mouth Now Reader If thou beest a Rationall man whom the Informer by his Relation would reclaime and to whose Judgement I have recommended this Narrative thou canst not but find the Newes from Glocester to be strange but not true and the Author who ere it be not to be as he stileth himselfe The true Informer but an Hypocriticall Lyer And as his Notorious Lyes proveth him a Grosse Hypocrite who hath spoken these Lyes through Hypocrisie so doth his Conclusion lay open his Hypocrisie to the view of any indifferent Reader Lastly Concerning the Grosse Hypocrisie of the Author in the Conclusion of his Pamphlet THe Relator telleth us that much more was expressed both in the Letter and by sundry personall evidences this cannot be applied to the Newes from Fairford there he certifieth us that he was an eye-witnesse being in a By-place to see what would be the issue of those Froggs and Toads and here he speaketh of a Letter wherein somewhat and much more was expressed And saith he also by sundry personall evidences but this I am sure had the Relator any Greater evidences of cruelties and indignities offered by such spirits as he specifieth they could not have escaped the presse herein being little said the truth being uncased to cry up any cruell usage of them Now whereas the Author and Printer who are said to deliver only the Truth in Generall when they have branched out the Lying Wonders in particular circumstances doe desire a kind acceptance of the Reader I cannot see how it can be granted by any Reader who is a Lover of Truth but only by seduced persons such as are fettered to other mens vile opinions and held fast under their power to whom I crave to urge that reproofe which the Apostle urged to the Corinthians 2 Ep 11.19 20. Ye suffer fooles gladly ye suffer if a man bring you into bondage if a man devoure you so say I to all such seduced persons ye suffer fooles gladly to worke on your affection to fasten on your persons to spoyle you to carry you away from the Truth as a Beare Wolfe or Lyon carry away their prey becoming as Leopards and Blackmoors whose spots and uglinesse of base opinions can never be washed away who have cause to feare their owne condemnation for when God shall send such strong delusions as shall produce such an effect in the hearts of men as to cause them to beleeve a lye the end is that they might be damned 2 Thes 2.11 But though we cannot grant a kind Acceptance of these notorious Lyes yet we may embrace the counsell they give us which is to amend that which is amisse either in the Relation which is full of lyes or in our selves being full of Frailties For the amending of what I have found amisse in the Relation I have performed my endeavour by bringing these lyes to the Light of Truth whereby Truth may be discerned from errour and for the amendment of what we find amisse in our selves let us daily begge the Assistance of Gods Spirit to enlighten our eyes in the knowledge of the Truth and to lead us into all Truth and preserve us therein by his Allmighty power even unto Salvation Here I should have finished but that the Relator or Printer o● both hath given me cause of Jealousie to conceive that as they will not owne me for their Fellow-Christian so I dare not own them for my Fellow-Subjects who seemeth by their unusuall phrase in their Conclusion not to owne King Charles for their King but some other King to Raigne over them GOD SAVE OUR KING BY the phrase Our and not The some are of the opinion they meane not King Charles to whom they are apparent Enemies but Christ whom they make a cloake for their wickednesse Though I am of opinion that there be many that in this Nation owneth no other King but Christ yet should they meane him here they could not but discover a great deale of ignorance in thus praying for him That God would save him who is our Alone Saviour But I am more apt to beleeve that seeing This Government doth not please them and they expect some Alteration of Government of which some are very confident expecting through fresh divisions to have the sword againe in their hands of which they say they will make better use then they have done That they meane some eminent Commander whom God in time may raise up for their protection in their licentious practises But God who hath already Blasted their designes I hope will so order by his powerfull providence the Affaires of this Nation that such cruell and Tyrannicall Spirits shall be so farre from sitting any more at Sterne in the Ship of this Common-wealth as they shall for ever be kept under Hatches And that this Our Gracious Soveraigne whom the Lord miraculously hath preserved and restored to be a repairer of our breaches and a restorer of our decayed paths whose name was is and will be ever precious among his sound-hearted and Loyall Subjects and whose Princely Dignity is adorned with such piety Temperance and humanity as will be stedfast props to uphold his regall Authority shall sit immoveable in his Throne shining therein above all other men in a parcell of Gods Majesty by righteousnesse establishing his Throne and by Judgement the Land Prov. 16.12 Prov. 29.4 and so make us his Subjects by his wise Government a happy people and his Kingdomes the glory of all Lands GOD BLESSE KING CHARLES FINIS