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	pleasure_n	unrighteousness_n	2,527	5	11.3215	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90296	A vision of vnchangeable free mercy, in sending the means of grace to undeserved sinners: wherein Gods uncontrollable eternall purpose, in sending, and continuing the gospel unto this nation, in the middest of oppositions and contingencies, is discovered: his distinguishing mercy, in this great work, exalted, asserted, against opposers, repiners: in a sermon preached before the Honourable House of Commons, April. 29. being the day of publike humiliation. Whereunto is annexed, a short defensative about church-government, (with a countrey essay for the practice of church-government there) toleration and petitions about these things. / By Iohn Owen, minister of the gospel at Coggeshall in Essex.	Owen, John, 1616-1683.	1646 (1646)	Wing O825; Thomason E334_15; Thomason E334_16; ESTC R200768	49,154	60

naturals depending on supernaturals is wide from the word If there be any outward motive of granting the Gospel unto any it is some acceptable performances of theirs holding up to the rule and will of God now this will and rule having no saving revelation but by the Gospel which should thus be procured by acts agreeable unto it makes up a flat contradiction supposing the revelation of the Gospel before it be revealed doubtlesse according to all rules of justice to us made known it is an easier thing to d●serve Heaven by obedience now under the Covenant of works then being under that Covenant to do any thing that might cause a new way of salvation such as the Gospel is to be revealed With some observations I descend to application First there is the same reason of continuing the Gospel unto a people as of sending it especially if oppositions rise high apt and able in them●elves for its removall never Nation as yet enjoyed the word that deserved the continuance of the word God hath alwaies something agaist a people to make the continuing of his grace to be of grace the not removing of his love to be meerly of love and the preaching of the Gospel to be a mercy of the Gospel free and undeserved Though there be worke and labour and patience for Christs sake at Ephesus yet there is somewhat against Ephesus Rev. 2. 4 5. for which he might justly remove his candlestick and if he doth it not it is of the same mercy that first set it there As God layes out goodnesse and grace in the entrance so patience long-suffering and firebearance in the continuance He bears with our manners whilst we grieve his Spirit Look upon the face of this Kingdom and view the body of the people thinke of the profanenes vill●ny trampleing upon the bloud of Jesus ignorance contempt of God and his waies despising his Ordinances reviling his servants branding and defaming the power of godlines persecuting and tearing one another and yet hear the joifull sound of the word in every corner and you will quickly conclude that you see a great fight of Gods love against our sins and not of our goodnes for his love Secondly There is the same reason of the Reformation and the doctrine of the Gospel corrupted with errour and of the worship of God collapsed with superstition as of the first implantation of the Gospel God in his just judgement of late ages had sent upon the western world the effi●acy of errour that they should beleeve lies because they received not the love of the truth as he fore-told 2 Thes. 2. now whence is it that we see some of the Nations thereof as yet suffered to walke in their own waies others called to repentance some wildernesses turned into green pastures for the flock of God and some places made barren wildernesses for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein how comes it that this Iland glories in a Reformation and Spain sits still in darknes is it because we were better then they or lesse engaged in Antichristian delusions doubtlesse no no Nation in the world drank deeper of that cup of abomination it was a proverbiall speech amongst all England was our good Asse a beast of burthen for Antichrist whom they called the Pope Nothing but the good pleasure of God and Christ freely comming to refine us Mal. 3. 1 2 3 4. caused this distinction Though men can do nothing towards the procuring of the Gospel yet men may do much for the expulsion of the Gospel if the husbandmen prove idle or self-seekers the vineyard will be let to others and if the people love darknesse more then light the candlestick will be removed let England beware Now this men may do either upon the first entrance of the Gospel or after some continuance of it the Gospel spreading it self over the earth findes entertainment like that of mens seeking plantations amongst barbarous Nations sometimes kept out with hideous outcries at the shore sometimes suffered to enter with admiration and a little after violently assaulted In the first way how do we finde the Jews putting far from them the word of life and rejecting the counsel of God at its first entrance calling for night at the rising of the Sun hence Acts 13. 41. Paul concludes his Sermon to them with Hear ye despisers wonder and perish and ver. 46. it was necessary the word should be preached to them but seeing they judged themselves unworthy they were forsaken and ver. 51. they shake off the dust of their feet against them a common symbol in those daies of the highest indignation and deepest curse The like stubbornes we finde in them Acts 28. whereupon the Apostle wholly turned himself to the Gentiles ver. 28. How many Nations of Europe at the beginning of the reformation rejected the Gospel of God and procured Christ with the Gadarens to depart as soon as he was extred will be found at the last day written with the bloud of the Martyrs of Jesus that suffered amongst them Secondly After some continuance so the Church of Laodicea having for a while enjoyed the word fell into such a tepid condition so little moved with that fire that Christ came to send upon the earth Rev. 3. 15 16. that the Lord was even sick and weary with bearing them The Church of Rome famous at the first yet quickly by the advantage of outward supportments and glorious phansies became head of that fatall rebellion against Jesus Christ which spread it self over most of the Churches in the world God hereupon sending upon them the efficacy of errour to beleeve a lie that they all might be damned that beleeved not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse 2 Thes. 2. suffering them to det●in the empty names of Church and Gospel which because they usurpe only for their advant●ge here to appear glorious the Lord will use for the advancing of his justice hereafter to shew them inexcusable O Lord how was England of late by thy mercy delivered from this snare a Captain being chosen for the return of this people into Egypt on how hath thy grace fought against our backsliding And let none seek to extenuate this mercy by Catalogues of errours still amongst us there is more danger of an apostasy against Christ and rebellion against the truth in one Babylonish Errour owned by men pretending to power and jurisdiction over others then in five hundred scattered amongst inconsiderable disunited Individuals I would to God we could all speake and think the s●me things that we were all of one minde even in the most minutulous differences that are now amongst us But yet the truth is the Kingdom of Jesus Christ never shakes amongst a people untill men pretending to act with a combined mixed power of Heaven and Earth unto which all sheaves must bow or be threshed doe by vertue of this trust set up and impose things or opinions deviating

prove the crimination for so it was and held forth a grievous crime in their apprehensions what is really so God will judge had been sufficient But I could not so evade and therefore after my Sermon was printed to the last sheet I was forced to set apart a few houres to give an account of what hath passed from me in both these things which have been so variously reported Hoping that the reading may not be unusefull to some as the writing was very necessary to me And here at the entrance I shall desire at the hands of men that shall cast an eye on this heap of good meaning these few as I suppose equitable demaunds 1. Not to prosecute men into odious appellations and then themselves who feigned the crime pronounce the sentence Like him who said of one brought before him if he be not guilty it is fit he should be involving themselves in a double guilt of falsehood and malice and the aspersed parties in a double misery of being belied in what they are and hated for what they are not if a man be not what such men would have him it is ods but they will make him what he is not if what he really is do not please and that be not enough to render him odious he shall sure enough be more Ithacius will make all Priscillianists who are any thing more devout then himself if men do but desire to see with their own eyes presently they are enrolled of this or that Sect every misperswasion being beforehand in Petitions Sermons c. rendred odious and intolerable in such a course innocency it self cannot long goe free Christians deal with one another in earnest as children in their plaies clap anothers coat upon their fellows shoulder and pretending to beat that cudgell him they have cloathed with it What shall be given unto thee oh thou false tongue If we cannot be more charitable let us be more ingenuous Many a man hath been brought to a more favourable opinion of such as are called by dreadfull names then formerly by the experience of false impositions on himself 2. Not to cloath our differences with expressions fitting them no better then Sauls armour did David Nor make them like a little man in a bumbast coat upon stilts walking about like a giant our little differences may be met at every stall and in too many pulpits swelled by unbefitting expressions into such a formidable bulk as poor creatures are even startled at their horrid looks and appearance whilest our own perswasions are set out {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} with silken words and gorg●ous apparell as if we sent them into the world a wooing Hence whatever it is it must be temple building Gods Government Christs scepter throne Kingdom the only way that for want of which errours haeresies sins spring among us plagues judgements punishments come upon us To such things as these all pretend who are very confident they have found out the only way Such bigge words as these have made us believe that we are mortall adversaries I speak of the parties at variance about Government that one Kingdom Communion Heaven cannot hold us Now truly if this course be followed so to heighten our differences by adorning the truth we own with such titles as it doth not merit and branding the errours we oppose with such marks as in cold blood we cannot think they themselves but only in their by us supposed tendance do deserve I doubt not but that it will be bitternesse unto us all in the end And Quaere whether by this means many have not been brought to conceive the Kingdom of Jesus Christ which himself affirms to be within us to consist in forms outward order positive rules and externall Government I designe none but earnestly desire that the two great parties at this day litigant in this Kingdom would seriously consider what is like to be the issue of such proceedings and whether the mystery of godlines in the power thereof be like to be propagated by it Let not truth be weighed in the balance of our interest Will not a dram of that turn the scale with some against many arguments Power is powerfull to perswade 3. Not to measure mens judgements by their subscribing or refusing to subscribe petitions in these daies about Church Government for subscribers would every one could not see with what a zealous nescience and implicite judgement many are lead And for refusers though perhaps they could close with the generall words wherewith usually they are expressed yet there are so many known circumstances restraining those words to particular significations directing them to by and secundary tendences as must needs make some abstain for mine own part from subscribing late Petitions about Church-Government I have been withheld by such reasons as these 1. I dare not absolutely assert maintain and abide by it as rationall men ought to do every clause in any thing owned by their subscription that the cause of all the evils usually annumerated in such Petitions is the want of Church-Govenrment taking it for any government that ever yet was established amongst men or in notion otherwise made known unto me Yea I am confident that more probable causes in this juncture of time might be assigned of them Neither can any be ignorant how plentifully such evils abounded when Church-Discipline was most severely executed And lastly I am confident that who ever lives to see them suppressed by any outward means when spirituall weapons shall be judged insufficient will finde it to be not any thing either included in or necessarily annexed unto Church-Discipline that must do it but some other thing not unlike that which in daies of yore when all the world wondered after the beast suppressed all truth and errour but only what the Arch enemy of Jesus Christ was pleased to hold out to be believed but of this afterward 2. I dare not affirm that the Parliament hath not established a Government already for the essentialls of it themselves affirming that they have and their Ordinances about rulers rules and persons to be ruled the requisita and materialls of Government being long since extant Now to require a thing to be done by them who affirm that they have already done it argues either much weaknesse or supine negligence in our selves not to ●nderstand what is ef●ected or a strong imputation on those that have done it either fraudulently to pretend that which is false or foolishly to averse what they do not understand yet though I have learned to obey as farre as lawfully ● may my judgement is exceedingly farre from being enslaved and according to that by Gods assistance shall be my practice which if it run crosse to the prescriptions of authority it shall cheerfully submit to the censure thereof In the mean time all Petitioning of any party about this businesse seems to thwart some Declarations of the House of Commons whereunto

I doubt not but they intend for the main inviolably and unalterably to adhere Adde hereunto that petitioning in this kinde was not long since voted breach in priviledge in them who might justly expect as much favour and liberty in petitioning as any of their brethren in the Kingdom and I have more then one reason to suppose that the purpose and designe of theirs and others was one and the same 3. There are no small grounds of supposall that some petitions have not their rise from amongst them by whom they are subscribed but that the spring and master wheels giving the first motion to them are distant and unseen My self having been lately urged to subscription upon this ground that directions were had for it from above as we use to speak in the Countrey yea in this I could say more then I intend aiming at nothing but the quieting of mens spirits needlesly exasperated only I cannot but say that honest men ought to be very cautious how they put themselves upon any engagement that might make any party or faction in the Kingdom suppose that their interest in the least measure doth run crosse to that of the great Councell thereof thereby to strengthen the hands or designes of any by occasioning an opinion that upon fresh or new divisions which God of his mercy prevent we would not adhere constantly to our old principles walking according to which we have hitherto found protection and safety And I cannot not but be jealous for the honour of our noble Parliament whose authority is every day undermined and their regard in the affections of the people shaken by such dangerous insinuations as though they could in an houre put an end to all our disturbances but refuse it This season also for such petitions seems to me very unseasonable the greatest appearing danger impendent to this Kingdom being from the contest about Church-Government which by such means as this is exceedingly heightned and animosity added to the parties at variance 4. A particular form of Church-Discipline is usually in such petitions either directly expressed or evidently pointed at and directed unto as that alone which our Covenant engageth us to embrace Yea as though it had long since designed that particular way and distinguished it from all others the embracing of it is pressed under the pain of breach of Covenant a crime abhorred of God and man Now truly to suppose that our Covenant did ty us up absolutely to any one formerly known way of Church-Discipline the words formally ingaging us into a disquisition out of the word of that which is agreeable to the minde and will of God is to me such a childish ridiculous selfish conceit as I believe no knowing men will once entertain unlesse prejudice begotten by their peculiar interest hath disturbed their intellectualls for my part I know no Church-Government in the world already established amongst any sort of men of the truth and necessity whereof I am convinced in all particulars especially if I may take their practice to be the best interpreter of their maximes Fourthly Another postulatum is that men would not use an over-zealous speed upon every small difference to characterise men otherwise godly and peaceable as Sectaries knowing the odiousnesse of the name among the vulgar deservedly or otherwise imposed and the evil of the thing it self rightly apprehended whereunto lighter differences do not amount Such names as this I know are arbitrary and generally serve the wills of the greater number They are commonly Sectaries who jure aut injuria are oppressed Nothing was ever persecuted under an esteemed name Names are in the power of the many things and their causes are known to few there is none in the world can give an ill title to others which from some he doth not receive the same right which in this kinde I have towards another he hath towards me unlesse I affirm my self to be infallible not so he those names which men are known by when they are oppressed they commonly use against others whom they seek to oppresse I would therefore that all horrid appellations as increasers of strife kindlers of wrath enemies of charity food for animasity were for ever banished from amongst us Let a spade be called a spade so we take heed Christ be not called Beelzebub I know my profession to the greatest part of the world is Sectarisme as Christianity amongst those who professe the name of Christ to the greatest number I am a sectary because a Protestant amongst Protestants at least the one half account all men of my perswasion Calvinisticall Sacramentarian Sectaries amongst these again to some I have been a Puritanicall sectary an Aerian Haeretick because Anti-prelaticall yea and amongst these last not a few account me a Sectary because I plead for Presbyteriall Government in Churches and to all these am I thus esteemed as I am fully convinced causelesly and erroneously what they call sectarisme I am perswaded is ipsissima veritas the very truth it self to which they also ought to submit that others also though upon false grounds are convinced of the truth of their own perswasion I cannot but believe and therefore as I finde by experience that the horrid names of Haeretick Schismatick sectary and the like have never had any influence or force upon my judgement nor otherwise moved me unlesse it were unto retaliation so I am perswaded it is also with others for homines sumus forcing them abroad in such liveries doth not at all convince them that they are servants to the master of sects indeed but only makes them wait an opportunity to cast the like mantle on their traducers And this usually is the beginning of arming the more against the few with violence impatient of bearing the burdens which they impose on others shoulders by means whereof Christendom hath been made a theatre of blood and one amongst all after that by cruelty and villany he had prevailed above the rest took upon him to be the only dictator in Christian Religion but of this afterwards Now by the concession of these as I hope not unequitable demands thus much at least I conceive will be attained viz. that a peaceable dissent in some smaller things disputable questions not-absolutely-necessary assertions deserves not any rigid censure distance off affections or breach of Christian Communion and amity in such things as these veniam petimusque damusque vicissim If otherwise I professe I can hardly bring my minde to comply and close in with them amongst whom almost any thing is lawfull but to dissent These things being premised I shall now set down and make publike that proposall which heretofore I have tendred as a means to give some light into a way for the profitable and comfortable practice of Church-Government drawing out of generall notions what is practically applicable so circumstantiated as of necessity it must be and herein I shall not alter any thing or in the least expression go off