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	mark_n	1,651	5	9.1086	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A79995	The civil magistrates povver in matters of religion modestly debated, impartially stated according to the bounds and grounds of scripture, and answer returned to those objections against the same which seem to have any weight in them. Together with A brief answer to a certain slanderous pamphlet called Ill news from New-England; or, a narrative of New-Englands persecution. By John Clark of Road-Island, physician. By Thomas Cobbet teacher of the church at Lynne in New-England. This treatise concerning the christian magistrates power, and the exerting thereof, in, and about matters of religion, written with much zeal and judgement by Mr. Cobbet of New-England, I doe allow to be printed; as being very profitable for these times. Feb. 7th. 1652. Obadiah Sedgwick.	Cobbet, Thomas, 1608-1685.	1653 (1653)	Wing C4776; Wing B4541; Thomason E687_2; Thomason E687_3; ESTC R206875	97,858	126

abuse their power contrary to the mind of God That abuse of their power must not invalidate and take away the due use of their power Churches are ecclesiastically to cut off such as trouble the Churches but they may abuse their power to cast out their best members for the truths sake yet this their sinne dischargeth not Churches from the dutie It is alike here abuse of civil power taketh not away this due use of it 2. Just persecution of men sinning against Gods Rules and the Dictates of a right guided conscience which require persons to obey Superiours in all their lawful commands is not to persecute men for attendance unto Gods Rules or to the Dictates of a good conscience and it were absurd to reason thus Men may not be persecuted for a good cause and conscience therefore they may not be punished for maintaining a bad cause and that which is interpretatively against their conscience The exercise of any such power by godly Rulers is cross to Object 9 the meek Spirit of Christ and to that merciful and peaceable Spirit which he requireth of his Saints Rom. 15. 1. Gal. 6. 1 2. Eph. 4. 32. 2 Tim 2. 25. James 3. 15. 17. 1. All that is required of Church Officers and Members Answ such to them so considered are those speeches in special wise directed as the contexts shew yet are Church Officers and Members as those of Ephesus commended also for their zeal when through zeal they could by no means bear with corrupt Tenents and Doctrines of the highest strain and held forth with the highest pretences of Divine Truth and no lesse then Apostolical Revel 2 2. Thou canst not bear them that are evil and hast tried them that say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them liars and they are required to avoid and reject and cut off such as vent corrupt doctrines and the l●ke Rom. 16. 17. Gal. 5. 10. Tit. 3. 10 11. 2. Zeal of God in sharp punishing of such like corruptions stood very well with Christs Dove like Spirit none so meek as he yet none so zealous this way The zeal of Gods House even consumed him and made him lay on so hard with his scourge upon those who polluted the Temple Iohn 2. 16. with 14. 15. 16. 30. so Moses that King in Iesurun the meekest of mere men in his own cause Numb 12. 3. yet how Lion-like in that cause of pollution of Gods worship Exodus 32. 26 27 28 29. So in Hezekiah who was such a shadow to the Saints Esay 32. 2. yet a very fierie flying Serpent against the enemies of God and the Church Esay 14. 29 30. This is contrarie to what was Prophesies of us Gentiles Object 10 That our swords should be beat into plowshares Esay 2. 4 and that none should hurt or destroy in all Gods Mountain 1. Although all sinful and rash quarrelsomness all self avengings Answ or means thereof and all injurious and unwarrantable slaughters should be excluded Gods Mountain yet this hinders not but that gentile Rulers as ordained of God must bear his sword not in their scabbards and at their girdles suffering it to rust for want of use for that were to bear the sword in vain contrary to Gods own order Rom. 13. 4 but to be used against all evil works coming under their Cognizance whether respecting God and Religion more specially or man and righteousnes whether in way of the vengeance of God against domestick offenders or in way of just war against other enemies of God his Cause or Saints If any reply hereto that this place in the Romans intendeth not any matters of Religion at all but onely matters of civil righteousness 1. Evident it is that as good and evil doing whereof the civil Magistrate taketh cognizance are opposed Rom. 13. 3 4. so are incouraging rewards to weldoers as by that of prayses and vindicative rewards to evil doing and to evil doers opposed now none will deny that the civil Magistrate is bound to incourage the Preaching Profession and practice of the Truth worship and wayes of God and therefore by paritie of reason is he to be an avenger of what cometh under his cognizance contrary thereunto 2. The persons more specially spoken to upon that ground to doe well because then they have praise of the same or in case they do evil then they are to fear the vengeance of the Lord to be executed by his Minister the Magistrate they are Professours Officers and Members of Churches such as they were at Rome Rom. 1. 7. and 12. 4 5 6 7 8. compared with chap. 13. 3 4. If thou do that which is evil fear c. which all will confess to be liable to evil doing against the first as well as the second Table 3. He is by Gods Ordinances to be a terrour to evil works indefinitely For rulers are not a terrour to good works but to evil vers 3. v. 4. He is the Minister of God the avenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil be he who he will be coming under his power or be the evil what it will be coming under his view Now the Scripture reckons especially the doing of persons of corrupt judgements as persons so corrupt to be evil deeds Hence if a Christian bid God speed to persons who bring not the Doctrine of Truth he is partaker with him in his evil deeds 2 Joh. 10. 11. Hence Paul calleth those corrupt circumcision teachers evil works Phil. 3. 2. Beware of dogs beware of evil workers beware of the concision And the opposition Rom. 13. 3. evinceth this Rulers are not a terrour to good works but to evil whence the argument is strong Those good works and acts which ciuil Rulers are not to be a terrour unto unto the contrary evil works they are to be a terrour to good works and acts civilly such respecting the Truth worship and wayes of God civil rulers are not to be a terrour therefore to evil works contrary to the truth waies and worship of God are they to be a terrour If any yet reply that this in Rom. 13. is spoken with reference to the present power that then bare chief sway at Rome or at least with sole reference to such like civil powers that were christian and looketh not to civil powers becoming christian and so is no rule for christian rulers The Answer is ready albeit those who were in highest power when Paul writ this Epistle were Pagan and not Christian yet the context carrieth the words spoken about higher Civil Powers to be extendible yea especially appliable to Christian civil Rulers 1. When the Apostle saith Wilt thou not be afraid of the power do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same Who knoweth not that Nero then ruling was so far from giving encouragement to any Christian Romans either in a way of piety or honesty that he was a very Lyon rather cruelly to devour them 2 Tim 4.

were especially oppressing Princes such were those Ier. 50. 6. Their Shepheards caused them to wander of whom see more Ier. 23. 1 2 3. 22. 22. 12. 10. And the title and Office of Shepheards as appliable to Civill Rulers is usuall in Scripture Ioseph is so called Gen. 49. 24. So is Cyrus Esay 44. 28. so is Moses that King in Jesurum Deut. 33. 5. with Isa 63. 11. So David Psal 78. 72. and Ahab 1 Kings 12. 17. and Numb 27. 17. Without a Shepheard that is chief Ruler The Assumption is evident because such liberty tolerateth Rents of Members from Churches as in Shisms is usuall Acts 20 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rent away as members from the body Disciples after them it also tolerateth wandring from Gods ways truth and Ordinances R. 4. Such a liberty mentioned carryeth the mark of an Anarchy in the State so far forth yea of a sad Judgement of God upon that State for provoking sins of Rulers and people Ergo it may the Consequence is evident if it carry a mark of Anarchy and Divine Judgement then to be avoyded unlesse the very shadow of an evill coming crosse to the very light and law of nature and Nations by which all shun Anarchy and set up Government or of that which is commonly the punishment of sin as deprivall of Government is be not to be shunned which none dare affirm The antecedent is evident in both the branches thereof 1 It is one brand of an Anarchy as Judg. 17. 6. sheweth Then was No King in Israel every one did what was right in his own eyes even the eyes of his own mind judgement or conscience how corrupt soever hence when through Gods Judgement that perishing people of his should not have the benefit of his feeding Government so as to hinder them from sining to their ruine Zech. 11. 9. I will not feed you that which dyeth let it dye c. It is accomplished by his judiciall breaking of the staffe Beauty namely both of civil as well as sacred order injoyned of God 2 It is a sad judgement of God as that place Zech. 11. 9. 15 16 17. compared doth shew God in judgement is said to let those of the sinfull people or flock of his alone to themselves as it were That which dyeth let it dye or let them take such killing courses of sin as tend thereunto Now the judiciall means he useth is in judgement to raise up a foolish Idol Shepheard Vers 15. 17. That is such kind of Rulers in Church and Common-wealth Kings as well as Priests into whose hands the Flock is delivered to be spoyled vers 5 6. I will deliver them into the hand of their King which though they be by place and office Shepheards yet in effect are Idols nothing no Shepheards as Ezek 34. 8. 10. he calleth them of which see before such as shall be wholly carelesse what becommeth of the Flock Zech. 11. 16. If they be cut off by any spirituall mischiefe let them for them they will not visit and look after them if being young and so weak and unexperienced they will take any wrong path in stead of the right and so loose themselves let them for them they will not seek their young one if they be in any measure broken in judgement or otherwise let them be so for them they will not endeavour to heale them if any of the Flock yet keep their standing in the fold and pasture of God they will not cherish and encourage them and by their Authority seek to keep them there they will not feed that which standeth still they will rather make a prey of them what they can Even the flesh of the fat c. Such a Shepheard or Ruler as vers 17. who leaveth the Flock namely to themselves he careth not for them looketh not after them he hath a sword upon his eye or not the use of that even of his wisdome and parts and upon his arm or power he putteth not forth that One place more to prove this that so to be left of Authority to take up Corruption in Religion under pretence of Conscience this is a sad judgement of God for the sins of a professing people For this let that place in 2 Chron. 20. 33. be considered of Howbeit the high places were not taken away for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts to seek the God of their Fathers 2 Chron. 33. 17. seemeth somewhat to explain that about the High places Neverthelesse the people did sacrifice in the high places yet to the Lord onely Now what these High places were where they thus sacrificed may be known by comparing Scriptures namely such places where they had wont in a manner to sacrifice to the Lord before the Temple was built by Solomon where God allowed his people to sacrifice before but after that was built it became unlawfull to them and sinfull as expressly forbidden of God They had formerly an High place at Ramah in the Land of Zuph in the Tribe of Ephraim called one of the two Ramah's of Zuphim in Mount Ephraim to distinguish it from that in Benjamins Tribe compare 1 Sam. 1. 1. and Chap. 9. 5. 6. 11. 12. there was another High place where then also they lawfully sacrificed in Gibeah of Benjamin for which see and compare 1 Sam. 10. 5. 12. 13. 14. 26. Gibeah Sauls home vers 26. even where his Unkle with whom he lived dwelt vers 14. is the Altar where the high place was vers 13. Another and the great High place was at Gibeon where also the acceptable sacrifice was offered 1 Kings 3. 4. Not to mention other places of like use for sacrifice then as Gilgal c. 1 Sam. 11. 15. but the reason of that use of High places then allowed of is given 1 Kings 3. 2. only the people sacrificed in High places because untill those dayes there was no house built to the Name of the Lord but after such a place should be built where God should place his Name as was the Temple at Jerusalem as 1 Kings 8. 29. shewes It was unlawfull and a breach of rule in point of Religion and worship of God to sacrifice elsewhere as it was long before charged in reference to that time Deut. 12. 11 12 13 14. Offer not thy Burnt-offrings in every place which thou seest but at the place which the Lord shall choose c. Hence God saith of Solomons Temple I have chosen this place for my self for an house of sacrifice 2 Chro. 7. 12. Hence also after the Temple was built all former places for their religious use such as Bethel Gilgal c. must not be sought to Amos 5. 5. And it is in a judiciall way and wrathfull irony that God in Amos 4. 4 5. saith Come to Bethel and transgresse at Gilgal multiply transgression and bring your sacrifices every morning and offer a sacrifice with leaven and proclaim and publish the free offrings for this

Lawes he is King of kings and Lord of lords 1 Tim. 1. 15 16 17. Rev. 17. 14. 19. 16. if considered in a limited sense under this or that form of Rule or Magistracy whether Monarchical Aristocratical Democratical or mixt of Aristocracy and Democracy so it is a humane creature as the Greek termeth it 2 Pet. 2. 13. 2. Civil Magistrates are considered either as rightly ordered according to God or as some way defective to his order Regulated Magistrates ordered according to the Rules of God and Christ whose Ordinance they are and by whom they rule they are well versed in Scripture Deut. 17. 18 19 20. men of choyce Abilities for wisdom and understanding yea even in the things of God Exod. 18. 21. Deut. 1. 13 compared such as fear God ibid. such as rule in Gods fear 2 Sam. 23. 3 4. such as do spiritual homage to Jesus Christ Psal 72. 10 11. are spiritually wise and well instructed Psal 2. 10. Kisse the Son with the kisse of faith love and obedience verse 12. serve him vers 11. not as men only but as Kings and Judges Are nursing Fathers to the Church Esay 49. 23. are brought to the Church to joyn with it Esay 60. 11. stoop to the Government of the Church as members of it Esay 49. 23. bring the glory of their Authority to the Church Rev. 21. 24. thereby to minister every way in way of protection preservation and establishment thereof Civilly in peace and purity of doctrine and discipline and the like Esay 60. 10. 1 Tim. 2. 1 2. every way in their political manner Ministers even to Gentile Churches such as that of Rome was for its good Rom. 13. 4. and a terrour not to good works but to evil Rom. 13. 3. In this respect it s so far from truth that a godly man and member of Jesus Christ should not be a Magistrate when yet godly Moses Joshuah David Asah Jehoshaphat Hezekiah Josiah Zerubbabel Nehemiah and others of old were and so in and after Christs Incarnation was Joseph of Arimathea Joh 19. 38. so was he Joh. 4. 46 53. compared so was Cornelius Act. 10. 2. and Sergius Paulus Acts 13. 7. 12. compared that Eunuch Acts 8. 27. 37. compared Erastus Rom. 16. 23. c. that according to Gods rule such an one should be the only man for that office The Conclusion in special wise respected regulated Magistrates and not so much such as are defective to their supream Lords order and rules and sundry wayes grosly transgressing the same 3. Civil Magistrates are considered in the perfection either of the Essence of their Magistracie or of their Magistraticall Operations In the former sence Pagans and other Rulers not regulalated according to Gods Rules and perfect Rulers and have a perfect right to establish true Religion and to make good our Lawes to that end Albeit for want of light they know it not or for want of a better heart they doe it not According as out of the like defects they establish not many wholsome Rules and Lawes of civil Honestie and Iustice albeit as Rulers they have a power to doe it In the latter sense if regulated they are compleate if not regulated then in so farre forth sundry wayes imperfect and deficient Secondly we distinguish of Kingdoms or Common-wealths in which they rule They are either greater or lesser the Rule concerneth both alike Again they are either Pagan not intended in the point or Christan and these again either more pure and better squared according to Gods rules whose they are or they are more corrupt and Apostatizing from truth or from purity and power in Religion that point reacheth both Again these corrupter States are considered as so corrupt either in the body of the Spirituall guides thereof or in the body of the People or in both Neither the one nor the other are in Religion excluded the point Thirdly we distinguish of Legislative power in matters of Religion It is either Absolute and meerly Soveraign and so onely God and Christ is Law-giver unto his people both for matters of Religion and Righteousness Piety and Honesty First and second table Jam. 4. 12. There is one Law-giver Esay 33. 22. The Lord is our Law-giver Or it is subordinate and subservient and in a way of conformity and respect to the Laws of God already made by God and so as men may be Kings and Judges though in other respects the Lord alone be King and Judge Esay 33. 22. so may men also make just decrees be Law-givers Again Law-givers are considered either as Infallibly and immediately inspired such a one was Moses Numb 21. 18. or as bound indeed to the Rules of God which are of Infallible Inspiration but not alwaies Infallibly caried out according to those Rules and so others in highest place are Law-givers as where those Jewish Rulers long after Moses time with whom the civill Scepter was they were Law-givers and long after Davids time and Solomons who had their inspirations so far as the Scepter or Higher Civill power departed not from them a Law-giver was among them Gen. 49. 10. Prov. 8. 15 16. These Humane just decrees of highest Civill Rulers are by Christ Again there is a power simply Ecclesiasticall respecting the decent and orderly carrying on of the worship of God according to generall Rules of the Scripture and the prescripts of holy prudence left to the Churches liberty 1 Cor. 14. 40. though these constitutions are not so properly Laws but rather are Ecclesiasticall directions of order and decorum about externall Rites and circumstances of worship which we grant there is a Nomothetique power about matters of Religion which is meerly Politicall and Civill to which the conclusion looketh There is a power supposed which is mixed that is partly Ecclesiasticall and partly Civill which some give to the Pope as do some Papists some in name Prostestants do give to Christian Princes but this confusion of the two powers and swords we deny to be from the God of Order Fourthly we distinguish of Laws about Religion They are considered either materially or Formally Concerning such Lawes materially considered they are either of such things which are manifestly cross to divine Laws which are the onely Authentique and presidentiall Laws condemned in Jereboam and other wicked Princes 1 Kings 12. 28. to the end of such Laws see allso Hos 5. 11. Or they are Humane Sanctions of the Laws of God and of that which is according to those Laws which we assert Secondly Things according to the Word properly respect either Fundamentalls or Circa-fundamentalls matters bordering upon Fundamentalls and circumstantially in Religion or matters respecting Religion of greater or lesser weight we would not exclude either from being materialls of Humane Civill Sanctions 3. Matters of Religion are either such as are manifestly in the Word or such which though in thmeselves in the word and grounds of it yet not so clearly but very disputably the regulated