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	teach_v	6,712	5	6.4919	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A38578	Anabaptism considered Wherein the chief objections of that sect against infant-baptism, and the manner of baptizing by aspersion, or sprinkling, are fairly stated and answered; and reasons given why dipping is not to be taken as the essential or necessary mode of administration. In a familiar letter of advice to a parishioner inclining that way. By William Eratt, M.A. and minister of Hatfield near Doncaster.	Eratt, William, 1655 or 6-1702.	1700 (1700)	Wing E3220; ESTC R200374	28,824	40

ANABAPTISM CONSIDERED Wherein the chief Objections of that Sect against Infant-Baptism and the manner of Baptizing by Aspersion or Sprinkling are fairly stated and answered AND REASONS given why Dipping is not to be taken as the essential or necessary Mode of Administration In a familiar Letter of Advice to a Parishioner inclining that way By William Eratt M. A. and Minister of Hatfield near Doncaster Gal. 4.16 17. Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth they zealously affect you but not well Prov. 14.15 The simple believeth every word but the prudent man looketh well to his going LONDON Printed by W. B. for A. and J. Churchill And for Robert Clark in York MDCC Neighbour Woodward I Must needs say and complain too you have been unjust to your self and unkind to me as your Minister in not thinking me worthy of being consulted in your spiritual Concerns as to which I am given to understand you have lately been under some Scruples doubting of the Truth of your former Profession in the Communion of the Church of England and seeming to incline to the Anabaptists Persuasion Now to set you at rights herein the Errand of this is to acquaint you that I look upon it as a Duty incumbent upon me to give you the best Advice I can though not desired in this your grand Affair the Welfare of your Soul Pray then let not the Length of my Letter affright you for it is honestly intended for your good and I hope it will prove so be but you as easie and sincere in the Perusal as I was in the Writing of it And if my little pains taken herein do but satisfie your Scruples and bring you home to our Mother the Church from whence you were unadvisedly straying I shall think my self plentifully rewarded who am without Dissimulation Your loving Friend and Minister Jan. 9. 1699 700. William Eratt ANABAPTISM CONSIDERED c. J. W. I Am apt to think your rash separating your self from the Church wherein you were baptized and bred up is a Case when well examined you will not easily answer either before God or Man for all the new Light you so much as I hear now boast of for as our Saviour speaks in the Gospel If the light that is in thee be darkness how great is that darkness Matt. 6.23 You are pleas'd to say you have been hitherto in Errour and Darkness but however that be are you now infallibly sure of your being in the right way This Principle of Popish Infallibility I presume you will hardly pretend to for that savours too much of the blind Zeal and Enthusiasm of Ignatius Loyola the Founder of the Jesuits If then 't is possible for a Man to be mistaken though himself believes otherwise and if Zeal does not always prove the best cause for as St. Rom. 10.2 Paul affirms of some of the Romans that they had a Zeal of God but not according to Knowledge from hence then I gather there may be an erroneous Conscience that is a Man may be zealously affected in an ill matter Not to instance herein Examples of former Times we have modern ones sufficient 1. As to the Case of the Papists they 're infallibly sure of being in the right and all others in the wrong and that there is no Salvation out of the Communion of their Church 2. As to the Quakers they are as confident of their way that they are inwardly taught of God by his Spirit and yet I dare say for all the Zeal of the one or the other you will easily agree with me they are both grosly mistaken in matters of Religion and Religious Worship From what has been said I thus argue That a confident Zeal is not always an Assurance of Truth being there and this premised give me leave to tell you what a Lover of Truth ought to do suppose he has some Scruples upon him that he has been in a wrong way In this Case a scrupulous Conscience shou'd take especial care to inform it self these two ways 1. Examine into the Validity of those Scruples that seem to disuade him from the Profession he has lived in 2. If after all his Searches after Truth his Scruples do still grow upon him and he cannot satisfie himself to continue in his former Profession in the next place a Wise-man and a prudent Christian shou'd by all due ways and means examine into the truth and safety of the new way he intends to make choice of else though the way he has been in as he fancies is not good yet so may it fall out he may take a worse 1. Then A prudent Christian who is a Lover of Truth shou'd by all due ways and means examine into the Validity of those Scruples that seem to dissuade him from the Profession he has lived in Inconstancy in any one argues a Weakness insomuch that the Wise man urgeth us Prov. 24.21 not to meddle with them that are given to change and 't is excellent Advice which the Apostle St. Paul gives Heb. 10.23 to hold fast the profession of our Faith without wavering And the same Apostle begs of Roman Converts to beware of following those who occasion Schisms or Divisions in the Church of God Rom. 16.17 I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them Now who those are who have always been for dividing the Members of Christ's Body hear the Character of them given the 2. Tim. 3.6 7. Of this sort are they which creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with sins led away with divers lusts ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth To bring the Matter home to our present purpose you see how dangerous a thing it is to be guilty of Heresie or Schism If you had then been a Lover of Truth and of Peace you ought first to have consulted me as your Minister and laid before me your Scruples e'er you had openly dissented from the Communion of the Church You ought to shew me from the holy Scriptures the Standard of Truth wherein the Terms of our Communion are unlawful what Doctrines they are our Church maintains and teaches which are contrary to the Word of God Will you try and condemn the Church you have been baptiz'd and brought up in without hearing what she has to say for her self It is against the Law of Nations to condemn any Person indictâ causâ before his Cause is heard and to caution you by the way you are to be very careful in your enquiry of the Doctrines taught in the Sacred Writ and not to pass your Judgment rashly in favour of this or that Opinion in contradiction to the received Doctrines and constant Practice of the Church of God since the time of Christ and his Apostles for I must tell you that the worst of Hereticks in all Ages have pleaded