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
A81481	The deputation of angels, or, The angell-guardian: I. Proved by the dim light of nature, clear beames of Scriptures, and consent of many ancient and modern writers, untainted with popery. II. Cleared from many rubs and mistakes; the criticall queries of antagonists examined, untyed. III. Applyed and improved, for our information in many other truths; consolation in our adversities; and reformation of our lives. Chiefly grounded on Acts 12. 15. It is his angell. / By Robert Dingley, M.A. and minister of the word at Brixton in the isle of Wight; formerly Fellow of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford.	Dingley, Robert, 1619-1660.	1653 (1653)	Wing D1496; Thomason E1505_2; ESTC R208670	88,111	239

before you Or little in grace parts and esteem as some of my Disciples Or little in their * Qui deposita altitudine se ad Modestiam ultroneam subjectionem composuerint Marlorat in Mat. 18.10 own eyes as all my Elect I say each of them is great in the eyes of God and hath a particular Angel to attend and guard him The third Scripture Proof for the Guardian-Angel is this in the Text 3 Scripture proof Acts 12.15 Acts 12.15 Behold what Christ himselfe taught the Primitive Christians do believe and declare It is his Angell They were not Heathens that spake this but Christians well instructed in the faith Not Christians infected with Errors But sound Christians in the most pure and Primitive Times Not spoken rashly by the Maid-servant Rhoda but by the Church at Ierusalem and that at a time and in a place of worship for they were assembled to pray for Peter Then it was not a conjecturall * Loquantur de petri Angelo ut de re minime nova aut ambigua Beza in Acts 12.15 p. 332. but positive speech And the golden quil of St. Luke recorded it among the grave Acts and sayings of the Apostes and Primitive Christians without the addition of any dislike or dissent as you have seen already To all which let me add that this Doctrine of Angels Deputation was not only believed and declared by the Church at Ierusalem but also it was confirmed by St Peter himself that great and famous Apostle one of the Life-guard of Christ one of his bosome Disciples one that was present at his Transfiguration and one that Christ had a very speciall eye of favour upon On the doctrine of whose reasonable and brave confession hee resolved to build his Church and to whom the Lord did shew singular kindnesse next unto Iohn Mar. 16.7 Tell his Disciples Peter that he is risen and goeth before you into Galile And lastly Peter that was chiefly concerned in this affair For they spake of his Angel If therefore Peter himself will be so farr from checking them for this saying as to ratifie and confirm it who can any longer demur his sealing of this point But Peter did acknowledg the Deputation of Angels Acts 12.11 Acts 12.11 When Peter came to himself he said Now I know of a surety that the Lord hath sent his Angel and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod 1. One Angel came to him shall wee question but it was his Angel-guardian 2. 'T was by deputation and appointment the Lord hath sen● him 3. 'T was to comfort and deliver him out of prison and give him in to the prayers of the Church 4. That he might be assured it was his Angel the Angel assumed a bodily shape a light shining in the Prison and he spake to Peter and smote off his chaines 5. He was herein much confirmed in our point Now I know for a certaine it is so and so Oh that such as out of zeal against Rome in pangs of mistaken zeal do oppose with some bitternes this truth would pause ponder and consider the forementioned Scriptures Then would we say with Peter Now we know for a certain that God sends unto his servants and to each of them a tutelar Angel to defend and direct them Now the objections against this last Scripture were answered in the severall expositions of this Text and therefore here we shall passe them over Thirdly and lastly 3 The Point by consent of ancient modern Writers we come now to give you the confirmation of this point by the joynt assent of many ancient and modern Writers untainted with Popish leven And here we shall consider two things 1. That this evidence is not vain 2. That of these evidences there are store 1. That the judgment of Antiquity viz. of learned pious and Orthodox Writers in severall ages doth tend very much to the right understanding of scripture-Scripture-truth We doe not say that * See Iohn Daille of the right use of the Fathers Antiquity the opinion of the Fathers and humane tradition are infallible signs pillars of Truth or that they are equall with the Scripture or that Generall Councels cannot erre Or finally that there is not such a thing as Antiquity of Errour But this wee safely may affirm That the judgment of holy learned and unbyast men is not a little to be heeded and doth exceedingly conduce to the clearing of scripture-Scripture-truth tending to settle and establish us in the true meaning of Gods word 1 Tim. 3.15 The Church is called The pillar and ground of truth Not so much a Marble pillar to support the Truth as a pillar on which is Pasted the Proclamation of Divine Truths That the judgment of the Learned and Orthodox is not to be neglected will thus easily appear unto us 1. The translation of the Bible into severall Languages hath still beene highly valued in Gods Church The generality of Gods People have no other Bible to peruse but that which is cloathed in their Mother tongue on this Bible they build their salvation Nay the most learned Linguists doe know the signification of Greek and Hebrew words only upon credit of their Teachers and Authors Therefore also the Exposition of the Scriptures by the same or like-learned or sound men is not to be suspected or vilipended in Gods Church 2. They have strong and sollid proofs of the things that they hold well back'd with Scripture Reason and intermixt with fervent exhortations to Piety 3. 1 Thes 5.20 If we must regard the Sermons Expositions and Writings of the Living then surely much more of the Dead since the Living may recant and depart from their present perswasions but the other have conveyed that to us which was their Belief both in life and death Surely the experiences of Gods people whether here or in heaven are of marvellous use and rich benefit to the Saints 4 Their joynt consent unity and harmony in things fundamentall declares that they were acted and assisted by the same spirit 5. Their difference in lesser things is so farre from abating the weight of their Testimony as that on the contrary it addes † Jo Daille of the Fathers book 2. p. 186. rather much unto the same For this clears their consenting in things Fundamental from all suspition of proceeding from Combination or Mutual Intelligence and the thing which is now stiled Interest For when you find them disagreeing in many lesser things it is an evident argument that they have not altogether sucked their knowledg from one another or combined together to deceive us But according to their best understandings they drew all from the Fountaine hewing out each particular point from the rich quarry of sacred Scripture so far as God did reveale his will to them 6. Many eyes see more then two But the Orthodox a Athanasius had so high an esteem of Conncels That writing of the

Believer It is evident from the Scripture That the mayn Host or chiefe body of the Angels are in Heaven above waiting before the Throne yeelding personal attendance on their Head and our Husband Christ Jesus continually lauding and praysing God skreening their faces with their wings and crying Holy Holy Holy standing ready prest to execute his Will Therefore there is in * Mat. 22.30 2 Thes 1.7 Scripture so frequent mention of the Angels of Heaven Heaven is the Palace and Throne of God Angels are his guards Elect Angels do continue there unlesse they be sent and otherwise employed by God to execute his will upon Earth or in the Aire or in the deep waters Iacob in a vision saw a Ladder reaching up to Heaven and Angels continually ascending and descending on it That Heaven is a PLACE we need not doubt for the body of Christ is there And that the main host and corporation of Angels in that place wil evidently appear from the sacred Text Dan. 7.10 Dan. 7.10 The Ancient of days did sit his throne was like the fiery flame A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him Thousand thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him It seems that Daniel in a Vision saw the glory of God in Heaven and his full Court of Angels about his Throne The like expressions are in Rev. 5.11 And I beheld and heard the voyce of many Angels round about the Throne c. Now if the main knot and corporation of Angels be in Heaven then it is not probable that each Believer should have Troops upon earth Or that all the blessed Angels watch over every Believer as some have affirmed 7. Rev. 12.7 opened And lastly let us grant that many Angels attend each particular Saint Yet it would not be a vain or fruitlesse Doctrin that one of them is chiefly intrusted with his preservation to place conduct and excite the rest as need shall require for 't is certain the good Angels fight with the evill in our behalf Rev. 12.7 Aug. Hom. 9. in Apoc. Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon and his angels 1. Austin Tertullian Tertul. de carne Christi and our Modern Writers do by Michael understand Christ Jesus the head of all Principalities and Powers The Noble Captaine of our salvation 2. Brightman and Trap on Rev. 12.7 Some by Michael and his Angels understand Constantine and his Armies as learned Brightman and others 3. Others affirm that Michael is to be taken literally For Michael the Arch-Angel being commanded of the rest in the vision which is not altogether improbable 1. Because Michael is stiled an Arch-Angel in the ninth verse of St. Iudes Epistle 2. 'T is likely an Angel there was called an Arch-Angel as being Captain in the skirmish with Satan So saith Basil very fully to our purpose Basil advers Eunemium lib. 3. A celestial spirit is called an Arch-Angell when being accompanied with many other Angels in the work of the Lord he is guide and leader to the rest for inter Angelos est Ordo among the Angels and especially in Battail there is very great Order 3. Mark well the opposition Michael and his Angels against the Dragon and his Angels Who questions but the DRAGON is Beelzebub the chief the Prince of Devills Therefore also by MICHAEL may be meant an Arch-Angel since it is plain there are Degrees among the blessed Spirits And if there be Order in Hell sure there is no confusion in Heaven I might mention other places where an Angel in chief is mentioned Josh 5.14 and other good Angels with him see only two places Josh 5.14 15. There you see the Captain of the Lords Host appeared and spake to Ioshuah Gods host of Angels that came to the relief of Ioshua had over them a Commander or Chieftain and this Captain appeared and spake to Ioshua See also Luke 2. Luk. 2.9.13 at the ninth verse The Angel of the Lord appeared unto the Shepheards to convey unto them the news of a Saviour Now observe when the message of this chiefe Angel or Ambassadour was ended Then suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly host praysing God and singing ver 13. One Angel sang of Christ as the chief Musitian and a full Quire bore the burden of the Song Glory to God in the highest on earth peace and good will towards men Luk. 2.16 It is said that the Angels went into Heaven that is the Quire of them went but 't is likely the first Angel continued with one of the Shepheards to conduct them to the place where the babe lay So then if a man have many Angels about him 't is a comfort that one who is chiefe will be his guardian to guide counsell and order the Angels that are sent and to abide with him when the rest are disbanded and depart Perhaps for some other expedition as Providence shall dispose or else to joyne in the Halelujahs above I have been the larger in answering the second doubt because I find that it is generally urged against our point by the Antagonists thereof A believer hath many Angels hath all the Angels what need we confine his safety to One Thirdly Quest 3 Some may aske is not this a Popish and Antichristian point maintained chiefly by Jesuites and Papists and rejected by Protestants and sober men To this we answer Answ 1. There are many points in Divinity wherein the Romanists and wee doe agree We do not think the worse of Foundationall Truths if we find them owned by the Pseudocatholick Church But rather we say these things are so Our enemies themselves being Iudges They have the main body of truth so are called Christians only the pearl of divine Truth is hid in the endlesse rubbish of humane Traditions But whilst we have their Blindnesse Idolatry and Superstition let 's not extend our hatred to their persons but pitty and pray for them nor to the many Truths which they hold but cleave to them still A man will not reject a piece of Gold though he find it on the Dunghill and a Mother will love and take up her Child although bemired in the street among rude Play-fellows So it must be here we must love and embrace the truth whersoever we find it 2. Tertullian Clemens Alexandrinus Origen and many others who approved of the Guardian Angel and breathed in the three first Centuries after Christ could not be infected with Popery which then had no being For as wee prove the Sabbath to be more then Ceremonial for being constituted observed from the beginning Gen. 2.2 Exod. 16.23 30. before the promulgation of the Law So it is as easie to prove that the Doctrine of Angels Deputation is not Popish because it was maintained by the Primitive Christians as the Text declares And by the ancient Fathers that breathed in the purest ayre of Primitive times before

ignorant reduce the Erronious confirme the Weak comfort the feeble-minded relieve the necessities of the Saints In a word on all occasions take part with them against the violence and oppression of wicked men But chiefly Let every Christian have one particular faithfull friend to watch over his soule Note to deale sincerely and most impartially with him The word calls for it Two is better then one Let us consider and observe one another Let us watch over one another and provoke to good works Inestimable is the fruit of this course as the experience of Saints can witnesse Austin had his Alypius Bernard his Gervasius Basil his Nazianzen Jerom his Heliodorus Eusebius his Pamphilius David his Jonathan and Paul his Barnabas for this end Among the properties of a speciall bosom friend this is the chief To imitate our Guardian Angel in watching over us and not suffer sin to passe unreprooved This is true durable and profitable Friendship Lastly as good Angels take part with us against the evill so we must side and take part with the Church against all her Enemies When the wolfe comes all the sheep run together We must own the Righteous not only in prosperity but in their Troubles and Oppressions from men Amicus certus in re incerta cernitur saith Tully Many use their Friend like a Diall they passe by him if the Sun of Prosperity do not shine upon him Amicos res opimae parant adversae probant A friend is born for Adversity and to stand by when others forsake one Such a friend may be neerer then a brother * Secundus p. 89 Res inventu difficilis but being found he is Angustiarum Solatium miseriarum fomentum a choise support in the time of trouble Secondly 2 To Magistrates this speaks to Magistrates That they especially doe imitate the blessed Angels and be Defenders of the Faith and Protectors of the Faithfull Here I shall declare 1. That the Godly and Orthodox must by them be protected and cherished in Gods wayes 2. That the blasphemous and Hereticall though they call themselves Saints and People of an high Administration must not be protected in usurping the Ephod dispersing and divulging their damnable Opinions 1. The godly Orthodox and Peaceable must be protected encouraged and cherished by the Civil Magistrate in wel-doing Magistrates must feed and defend and provide for the flock of God and be a wall and fence to the godly If any do injure them they with the Angels must take their part The Magistrate must provide for their souls by setting up lights in the dark corners of the Land by building and causing to be well repaired the places of Publicke worship By setting up a convenient maintenance for the Dispencers of the word by contending for the Sabbath and subduing all known Prophanations by their causing all of all sorts somewhere to heare the word By defending and encouraging the publique Assemblies of Gods people by providing for Provinciall and Nationall Councels to be called and held for the preservation of Truth Order and Peace In a word by suppressing houses of Rioting and all kind of wickednesse and prophanesse which gets the upper hand Then as the Magistrates must look to the Soules so also to the Bodis Estates and properties of men That Righteousnesse run down as a stream That the poor be employed and maintayned That Corn in plenty be layd up against a time of dearth That superfluous Comodities be sent abroad in Ships and other needful things brought home in their room By setting up Judges and Magistrates as at the first Exod. 18.21 22 23. That justice may runne down by our doors Finally that the Nation be able to defend it selfe from invasion or intestine Mutiny Hear what a Dr. Featly his Sermon p. 817 one hath said to this point Angels are our Guardians Magistrates Parents Tutors and Masters Keepers in a time of Peace Generals Captains and Souldiers in a time of War but if you ask with the Poet Quis custodes custodiet ipsos We answer Custos Israelis Isa 49.23 That God which hath said Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers Queens thy nursing Mothers will certainly stand by his Ordinance of Magistracy 'T was one of the seditious Lawes enacted at Munster Note Magistratibus ac Principibus nullus subjiciatur Let no man be subject to Magistrates and Princes There are a world of these Caterpillars now abroad upon every green leafe and therefore it concerns us to be the more vigilant and unanimous against them 2. See twenty Reasons in Dr. Cheynell of the Trinity 461. 480. Hereticks must not by Magistrates be protected in usurping the Ephod running unsent divulging and dispersing their damnable Errors which wil easily appear by Scripture and sound Reason 1. By Scripture Rev. 2.20 'T was Thyatira's sinne to suffer Iezabel to teach and seduce the people Jobs Wife bid him curse God and dye Job 2.9 intimating that if he did curse God he should soon be put to death for his paines Under the Law the Blasphemer was stoned to death And the Gospel saith his mouth must be stopt Tit. 1.11 First by sollid Reasons and Arguments Secondly if that will not serve the turn by Banishment or Imprisonment Thirdly in some extraordinary cases by Death If the Magistrate shall judg the blasphemy so heynous Gal. 5.12 I would they were cut off that trouble you A corpore Christi saith Piscator But Peter Martyr compares with it Psal 55.15 Let Death seize on them and let them goe quicke downe into hell 2. This also may be cleared by sound reason grounded on the word of God and experiences of the Church 1. No Heresie can thrive Arg. 1 or be well hatcht but under the wing of pretended piety Therefore that must not be a cover to the monstrous brood of errour 2. Arg. 2 Qui non vetat jubet He that having power forbids not evils commands them Tacit. Hist Othoni nondum authoritas inerat ad prohibendum scelus jubere jam poterat saith Tacitus He had not yet full power to forbid an evill command it he could Let fire fall into tinder it needs not blowing Not hindering an evill is sufficient Approbation 3. Arg. 3 Of old they were not to plough with the Ox the Ass Deut. 22.10 11. nor to wear a garment of divers colours or one made of linnen woolen all this God forbad in relation to diversities of worship to declare how he hates an impure medly and mixture in Religion Zeph. 1.5 Hee will cut off those that swear by the Lord and by Malcham 4. Arg. 4 This was a grievous blot on Solomon and most of the succeeding Kings of Judah 1 Reg. 15.14 That the high places were not remooved But 't is recorded to the everlasting honour of good Iosiah That he brake down the Altars and Images of Baalim 2 Chron. 34. 5. The Mr. Arg. 5 of the