Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	church_n	doctrine_n	hold_v	3,934	5	6.1946	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85942	Ippos pyrros = The red horse· or The bloodines of vvar, represented in a sermon (to perswade to peace) preached at Pauls, July 16. 1648, at five of the clocke in the afternoone. / By Jo: Geree, M.A. and pastor of St Faiths under Pauls. And now published to cleare the preacher from malignancy imputed to him by some left-eared auditors.	Geree, John, 1601?-1649.	1648 (1648)	Wing G596; Thomason E458_28; ESTC R23122	20,154	35

a refuge to Protestants should now occasion their weakening 4. Consider the little benefit that will accrew by bloudshed now if it want guilt In some waies and sufferings the losse of bloud may yeeld sweet fruit and we may expect increase by it Sanguinis Martyrum semen Ecclesiae Martyrs Bloud is the Churches Seed So in our Marian sufferings I am confident God hath blessed the Land with more faithfull Preachers and Professors by the Preaching of our Martyrs bloud who being dead yet speake then their labours would have procured had they lived out that ordinary time that in reason and nature they might but no such crop can be expected from the bloud now shed 5. The hazzard that must be run who knowes where victory will light and if it light on the side of those that are most averse to Peace by Treaty in what case will that Liberty and Religion c. be that they most tender It is not good to hazzard all when we may by Treaty obtaine that which we would and might heretofore have rested contented with and thankfull for 6. And what must become of poore Ireland Must we still complaine to God that it is called an out cast that no man seeketh after and yet not take courses that may hasten her reliefe which sure is likelier to be hastened by our closure by Treaty than expecting an end by the Sword 7. And me thinkes it should somewhat move moderate spirits to consider who they have been that have been most averse to an end by Treaty VVere not Papists used to cry out on the one hand that they were undone when hopes of Accommodation appeared while the most Hereticall Sectaries looked blacke on the other hand Are they not the most dangerous on both sides that would have no peace with a King or with a Parliament Sure then all that feare the dangers of extreames should close in their desires and endeavours for Peace by such a Treaty as might preserve both King and Parliament with the Royalties of the one and the Priviledges of the other 8. Nor should that be of least weight with us that is here hinted in the Text The Rider as our Gyffard saith on this red horse is the Devill his worke it is to take Peace from the earth that men might kill one another so that they that lay any Remora in the way of Peace they are but the devils Agents who doth either blow up their corruption as in those Persecutors who played the devill Rev. 2.10 Some of you shall Sathan cast into prison not immediately but by his Agents or else he doth abuse their simplicity as sometimes he did Peters to Christ when he thus rebuked him get thee behind me Sathan Mat. 16.23 But there is an Objection or two that needs solution Obj. 1 Some may thinke that if we have Peace with Treaty we shall not have all truth Ans 1 It is true that Truth and Holinesse are more precious than Peace and we must not let go either for outward Peace for that were to part with God for man Heaven for earth Inward for outward Peace which were a sinfull and foolish change but yet First I say by Treaty we may have publiquely all the Peace that it is lawfull for us to fight for which we have protested to maintaine that is all that is contained in the Doctrine of the Church of England established by Law Secondly I say If any errour be left we shall not be accessary to it having within our Spheare profest against it and endeavoured the eradication of it Thirdly We may for our owne particular hold all truth and purity that is a Legacy that Christ hath purchased for us that none can take away They may trouble and molest us for it but cannot without our owne consent dispoyle us of it Fourthly We may have publiquely more truth setled by Treaty than we are like to have by Victory on either side we have had experience on the one side already And I beleeve few of you doubt of my Assertion if Victory should fall on the other Obj. 2 But some may thinke that this is not a fit time to Treate till the Forces up against the Parliament be reduced but then it will be seasonable Ans To omit other things that might be answered to this Objection I answer briefly Though the oppositions that be now raised against the Parliament make it somewhat inconvenient to Treat in some respects yet in some other it makes it more necessary A Treaty I confesse is not so honourable when in any degree enforced and it is convenient that it should be done with the greatest tranquility and freedome but that opportunity being lost now the Force that is up doth necessitate it if we will prevent grievous and hazzardous slaughter And therefore for my part I cannot but wonder that any wise men though never so opposite to conjunction with other Forces risen should not think them a just occasion though not to precipitate yet to hasten a Treaty seeing else so great slaughter is like to be because now as it followes in the Text there is given to them a great Sword that may shed much precious bloud But something is requisite in us to promote Peace besides endeavouring Treaty for we must study every one of us to be fit for the returne of Peace God gives it and God takes it away and God waites to be gratious giving mercies to his people when they are fit for them Now we are fit for Peace first when we rightly prize it which want of it should and may teach us for Bona carendo c. Good things are best knowne in their value by our wanting them when we prize a blessing we will be thankefull for it Secondly when we are fitted to improve it when we are broken for and healed of all our abuses of it when we can looke upon it as a gracious opportunity to do more good and resolve by way of thankfulnesse so to improve it Thirdly when God hath done his whole good worke upon us by War Isa 10.7 12. when we are refined humbled and brought to repent of all those sins which have brought the judgement of War upon us 2 Chr. 12.6 7 8. 2. We must study to make our peace with God his Controversie with us is the root of all Controversies among our selves 3. We must not only petition men but God and that with such earnestnesse sincerity and importunity as such a mercy should be sought and then God will returne our peace as a river which the Lord vouchsafe Soli Deo gloria FINIS An Appendix holding forth the occasion of Preaching and the cause of publishing this plaine Sermon Christian Reader THou mayest understand that on Friday in the afternoone Iuly 14. an earnest suit was moved to me from Dr. Gouge and Dr. Burgesse to supply Dr. Burgesses place at Pauls the Lords day following and withall an offer made of sufficient supply for my charge that