Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
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A81577
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A short essay of modern divinity, by Robert Dixon. D.D.
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Dixon, Robert, d. 1688.
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1681
(1681)
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Wing D1748A; ESTC R231408
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33,711
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62
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not beloved by the most dishonest And they that do live dishonestly are disapproved and hated sufficiently by them that are most Honest But what care they that are Atheists But they that believe a God will care But wise men do take care of all vitious Actions of Hatred and Disgrace by men but not of God and blame Fools that are so careless even of men because the poor that are oppressed by them raise them to their sames and God much more Indeed and in truth they are the shame as well as grief of Mankind whether they came for it or no. They may depart the world when they will no Body will stop'um they have their pass they shall never be mist I 'le warrant'um As they regard nothing but Eating and Drinking and Lusting and Oppressing c. so who regards them though their looks be never so high and scornful But to leave these Miscreants and this Diversion I am extreemly troubled at the Church of Rome that calls Divine Revelation into Question and when they have done charge us for so doing as if the truths that be so revealed might not have been or might have been otherwise What odd expressions are these to come from wise men of both sides I wish they would better think of it The Papists glory Infallibility of the Infallibility of their Church and therefore they are Cock-sure But 't is we poor wretches that want this Infallibility and consequently this Assurance What a case are we in and what shall become of us I wish some of ours had better considered than to affirm that the Grounds of our Faith are only probable and might have been otherwise so to give the Adversary occasion to insult over us for having no Church nor no foundation for our Faith at all so to overthrow our Religion so to overthrow all Religion if it were so that that which is true may be false then all may be false and at last all is false and where are we then As for Infallibility the business so much boasted of it is none but God not the Church nor all Mankind put all together that have been or are or ever shall be They may set their hearts at rest for they shall never find it nor shew it us while this World stands But yet Christian Religion is certain for all that Certainty And the grounds of Faith are such as they have ever been are and ever shall be and could never be otherwise though there be no Infallibility in men at all The Foundation of God standeth sure be men never so changeable and fallible And God's word is more dureable than the Frame of the Universe For though there be no Infallibility in men yet there is Infallibility in God and that 's enough for us to believe and the wisest men trust to it and cannot fail of their hopes thereby For we believe in God and not in the Church nor in Mankind And this is our Foundation here we fix and resolve our Faith into God Whether hath Pride and Malice driven us Such is the Papists hatred against the Protestants to make them odious to all the World for having no Faith nor no Church Though we hold the same Christ as they do and acknowledge that other Foundation can no man lay than what is already laid Jesus Christ and him Crucified and no other name given under Heaven whereby we can be saved but only by the Name of Jesus Christ And no Mediator between God and Man but the Man Christ Jesus They make the Infallibility of the Pope or a Counsel or the Church to be the Ground of Faith We say God is the only Ground of Faith he cannot deny himself He will never leave nor forsake his Church nor shall the Gates of Hell be ever able to prevail against her They therefore believe because the Church is Infallible But we believe because God is Infallible And what God hath revealed he hath revealed to those that are fallible but the things revealed are the Infallible Truths of God and were never otherwise nor never shall be otherwise whether our Fathers have or we do or our Posterity shall believe them or no. 'T is no absurdity to believe God and his Word to be Infallible though we be fallible and to stand the everlasting Objects of our Faith though we be not the Subjects that embrace them I hope God is no less true though man be a Lyar. And I hope the Gospel is no less true and the same for being believed or disbelieved God's word being Eternal and unchangeable as himself Well but all this while we are beating our Brains about finding out the truth 1. The Athiest he believes nothing but laughs at all He goes on and lives and dies in Wickedness Atheists like a Beast hoping for no Salvation 2. The Papist he is the bravest fellow Papists and in the safest Condition of any man in the World for let him sin his heart out he hath all his Pardon 's ready if he should live a Thousand Years 'T is but whispring a word in his Confessors Ear and listning to a word of Absolution from him again and he is purer than the Chystal Streams and as clear as the Light it self He takes no care for himself for the Church takes all the Care and provides what he should believe and what he should do he need not trouble himself at all unless it be to go barefoot a little or fast or whip a stroke or two which he may buy off when he pleases according as his Purse is Nay to make all sure if he want Merits those Saints that have had more than they knew what to do with have laid them up in store to help their idle Brethren at a dead lift and the Pope delivers them out at such a Price as the Market goes for them they are to be purchased every day In a word he is sure be he what he will because his Church is sure Sin and Confess Confess and sin and so continue till you dy and be reconciled to the Romish Church and so at last you go to Heaven to rights 3. The Fatalist Fatalists Be he Jew or Turk takes as little care as the rest for there is a Lottery thinks he or a Dooms-day Book If he be in for a Prize or a Blanck he knows not therefore Have at all hit or miss If it be to come it will come once If it never come there is no remedy He is lost God would have it so and it must be so no help for it So all alike aim to sin as much as they can and as long as they can Thus men are willing to befool themselves and to charge God foolishly But they that walk Righteously walk safely 1. Because they are sure of a good Report among the Saints here 2. Because they are sure of a good Reward with God hereafter Knowing therefore the Terrors of God I wonder any should
Rebellions Poysonings Assassinations c. 'T would tire a sturdy Satyr and quite wear out his Whips of Steel to lash every Doctrine of Devils that Devillish men have invented to the hurt of Churches and Kingdoms and the disturbance of the whole World to bring all things into a Chaos of Confusion if some men might have their Will Long has Popery and Superstition reigned from the days of Phocas VVitnesses of â—he Truth Against these the Waldenses and Albingenses have protested with John Hus Jerom of Prague Robert of Lincoln John Gerson Council of Constance Erasmus Baptista Montuanus Cassander Polydore Virgil Hesselius Melancthon Luther Calvin Oecolampadius Beza c. mighty men of valour famous in their Generations men of Renown of a noble Genius that dared to bid defiance to the Devil and to the overwhelming Tyranny of the Pope and Court of Rome The same work is prosecuted by us Protestants with might and main though there be some small Differences amongst us and we have cause to unite because the Common Enemy seeks to root us out from the Face of the Earth and Hannibal is at our Gates and a wonderful Progress is made therein by rare Artists SECT III. The Face of things is changed the Vizar removed the Natural Beauty appears no new Religion but the Old restored Hic labor hoc opus est Modern Divinity is the very same with the Ancient Catholick and Apostolical Faith contained in the Scriptures of the New Testament Modern Divinity plainly expounded without mixture of Artificial Glosses As Man was created Righteous but after that sought out many Inventions so are the Scriptures easie till obfuscated by humane Speculations The pure Gospel unmixed with Judaical and Gentile Praecepts and Ceremonies Philosophy Logick and Oratory Not wresting the Scriptures from their Literal or Mystical Sense No need of a living Judge a Pope a Conclave a Council packt for endless Controversies Pruritus disputandi scabies Ecclesiae They say Disputes never did good Wit against Wit engender Strife there is no end of such doings Necessary things few There are but few necessary things trouble the People of God no farther if they observe these things they shall do well The Simplicity of the Gospel is the Wisdom and Power of God unto Salvation mighty for the beating down of the strong holds of Sin and Satan A two-edged Sword for the dividing asunder of the Heart and Reins The preaching of Christ and him Crucified to the Jews a stumbling Block and to the Greeks Foolishness but unto them which are called both Jews and Greeks the Power of God and the Wisdom of God Without controversie great is the Mystery of Godliness Christ manifested in the Flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels believed on in the World and received up into Glory He that believeth shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned This is the Whole Duty of Man Fear God and keep his Commandments Matters of Faith not controverted There are no Matters of Faith in Controversie The chief Disputes of Antiquity Prosperity Succession Infallibility Supremacy Miracles Transubstantiation c. are not Matters of Faith but doubtful Disputation We are to contend for nothing but the Preservation and Propagation of that Faith which was once delivered to the Saints There is no Judge of Faith but God who hath judged it for us and revealed it unto us The Truth is lost by vain Janglings Tu disputa ego credam Justinian wisely forbad any Comments upon the Text of his Law but they yielded no obedience to him in that at all but the quite contrary SECT IV. In the Three first Centuries were no Controversies but such only as the Apostles had with the Jews and Gentiles Touch not taste not handle not Circumcision Days and Years Meats offered to Idols c. They taught Christian Liberty and a New Creature In the Fourth and Fifth Centuries and so forward came in large Commentaries Sophistical and Casuistical Divinity innumerable Superstitions Reformation and Will-Worship This needed a Reformation which all moderate Men studied and longed for in every Age but could not effect The time was not yet come Throw away Infallibility Supremacy c. Pull up Weeds Sweep away Rubbish Cherish Faith and a good Life When we agree in the things leave disputing of the Modes Let our Moderation be known unto all Men. The Lord is at hand we are all in our Journey to Heaven fall not out by the way give the Right Hand of Fellowship one to another serve one another in Love keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace serve the Lord with one Lip and with one Shoulder contend not about Forms of Discipline obey the Magistrate variety of Forms hurt not Faith let Brotherly Love continue speak the same things though in a different manner give that liberty of Prophecying one to another Laws are plain Justice easie do as we would be done by all will be at peace if Spirits be peaceable If any man be contentious we have no such custom neither the Churches of God Salus Populi Suprema Lex c. Suffer no Doctrine which is hurtful to Church or State and all will be well Receive the ingrafted Word of God which is able to save your Souls the sincere Milk of the Gospel receive a weak Brother but not to doubtful Disputations offend not him for whom Christ died Never eat Flesh while the World stands rather than offend a weak Brother or wound his tender Conscience for whom Christ died If Tares be sowed the Enemy hath done this the Lord will destroy both it and them Let the Tares and the Wheat both grow together until Harvest when the Angels the Reapers shall bind the Tares in Bundles and throw them into the Fire and burn the Chaff with unquenchable Flames but they will gather the Wheat into Gods Barn every man must stand or fall to his own Master Every mans work shall be tried his Hay and Stubble shall be consumed which he hath ignorantly built upon a pretious Foundation but he himself shall be saved yet so as by Fire Whatsoever is of God shall stand be not found to fight against God nor condemn the Generation of the Just It is in vain to kick against the Pricks We have not so learned Christ Let every Soul be Subject to the Higher Powers for there is no Power but of God Pure Religion and undefiled is this To visit the Fatherless and the Widows and to keep our Souls unspotted from the World to hate the Garments spotted by the Flesh to live uprightly in the midst of a crooked and perverse Generation and to flee from the Wrath to come SECT V. The Word of God is inwardly by instinct of Nature in our Hearts and Consciences Word of God The Word of God is inwardly by Revelation of Grace written in by his Spirit in our Hearts and Consciences The Word of God is outwardly written in