Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	call_v	ground_n	pillar_n	2,288	5	9.7053	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41790	A sigh for peace, or, The cause of division discovered wherein the great Gospel promise of the Holy Ghost, and the doctrine of prayer with imposition of hands, as the way ordained of God to seek for it, is asserted and vindicated, as the interest and duty of Christs disciples in general : in answer to a book intituled A search for schism / by Tho. Grantham ...	Grantham, Thomas, 1634-1692.	1671 (1671)	Wing G1548; ESTC R39437	69,616	172

doctrine of Baptism and of laying on of Hands Of the Resurrection of the dead and of Eternal judgement And what though it be said that other foundations can no man lay than that which is already laid which is Jesus Christ doth this prejudice that use of the word foundation He● 6. 1. not at all Or at least not any more than the Church being called Christ 1 Cor. 12. 12. and the pillar and ground or foundation of the truth 1 Tim. 3. 15. doth prejudice the Son of God his being called Christ or the foundation And are not the Prophets and Apostles called the foundation Ephes 2. 20. of which Christ in the same place is said to be the corner stone And yet surely Christians of ordinary capacity do understand that these sayings do not contradict but agree very well with that saying of Paul other foundation can no m●n lay c. So long as Christ is held to be the Head the all and in all to the Church of God But sith the Searchers do grant and say to my knowledge that they did ever grant that laying on of Hands Heb. 6. 2. to be a principle of the doctrine of Christ and a part of the foundation which I take to be a good b●sis for a happy composure of our unhappy d●fference It remaineth that the only or chief point of difference lyeth in this what laying on of Hands it is that is called a part of the foundation Heb. 6. 2 Whether laying on of Hands with prayer for the Spirit of promise or some other kinde of laying on of Hands We affirm the first they imagine the latter But now ask them what laying on of Hands they will assign to be meant Heb. 6. 2. and then they either answer nothing at all or else so flatly contradictorily one to another or with such hesitation in themselves as it is to be admired but more to be lamented that such Leaders in Israel as they pass for and to give them their due might well pass for such IF c. should not be able to digest the milk which Babes must feed upon nor can they assign to Babes their Portion therein But instead of Milk they sometimes set before them strong meat even that imposition of Hands which pertains to Bishops in the Church and this as one of the Babes principles which is far from being fit nutriment for them And now that the Searchers may sufficiently shew themselves to be in the dark about that laying on of Hands which they confess to be a principle c. They number up six or seven sorts of laying on of Hands and then puts it to the question Which of all these laying on of hands is intended Heb. 6. 2. and is that which we call a Doctrin● of Christ By which unwary demand no doubt they have led many a simple meaning Christian into a Maze and there left him nor can they possibly give him relief sith they cannot extricate themselves from the same meander and as an addition to their folly they demand that seeing divers men are differently perswaded concerning that laying on of hands Heb. 6. 2. Whether this be not a sufficient ground for them to doubt whether that laying on of hands practised by us be instituted by God Which if it be then they have sufficient ground to doubt of all things which they as well as we do hold for Gods institutions For certainly divers men are notwithstanding their interest diversly perswaded of most places of Scripture on which they ground their faith and practise But to leave them in this mist till they being weary shall desire to return to the Lord in this part of his will I shall endeavour to shew plainly what laying on of hands it is which is called a principle of Christs doctrine and a part of the foundation And though the Searchers are pleased to trouble their Readers with a large enumeration of layings on of hands yet they seem at last to be content That that laying on of Hands Heb. 6. 2. should be one out of two namely either that which was for healing the sick or else that which was for the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit But they rather incline to the first and as for the latter we have shewed there is no such thing nor ever was being a thing out of the reach of mans understanding to whom such gifts do belong and consequently they know not on whom to impose their hands That the laying on of Hands Heb. 6. 2. should be that on the sick is no way congruous to truth or reason For how should this be one of the first principles of the Oracles of God and Milk for Babes seeing it is more blessed to believe without a miracle than with one but it is not more blessed to be without a principle of Christs Doctrine than to have it and those who would not believe unless they saw them are upbraided for the hardness of their hearts Certain it is That that laying on of hands to heal the sick if necessary yet is prerequisite to faith signs being for them which do not believe and not for them that do But the laying on of hands Heb. 6. 2. is subsequent to Faith yea it follows Baptism and that as it is a principle of the Oracles of God therefore it cannot be that which was for the working of miracles Again laying on of hands on the sick is most proper if not only proper for those that are without and therefore not milk for Babes in the Church and consequently not that laying on of Hands Heb. 6. 2. As for sick persons in the Church of God they are not bid to have hands laid on them but are bid to send for the Elders of the Church that they may pray over them anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord c. And they have a promise that the prayer of faith shall save the sick And what though the healing of the woman Luke 3. 17. and the diseased people of the Island Acts 28. 9 10. may be teaching to all yet this doth not prove that it is a principle appertaining to the beginning of a Christian and to follow his Baptism Nor do I see that it is properly teaching to a Believer as such for what doth it add to the Faith of a Christian who believeth already that Christ hath one far greater things than the healing of a disease For he believeth that he hath overcome death and brought life and immortality to light by the Gospel Indeed to those that doubt whether Christ be the Son of God such a sight may be some way convincing to them But still this is for the begetting of Faith and so not the fourth principle of a Christian We see then that laying on of Hands on persons which are without to work miracles can with no shew of truth be said to be that laying on of hands He● 6. 2. Especially if we consider how it is joyned with

A Sigh for Peace OR The Cause of Division Discovered WHEREIN The great Gospel Promise of the Holy Ghost and the Doctrine of Prayer with Imposition of hands as the way ordained of God to seek for it Is asserted and vindicated as the Interest and Duty of Christs Disciples in general In Answer to a Book Intituled A Search for Schism By Tho. Grantham a Servant of Christ Gal. 5. 7 8 9. Ye did run well who did hinder you that you should not obey the truth This perswasion cometh not of him that calleth you A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump I have confidence in you through the Lord that you will be none otherwise minded but he that troubleth you shall bear his burthen whosoever he be Wherefore love the Truth and Peace Zech. 8. 19. Printed for the Author 1671. The Epistle Dedicatory To the Church of Christ in London with the General Assembly of Messengers Elders and Brethren occasionally meeting together to consider of the Affairs of the Churches of Christ Salutation c. Brethren WHen I consider how much it is your desire and the desire of the Churches in general that brotherly concord peace and truth might possess the room of all our divisions in affection judgment and practise and particularly in the fourth principle of Christianity And how many Prayers are daily made to God for so great a Blessing And that hopeful way we lately seem'd to be in to lay hold of the thing which hath been so long desired And therewithal that most unhappy obstruction of our hopes as ye know arising from one who should rather have been a restorer of the antient path which many have forsaken and so a healer of the breach which hath been made by its being neglected Who being in reputation for Wisdome having therewithal great opportunity and I am perswaded really intended to do the Church of Christ much good Even then by a little solly following his own Councels doubtless through Satans malice who envied our good hath made himself and his enterprises obnoxious and our wound more grievous I say when I considered these things I could not pass them over without a Sigh even this which here I present unto you saying in my heart Why hath the Lord done this Which was no sooner conceived but I was immediately satisfied that the Lord was jealous for his holy way which had been gr●sly prophaned by an hypocritical conformity thereunto And true for ever is that word Hosea 14. ult All the wayes of the Lord are right and the Just shall walk therein But the Transgressor shall fall therein And certainly as our Brethrens resusing to seek the Lord after the due order at the first so this prodigious hypocrisie at the last may too truly be called Perrez Ecclesia at this day Thou Lord art righteous thou knowest the Hearts of the children of men and hast discovered the hidden things thereof and hast pleaded the cause of thy precious though much abused Truth Even so Lord let our iniquities be ever corrected but yet in mercy forgive us our Trespasses But what shall we say shall we now no more go about this dreadfull work to bring the Ark the fourth principle of Christianity I mean to its proper place in the Churches or rather some irregular Churches to their due reverence unto it If it seem good in the eyes of the Lord let his servants still convene to consider of this matter perhaps we shall find grace in his sight for there is hope that we shall one understand another and with one consent seek and serve the Lord God of our Fore-Fathers And this I am the more induced to believe or hope for from not only the great desire which I yet find to be alive in the hearts of Christians generally that peace in this matter might be upon Israel But also from the great forwardness which I found in the Searchers themselves to consent unto certain Proposals for Peace the first of which is this That it be granted and professed on all sides by the formerly divided parties That that laying on of Hands Heb. 6. 2. is one of the Principles of Christs Doctrine and a part of the foundation This Proposition being considered it may appear that there wants but a step as it were to unity in the truth it self and so to a lasting Peace one with another And methinks it should be no impossible thing for us to agree about the particular service intended Heb. 6. 2. unless a spirit of perversness be mingled amongst us Towards the clearing of which difficulty something is said in the sequel which I desire may be considered Why the Searchers should so much declaim against you as if you unchurched all Church●s but your selves I can see no reason having never understood that you did at any time by any agreement deliver such a Doctrine Nor is it so much your business to meddle with unchurching any body as to keep your selves from corruption in Doctrine and Manners Indeed the point of Communion with those who reject or oppose your Faith and practice in the case depending hath been much debated and resolved in the Negative èspecially touching the Table of the Lord but this is so far from being an Argument that you deny them to be Churches of Christ that it plainly Argues you own them for such but yet such as for their rejecting or opposing some truth of God are therefore uncapable of present communion with those that religiously observe the truth by them rejected and opposed For if you deem them to be no Churches at all what need any debate be had Whether it be orderly or safe to communicate with them at the Lords Table Now that persons may be allowed the Appellation of Christians and so of the Church of Christ and yet as the matter may be circumstanced concerning them ought to be held at some distance in respect of present Communion with other Christians or Churches implies no absurdity but is rather very necessary I hope the ensuing discourse will demonstrate Something also I have said in vindication of the Messengers Office which I perceive to be much questioned by some I confess my self nothing so fit a person to plead this cause as some other However if that which I have done may give occasion to any other to do more or more effectually in this point I shall think my pains well bestowed I commit all that I have said to the blessing of God and the Consideration of his Churches Your Brother and Servant Tho. Grantham To the Authors of the BOOK Intituled A Search for Schism Brethren WHen we consider how God is able to effect good things for his people by contrary wayes even by turning the unkindness of Brethren into means of preservation to the family Gen. 50. 20. we are made even against hope to believe in hope that the product of your doings in your Search and the Epistle prefixed may be good although its procedure in respect

generally are to wait upon him for the reception thereof which way is the prayers of the Church performed by her Ministers with the laying on of hands and this as a principle of Christian Rel●gion belonging to them in the min●rity of their Christian state For explication of some parts of this Proposition it is meet that we shew first what we mean by the holy Ghost sith some now as well as heretofore Acts 19. either by reason of ignorance or some worse cause seem not to know whether there be any holy Ghost As if they had forgotten unto what they were Baptized Matth. 28. 19. By the Holy Ghost then we do not mean the Spirit of man in its most reformed and elevated state imaginable neither any created Spirit whatsoever But by the Holy Ghost we mean that Spirit by whose operation the Creation of the world was brought forth and formed Gen. 1. 2. Job 26. 13. And which knoweth all things even the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2. 10. And which is present every where Psal 139. 7 8. 9. Which Spirit we therefore believe to be one with the Father in nature and essence and therefore rightly said to be God Acts 5. 3 4 9. Secondly when we speak of mens receiving this holy Spirit we do not mean that he dwels in them essentially and personally for so they cannot contain him But he dwels in them by manifestation and operation By gifts according to 1 Cor. 12. By fruits according to 1 Cor. 13. 4 5 6 7. Galath 5. 22 23. And seeing the ground of this so much neglected truth the fourth principle of Christs doctrine lieth much in that great promise of the Spirit of God as the right of all the Disciples of Christ It behoveth that we open the nature of that glorious promise that being affected with the excellency and made sensible of the necessitie thereof we may the more devoutly seek for it not only in our private devotion but also in that special and publick way assigned in the holy Scripture for the obtaining so great a benefit Let it therefore first be considered that to be under the common influence and operation of the Spirit in the Ministery of the Word in order to conversion is one thing and the reception of the Holy Ghost as a Seal and confirmation of the souls of Christians as it is the earnest of their inheritance is another It is certain a person may be eminently under the operation of the Spirit in the first consideration and yet be a stranger to the reception of the Spirit in the other as appeared first in the Apostles themselves who though they were the persons which received the first fruits of the promised Holy Spirit yet were they for some time in the profession of the Gospel before they received it For they did not receive the Spirit of promise till after the Ascention of our Lord Acts 1. 4 5. But wait for the promise of the father which saith he ye have heard of me f●r John truly baptized with water but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many dayes hence John 7. 39. The Spirit was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet glorified In like manner the Samaritans were converted from the errour of their way by the preaching of the word and became the Disciples of Christ and yet the Spirit of promise was faln on none of them Acts 8. 12 15 16. The Ephesians also believed in God after they heard the Gospel of their salvation But were not sealed with the holy Spirit of promise till afterward Eph. 1. 13 14. Agreeable hereunto is that question of the Apostle Acts 19. 2. Have ye received the Holy Ghost SINCE ye believed The persons to whom this question was put were believers in Christ yea Baptized believers Whence we are to note that Baptized Disciples have right to the promise of the Holy Ghost and indeed hence it was that Peter could so confidently and universally promise in the word of the Lord the gift of the Holy Ghost to every one that doth repent of their iniquities and are baptized in the name of the L●rd Jesus Christ for the remission of their sins Acts 2. 38. It appeareth therefore that persons may be under the operation of the spirit of God in the Ministerie of the Word to their illumination and conversion so far as to be brought into a certain state of Christianity for those that may be called Disciples are called Christians Acts 11. 26. and yet be without the enjoyment of the sealing and confirming spirit of promise in themselves which is yet more evident from John 14. 16 17. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter even the Spirit of TRUTH for he dwelleth WITH you and SHALL be IN you Note well this promise doth not respect the spirit as it worketh Miracles only but also and indeed much more the Spirit as it is a Leader into all Truuh called therefore the Spirit of Truth yea 't is the Spirit in such wise as sh●uld ●bide with and in the Saints for ever yea it is the Comforter or Spirit of Comfort and is therefore that gift of the Spirit which pertaineth to Christians generally Secondly That this sealing and confirming Spirit of promise belongs to Christs Disciples generally whether male or female I conceive some necessity to demonstrate because the Searchers to the intent that at the least they may exclude ●omen from the benefit of prayer with the laying on of Hands will not have them included in the word THEM Acts 8. 17. but if we prove that women have right to the promise equally with men we shall not at all fear the trifling demands of the Searchers in their 29 Querie which only serves to shew the weakness of their cause for it seems if it be true that women as well as men had Hands imposed on them with Prayer by the Apostles for the Holy Spirit then their cavils against the universality of the pract●ce of laying on o● Hands is at least the less considerable Now that the promise of the Spirit extends to Christian women as well as men appeareth from the Prophets foresight of the extent thereof Isa 44. 3. I will powr water upon him that is thirsty and flouds upon the dry ground I will powr my Spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon their off-spring Joel 2. And it shall come to pass afterward that I will powr out my Spirit upon all flesh and upon the servants and upon the Handmaid in those dayes will I powr out of my Spirit Which glorious promise was first fulfilled to the Christians soon after the Assention of our Lord Acts 2. And now is the time as well as then for Christians to reap the fruit of that promise Acts 5. 32. the holy Ghost which God hath g●ven to them that obey him Because ye are sons God hath s●nt forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts Gal. 4. 6.

tendency of your 19th demand as if it would follow that because there were some sinfully suffered in some Churches of old who taught Gods people to commit fornica●ion and to eat meats effired to Idols and to hold 〈◊〉 community of Women a thing so beastly as scarce fit to be named therefore we may not withdraw from such Churches as suffer such things Now when yet its evident that the Lord charges those sins so deeply upon those that suffered those Abominations that without speedy Repentance their Church-state must be removed But surely our Brethren cannot be ignorant that the Lord commends such of the Churches in Asia as could not bear but uncharched those that were evil who said they were Jews and Aposties and were not but were the Synagogue of Sathan and how vehemently ●he reproves those that did not thus separate from such evil workers whether Congregations or particular Members for sure there is but one Law for few or for many in this case True it is That God had mercy for great offenders upon repentance and there must be admoniton before they be spewed out of the mouth But what will this avail their case who being intreated and exhorted to turn from the errour of their way and diligently taught concerning the truth yet persist in their opposition The slight exposition which the Searchers gives us of 2 John 7. 9. Verses is no more to be commended as I conceive then their Adversaries unwary syllogism from thence Seeing it is not all that confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh that hath fellowship with the Father and the Son For that is the sense of the Searchers or else they must tell us how many of Christs Doctrines or teachings must be owned as necessary to mens communion with God and Christ which will puzzle the Searchers as much as any body else their flourishes and reflexions against others notwithstanding Nor need we say much to our Brethrens demands which they ground on a supp●sition of the truth of our opinion considering what we have said already for if that we hold b● the truth it is such a truth as may not be dispensed with or neglected without manifes● danger to the rest of the principles of Religion as hath been shewed It shall therefore now suffice for the tryal of the consciences of ou● Brethren in this matter that we appeal t● them touching the like service in another case namely the Laying on of Hands in the Ordination of Officers in the Church which some o● them will have to be that principle Heb. 6● though others of them reject that as erroneous s● that our Brethren had lit●le cause to upbraid u● about some differing apprehensions about the end of that Ministration sith themselves are divided both about the end and the principle it self I say put case now that some among you should deny the Layng on of Hands on Officers to be instituted of God and tell you it is an innovation of man to say no worse and that you have no command from God for it and thereupon they bring all the Arguments against you which you devise against us And not only so but they carry on all the Affairs of the Church without any regard had to that orderly way of ordaining men to Office by prayer with the Laying on of Hands Only because it s your humour to have men so ordained therefore in condescention to your weakness and that they may the better bring you off that usage they permit you once twice or thrice c. to preach up such a thing in their Congregations Do you now make so little conscience of that Laying on of Hands which you practice and that as a part of the Foundation say some of you as that you could maintain a free and chearful communion with such persons Howsoever you may shuffle in this case considering the liberty which you encline to in the other yet surely were you free from that temptation you would find no small difficulties to hold such communion with those who should not only make void but even despise for 't is no better that wholsome and Divine order which God hath left for the Government of his House As for general Assemblies which are ordained for general Controversies and which through the blessing of God are the best expedient under the Sun for composing divisions in the Churches Here the liberty of Christians should be yea must be maintain'd though they differ right much in their opinions in matters of Religion and therefore we have indeed very Christianly admitted the Searchers to such our Assemblies knowing well that not only the Christians in the ages bordering upon the Primitive but even the Apostles of our Lord did allow Christians of very different perswasions freely to deliberate on things propounded in such Assemblies But yet we little thought that our Brethren would have abused us in the sight of the World for this our Christian respect towards them as if we were inconsistant with our principles in such our condescentions unless we also communicate with them at the Lords Table Surely this kind of dealing is unlikely to effect the peace and concord of our too much divided Congregations For my part I could heartily wish that all the Congregations of Christians in the World that are baptized according to the appointment of Christ Math. 28. 19. Mark 16. 16. Acts 2. 38. would make one Consistory at least some times to consider of the matters in difference among them For if this be not admitted there is no means under Heaven remaining as I conceive to heal their divisions and consequently to obtain that peace which should rule in the hearts of all Gods people because they are thereunto called in one universal body And herein I conceive an union in the main may be held though in our particular communities for the avoiding otherwise inevitable inconveniencies we are constrained to hold some distinctions For it is one thing to forsake the Church of Christ and another to cease communicating with such a particular Congregation as in the time of Reformation will needs stay behind in the steps of irregularity The first can be no other than Schism sith there can be no cause to forsake the Church of God though there may be cause to forbear communicating with some particular Members or Congregations thereof The other is so far from Schism that it is more truly called Reformation nor doth it follow that because we efuse to communicate with our Brethren in rheir irregular proceedings in the matters of Religion that therefore we reject them in those principles of truth which they do religiously observe and zealously profess neither is our distinguishing our Congregations from theirs so much a separation from them as a Reformation of our selves so that the 10. and 11. demands of the Searchers might well have been spared sith as things stand among us they are not only unnecessary but I fear may prove very pernicious to