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
A97109	The vanitie of the present churches, and vncertainty of their preaching, discovered. Wherein the pretended immediate teaching of the spirit, is denyed, and the all-sufficiency of the Scriptures teaching, is maintained. With, a new and true method of reading thereof, for the peace of the mind, and rule of life.	Walwyn, William, 1600-1681, attributed name.	1649 (1649)	Wing W693A; Thomason E1367_1; ESTC R210498	20,838	55

THE VANITIE Of the present CHURCHES AND Vncertainty of their Preaching discovered WHEREIN The pretended immediate teaching of the Spirit is denyed and the all-sufficiency of the Scriptures teaching is maintained WITH A new and true Method of reading thereof for the peace of the mind and rule of life Gal. 6. 15. 16 For in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new Creature And as many as walk according to this rule peace be on them c. London Printed by J. Clows and are to be sold in Cornhill and Popes-Head-Alley 1649. To the Reader ALthough I dissent from some things in this Treatise and other things seème dark and doubtfull to me yet there are many plain clear and evident Truths of great use to all Christians Therefore that the Truth may be manifest to all And that all Believers and Churches of the Saints may be of one mind and may edifie the whole body in love And in all their Doctrines and Conversations hold forth the truth as it is contained in the written word the perfect rule of the spirit to guide us into all Truth and to make us wise unto Salvation through that one necessary thing Faith which is in Christ Jesus which is by the Gospel the power of God to salvation preached unto us And that errour may be discovered reproved and corrected and if possible that the guilty may be convinced and reformed Therefore I say to this Epistle and the ensuing Treatise February 23. 1648-49 Imprimatur THEODORE JENNINGS The vanity of the present Churches and uncertainty of their Preaching discovered c. AS there is nothing more cōmendable amongst men then a true correspondency between the heart the tongue the hand so no thing is more lovely amongst Christians then that the Conscience the profession and the practice do universally agree though somthing be allowable unto frailty yet when the defect or discord is continued and that to the reproach of Christianity in generall and to the prejudice of humane society then certainly a reproofe is not only requisite but the neglect thereof a sinne of an high nature And so those whom this discourse now deemeth worthy of reproofe did seeme to judge when they condemned the persecuting practices of the new raysed Presbyters whose positions and professions whilst they were persecuted by the Bishops did clearly hold forth a full and compleat liberty of Conscience in the exercise of Religion and justly and truly did the Independants reprove them as their many bookes of that Subject do sufficiently testifie their reproofes were sharp and their replyes driven home whereby they put the question of the utmost liberty of Conscience out of all question accompting nothing more base or mis-beseeming a Christian then to question or vex or reproach any man for his judgment or practice touching matters of Religion and inciting all men to peace unity love and true friendship though of never so many severall opinions or different wayes in Religion By which their ingenuity they as the Puritan Presbyter had done before them gained abundance of love and respect from all men their Congregations multiplied and in conclusion obtained much countenance from authority which they no sooner tasted but instantly some of them began to pride themselves and to dispise others and to reproach and villisie all such as upon tryall and examination of their Churches their Pastors and Sermons finding all to be but fained imitations nothing reall or substantiall forsooke their societies and thereupon as the Presbyters had used them so deale the Independant with these and all that any wayes adhered unto these raysing nick-names and bitter invective reproaches against them sparing neither art nor paines to make them odious to others and their lives if it were possible a burthen to themselves and though reasons have been offered and conferences desired that they might see their error and forbeare to deale thus contrary to their positive owned and declared principles yet have they persisted therein and go on still without ●easing manifesting a most destructive and persecuting disposition not only towards these but towards many others whom they now as compleat Judges of other mens Consciences judge to be erronious or heriticall and seeme to have placed their felicity in the ruine of those whom their own Consciences cannot deny to have been instrumentall in their preservations and who have not thought their lives too precious to purchase them that freedom which now they enjoy And therefore it hath been conceived not only just but of absolute necessity to publish to the judgments of all impartial people both of the Congregationall way and others this their hard measure and unthankful usage of a harmlesse well-meaning people and withall to discover to all those who are conscientious the error of their wayes and emptinesse of the things wherein they glory and to let all those who are wilfull or meere polititians amongst them beare their shame openly and since they are proofe against their Consciences and can take up and lay down principles professions and practices too as stands most with their advantage and like the Jewes in their worst estate make no reckoning of oppressing all that are not of their tribes it is but equall that such should bear their mark in their forehead that all men might be warned from conversing with such deceivers and if any tartnesse appear herein they are the occasion it being no more then they deserve And not only so but we have herein also indeavoured to support the weake and by establishing them upon the sure foundation of the written word of God inclining them to give eare thereunto as unto the only true infallible teacher of spirituall things in our times and by directing them in a brief and plain method in the reading thereof how to attain to that one necessary Doctrine and main design intended therein unto man for his temporall and eternall comfort To which end that we may neither seeme to wrong the one sort nor to delude the other and for full satisfaction of all that are or shall be concerned herein we affirm it to be most palpably evident That ye of the Independant Congregationall or of any Church-way whatsoever have not that true essentiall mark of a true Church to be found amongst you which only can distinguish the true from the false and without which a true Church cannot be A true Church in the Scripture sence being such only as wherein the very word of God is purely and infallibly preached that 's the mark Now though it have been usuall among you in your prayers to desire of God that your auditors may give eare to the word that you preach not as unto the word of a mortall man but as unto the word of the ever living God and this too with such solemn countenances lifted up eyes and earnestnesse of expression as if it were the sin of sinnes for men to doubt it Though this hath been your course

sillable but recite some place of Scripture which by serious intention hath imprinted it selfe in their minds If you demand a reall Demonstration of the Spirit they can give you none but peradventure will tell you that you must awaite Gods time and he will enlighten you That their Spirit is as the white Stone in the Revelation the name whereof no body knew but he that received it making use of false darke and misterious Scriptures intended for another end to prove that they are unable by any sound argument or sensible demonstration to manifest Whereas were they really endowed therewith they could not conceale it nor we be unconvinced of its devine and supernaturall Power but must needs bend our knees and hearts in acknowledgement thereof If we urge the Scriptures against them they tell us the Letter killeth abusing and that so grosly that place of Scripture to the upholding their own vain imagination nothing being more evident then that by Letter in that place of the Romanes is to be understood the Law and by Spirit the Gospel And if men did not too much Idolize their owne fancies it would soone appear That now in our times we have no Preacher of the Gospel but the Scriptures which being the infallible Word of God the Word of Truth Eph. 1. 13. not the word of man but as it is in truth the Word of God 1 Thes 2. ver 13. which was not yea and nay but yea 2 Cor. 1. ver 18 19. 20. The Word of God that abideth for ever Is it not strange that our pretended Preachers of all sorts should so far prevaile upon the minds of men as to draw them from giving eare to what this Word of truth plainly and evidently holdeth forth for the peace of their minds and direction of their lives and take up their time and thoughts wholly or principally with their uncertain fallible Sermons making them in effect forsake these living fountains and digg to themselves broken Cisterns that can hold no water Nay a wonderfull thing it is that it should be received for a currant truth That this the greatest blessing the World knows this word of the ever living God should now come to be esteemed but as a dead Letter this sword of the Spirit that forceth it self into our dead naturall understandings plants it self there makes us one with it and forms us new this regenerating word this immortall seed should be so undervalued as to passe but as a dead Letter Time was that it was otherwise in England when our fore-Fathers would have given any thing in the world yea many of them gave up their lives rather then they would part with the smalest part of this precious Word translated into English by the first sincere professors of true Christian doctrins but then Godlinesse was esteemed the greatest gain and the iniquity of Learning was not arived to so much impudence as to make a gain of Godlynesse to make a trade of Religion and to become rich by pretended preaching Nor weaned they the people from the Scriptures to give eare to their notions and opinions telling them they had the Spirit and that the Scriptures were but a dead letter but invited and perswaded all men to a diligent consideration of the true scope and intent of them Neither did they preferr the understanding of men with difficult points or obscure doctrins but as Luther insisted altogether upon the Doctrin of free Justification by Christ alone and in way of thankfulnes for so great a benefit invited all men to live righteously Godly and soberly in this present world therein following the example of the Apostles and the very end scope and main design of the Scriptures which is that unum necessarium and which if people did rightly and seriously mind they would not so easily be drawn to follow such Teachers or to give eare to such Sermons whereby they are alwaies learning but never come to the knowledge of this one necessary truth For how long work soever Ministers and pretended Preachers make of it to maintaine themselves and families in wealth plenty and honour necessary Doctrins are not at all hard to be understood nor require long time to learne them and if it did not concerne their livelihood and profession to make men beleeve they were people would soone understand sufficiently for their establishment and comfort and would fall to practice that so they might become an honour to their profession of Christianity for the Scriptures or word of God having once planted this truth in the understanding viz. That it is the bloud of Christ which cleanseth us from all sinne this Evangelicall truth of its own nature would instantly set man on work to do the will of him that hath so loved him and constrain him to walk in love as Christ hath loved so that after this all the care would be how to advance the Gospel by making our light to shine forth before men that others seeing our good works may glorifie our Father which is in Heaven But this is no profitable way for any of our pretended Preachers this Doctrin is to soone learned for if men once come to know that this short lesson is sufficient what will they regard either printed discourses or Sermons and if once they find them also full of uncertainty contradiction and unnecessary things they 'le not part with their mony for such trash when they may go to the two breasts of Christ himself freely at all times to the Scriptures and buy this sweet milk and hony without mony and without price and if men and women come once to understand this they will not comber themselves with many things but possessing this unvalluable truth will ever worship God in Spirit and in Truth and declare unto others this blessed one necessary comfortable way and that not by preaching or long set speeches which are apt to deceive but by conferences and mutuall debates one with another the best way for attaining a right understanding far excelling that which is called preaching But then how shall Demetrius and the Crafts-men live even by some lawfull calling this being the most palpably delusive of any in the world and it is very strange that all men do not discerne and avoid it It is so as cunningly as it is carryed as high in repute as it is hath long time been having no foundation but in the weake credulity of men for if men but once consider it their Sermons will appear to be but as common discourses full of mistakes errors and at the least altogether uncertaine and that all their preachings and prayings are only for mony and that their greatest skill and labour is to hold men ever in suspence and upon pretence of truth to give them a bastard Scholastick knowledge which only serve to make men proud wrangling Sophisters and Disputers vain boasters talkers busie-bodies censurers Pharisees wise in their own eyes and despising others void of all true piety

before their eyes nor untill the mocke Churches are overturned and laid flat For so long as men flatter themselves in those vaine waies and puffe themselves up with vaine thoughts that they are in a way well pleasing to God because they are in a Church way as they call it or because they are able to speak long together which they call preaching they are for the most part regardles of storing their minds with truths reall Christian virtue little or nothing careing either for publick Justice Peace or freedom amongst men but spend their time in endlesse disputes in condemning and censuring those that are contrary minded whereby nothing but heats and discontents are ingendred backbiting and snarling at all that oppose them will neither buy nor sell with them if they can chuse nor give them so much as a good looke but on all occasions are ready to Censure one to be carnall another erronious one an Atheist another an Heretick a Sectary Scismatick a Blasphemer a man not worthy to live though they have nothing whereof to accuse him which in the true Scripture sence will beare the title of an offence but are stirred in their spirits against him because happily he speaketh against their Church-way and frequently sheweth the vanity and emptinesse of those things wherein they glory and by which they distinguish themselves from other men So that it were much better for the Common-wealth that all mens mindes were set at Liberty from these entanglements that so there might be an end of wrangling about shaddows for if men were once free from this Church-bondage they would by reading the Scriptures with such like considerations as are before expressed soone come to be able to understand the intent substantiall scope thereof and become substantiall Christians full fraught with true Christian virtue and reall godlinesse which would incline them to a tendernesse of spirit towards all those they saw in any errour make them to compassionate mens failings and infirmities and be ready to help the distressed and any waies afflicted it would enlarge their hearts toward all men making them like unto our heavenly Father who causeth his Sun to shine on the just and unjust that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth no man Certainely were we all busied onely in those short necessary truths we should soon become practicall Christians and take more pleasure in Feeding the hungry Cloathing the naked visiting and comforting of the sicke releeving the aged weake and impotent in delivering of Prisoners supporting of poore families or in freeing a Common wealth from all Tyrants oppressors and deceivers the authors and promoters of all corruption and superstion thereby manifesting our universal love to all mankind without respect of persons Opinions Societies or Churches doubtlesse there were no way like unto this to adorne the Gospell of Christ men and women so exercising themselves and persevering therein might possibly deserve the name of Saints but for men to assume that title for being a Presbyter an Independent Brownist Anabaptist or for being of this or that opinion or of this or that forme of Worship or for being able to Pray and Preach as they call it three or foure houres together venting their own uncertain notions and conjectures or for looking more sadly and solemnly then other people or for dressing themselves after a peculiar manner or for pretending to have the Spirit of God though they are ever to seeke about the meaning of the Scriptures or for sucking in and sighing out reproaches and slanders against their neighbours proceeds from meer pride and vanity of mind when as the best of these put altogether amount not to so much towards the making of a true Saint as one mercifull tender hearted compassionate act for Christs sake doth And therefore those who would truly honour God let them not think that he will be flattered with words or be served with lip service with that which costeth little or nothing but let them resolve that he expecteth to be served with no lesse then with all our heart withall our might and with all our strength to be honoured both in our bodies and in our spirits for they are his It is most certain that men are first to know and understand before they can become practicall Christians and though the Scriptures are very plain aud full as to necessary knowledge yet the errors of weake and perverse teachers do so abound that it is a difficult thing to escape them and to fall into a profitable method of reading and meditation of the word of God wherein may the considerations aforementioned prove as profitable as they are conscionably intended but doubtlesse the best way to perfect knowledge is and will be by endeavouring after meetings of people to conferre and discourse together in a discreet quiet and well ordered way upon necessary points only the way of preaching or long set speeches being subject to abundance of error and inconvenience and therefore it would be happy that all wel-meaning people would seriously set themselves to procure frequent and full meetings for increase of knowledg in all sorts of people and no longer to depend either on the publique or congregationall Sermons for information of their understandings it being evident that they serve rather to dignifie the Speakers and to sway the hearers into what they please then to any just or necessary end And as every one increaseth in knowledge let them know that God hath not vouchsafed his word unto us to make us talkers or discoursers only as the manner of many knowing people is who as soone as they arive to a good measure of understanding and are thereby freed from the burthens and oppressions which error and superstition had brought into their Consciences instead of being thankfull to God for the same by dilligence in the wayes of doing good they become carelesse turning the goodnesse and truth of God manifested in his word to Idlenesse if not to wantonnesse not caring what becommeth of the miseries of the times or other mens sufferings but ever after live as in a pleasing dream these who ever they are are to be looked upon as the most unworthy of men because the most ungratefull the most opposite to the end of their being the vilest of Creatures because sloathfull Christians the best things being the worst if once corrupted And therefore it will be very good for every one to stir up the knowledg of God that is in him and to keep it alive by continuall practice upon all occasions practice in good and just and charitable things being that wherein the Conscience is most delighted so that if any propose to themselves any happines here in this life it is to be found only in doing of good the more good the better contented and the greater the happinesse man being in nothing like unto God but in doing good nothing is more acceptable to God nothing is more pleasant to Conscience his vicegerent in us to do good

therefore and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased whilst we have time and oppertunity let us do good unto all men Let us all strive to go on before another in love and let there be no other strife at all amongst us we wish with all our soules that all reproach despites and envyings amongst men might for ever cease and that difference in judgment may no longer occasion difference in affection there being in our apprehension no cause at all but that all men going in their severall wayes of serving God whether publique or private may neverthelesse be free to communicate in all civill Offices of love and true friendship and cordially joyne with any for a publique good but if notwithstanding all that hath been endeavoured or hath been said this Generation of congregationall men shall continue to puffe and swell through pride of heart to lift themselves up into the Chayre of the scornfull and as the man in Peters Chayre assume a power of life and death over all opinions and wayes not owned by them as if they were infallible judges of all controversies making no scruple of blasting mens good names and reputations or of undoing of whose Families thereby they must then expect to be told their own and be made appear to the world as they are not as they would be esteemed It being evident by what hath been said that although they have boasted themselvs to be rich and increased with goods and to have need of nothing yet they are as the luke-warm Church of Laodicea miserable wretched and poore and blind and naked and for all their bigg and swelling conceipts of parts of gifts of Saint-ship of the Spirit in effect pharisaically crying out Lord we thank thee we are not as other men nor as those poore Publicans that receive all their knowledge of Divine things from the Scriptures onely and are taught onely thereby Notwithstanding these bigg swelling words their Peacocks feathers being thus pluckt off you see and they will they nill they must also see that they must be content at last to shake hands even with those poore Publicans and acknowledge that they have no other infallible Teacher of Divine things but the Scriptures and that they partake no more of the Spirit then what that blessed Word of the Spirit planteth in them And if their consciences are awakened will be enforced to forsake their falling Churches unlesse for politique ends they shall stifle the power of these Truths within them chusing rather to perish in the rubbish then to seem to have bin so exceedingly mistaen which will prove an unpardonable error For however the best of men may erre yet they are the worst of men that persist in error after the discovery And therefore if there be any whose consciences shall be fully informed of the vanity of these Churches and yet for any ends shall continue to support the reputation of them let all such know that those who dare be so impious as to stop the continuall cry of their consciences must necessarily desire in their hearts there were no God whose Uicegerent Conscience is which is the most sad and dangerous conditon that man can fall into in this life And certainly they will find it far better to forsake their tottering immaginary structures confess their emptines sinfull imitation taking shame unto themselves and giving glory unto God whose name and power they have much diminished hy affirming those to be Churches which are not those Pastors and Preachers which are not those Saints which are not his blessed Word to be but a dead Letter that to be his Word which is but conjecturall Sermons and in censuring those to be erronious and carnall Christians who have more warrant for what they do then themselves And then by a more considerate ingenious and Christian-like carriage to make amends for the future which would very much rejoyce the herrts of all that love the Lord Jesus in sincerity whose Truth and Glory will be advanced by the Scriptures when all the roving wild and wandring immaginations of mens spirits shall vanish and come to nought FINIS Feb. 23. 1648-49 Imprimatur THEODORE JENNINGS