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	faith_n	unity_n	2,197	5	9.0779	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09885	A refutation of an epistle apologeticall written by a puritan-papist to perswade the permission of the promiscuous vse and profession of all sects and heresies wherein the vnlawfulnesse and danger of such wicked licence is fully declared by auctoritie of Scriptures, canons, councels, fathers, lawes of Christian emperours, and iudgement of reason. Together with the punishment of heretiques and idolaters.	Powel, Gabriel, 1576-1611.	1605 (1605)	STC 20149; ESTC S114980	80,389	128

might finde the trueth and come to the vnitie of the same faith But a we see it hath not succeeded so well as we expected Fol. 9 and I feare the cause hath beene for that in times past the rigour of statute lawes hath as it were fettered the Gospell and the booke of Articles set downe by a 2 And yet the Libeller would not be deemed a Papist few heads without conference with their brethren hath hindred our Christian libertie in the interpretation thereof with lesse shew of trueth 3 Jgnoratio Elenchi than did before the decrees of Generall Councels and the vniforme consent of ancient Fathers For 4 A phanaticall Proposition of the Libeller in vaine doth a man reade and search the trueth if he may not as freely interpret scripture as reade it And why should we forbid any to be heard in his interpretation whereas in this time of so many sects and Religions both within the Realme and abroad we may as Paul saith better iudge of the trueth when we haue heard with patience what euery man can say and alledge in his cause He that commandeth vs to try and examine the spirits whether they be of God or no would neuer giue aduice to extinguish them or forbid vs to 5 Poperie hath been many times examined and alwayes deprehended to be as it is indeed Antichristianisme know them and vpon what ground they relie Some lawes forbidding men to expound the word otherwise than it seemed good to the Church established by the late b Queene were 6 And are still although it be to your great griefe once in force which lawes howsoeuer they might seeme tolerable in respest of 7 The Libellers inueterate malice against the late Queene her whom the Apostle would not permit to speake in the Congregation for that she was a woman and not fit to iudge in such matters if a conference had beene granted she being lesse grounded in the knowledge of Gods law than our selues yet now in the reigne of his Maiestie who is profound in learning and mature in iudgement free conference may be permitted for the libertie of the Gospell aswell in the free interpretation as in free reading of it and the contrarie lawes repealed as ouer violent in such a cause and preiudiciall to the bolting out of the trueth or at the least suspended vntill a iust triall be made by a learned and amiable conference thorow all the points of our controuersies This were a sweet way to come to 8 Vnitie is a rare effect of Conferences vnitie or if any force at all were to be vsed in matters of faith it should be rather to compell such as seeme to be in errour to be present at such conference than to force them without 9 As if Poperie had beene nerer tried triall to shew outwardly to be of another profession than in heart they are Fol. 10 Which a how fruitlesse a thing it is and might be 10 Nothing lesse preiudiciall to the King and State the wise Gouernour Constantius father to our Constantine the great may teach vs. Who desirous to know what sort of Christians he might best trust set forth an Edict that whosoeuer should refuse to doe sacrifice to the Idols should be disarmed dishonoured displaced and suffer further punishment at the Emperours pleasure Whereupon some of his Christian Captaines and Souldiers did sacrifice to the Idols others standing constant in the faith wherin they were baptized would neither change in heart nor yet in outward shew seeme other than true and faithfull Christians The wisdome of this Constantius though then a Pagan was such as he iudged those Christians that denied their faith by this outward act of Idolatry most vnwoorthy to serue him who of a base and seruile feare had forsaken the God they serued but cherished and highly honoured the other as men that by their 11 But Popish Religion teacheth that all saithfulnesse is subordinate vnto the Popes will Religion had learned to be faithfull to whomsoeuer they had giuen their troth This point of so deepe b consideration in a Pagan seemeth admirable as it is exceeding comfortable to vs all to see how the Lord hath giuen the like measure of vnderstanding to our King who among many instructions giuen the Prince his sonne obserued the same ground for triall of his subiects and confessed himselfe that he neuer found any more faithfull to him in all his distresses than such as had beene 12 Wel applied Constantius maketh true Religion and faith in God to be the ground of sincere obedience and the Libeller maketh faithfull obedience towards an earthly Prince to be the ground of Religion faithfull to the Queene his mother who were not all you know of his Religion How certaine a triall this is to discerne loyall hearts he will easily perceiue that looketh into the state of our dayes wherein as we see more sects and more inconstancie in beliefe than in any other age since Christ so withall we finde lesse fidelitie in friend lesse trust in seruants and more dissembling in all states than euer heretofore was heard or practized 13 This place is 1 Tim 4. where the Papists are very euidently described In the latter dayes sayth Christ many shall fall away from the faith and thinke you that in those dayes he shall finde faith and fidelitie of one man to another In the same measure that faith is broken toward God in heauen it will breake and faile assuredly towards man in earth In matter of faith sayth Paul the heart and a tongue should agree together Fol. 11 Corde creditur ad iustitiam ore autem confess●● fit ad salutem And shall we aduise our Prince who hath be●ne so well brought vp in the schoole of Gods word to vse such meanes with his subiects in matters of their faith as may separate their outward 14 Both behauiour and conscience ought to be rec●●●ie● accor●ing vnto the rule of trueth behauiour from their inward conscience or teach thē to be d●sloyall to himselfe by forcing them to be false to God in their Religion By violence of lawes he may make m●ny dissemble their faith with repining heart and grudge of minde to their assured 15 His Maiestie laboreth to bring such as are in the state of damnation vnto the state of Grace and saluation not of the contrarie damnation because therein they sinne against their owne consciences yet sure it is that as no man can alter his opinion as he list or at his pleasure so force can neuer change his faith vntill his grounds and arguments shall be by better reasons conuinced The Libeller being almost out of breath in reckoning vp of his Reasons for promiscuous toleration of all Sects and professions of Religion whatsoeuer The Libellers Digressions to recreate and solace himselfe a little maketh two Digressions The former whereof is a Lucianicall discourse concerning reading and interpreting

deliuer vs from that viperous and bloudie generation 4 The Pope who being the great Antichrist is to exercise all his malice against Christians not Iewes and Infidels for a summe of money impiously tolerateth cursed Iewes to erect Synagogues and openly to exercise their blasphemies against Christ Iesus our blessed Sauiour to the disgrace and high contempt of Christian Religion as appeareth in the Penitentiarie Taxe But his example can be no warrant for Christian Princes in such maner to tolerate Heresie and Idolatrie The zeale of Iames and Iohn exorbitant 5 The desire of Iames and Iohn proceeded from exorbitant and preposterous zeale for the Gospell had not beene yet preached vnto the Samaritans But the case of Papistes is farre otherwise The Papistes what members Subiectes and Children they be 6 The Papistes are members of the same body with vs but rotten members that must be cut off least the whole be infected They are Subiects to one Soueraigne with vs but disloyall Subiects who acknowledge an other Superiour the Pope They are Children of one heauenly Father with vs but bastardly and rebellious Children that haue forsaken the Lord gone a whoring after strange gods There follow foure Reasons more but I see not how they conclude Vnreasonable Reasons I God permitteth the Diuell to draw from thence some good Ergo Papistes ought to be tolerated who belike are the Diuels children II The spouse of Christ is Lilium inter spinas Ergo the spinie Papistes are to be tolerated to pricke and vex the Church III The Rose smels sweetely Ergo The thornie pricking Papistes are to be tolerated IV Heresies and errour must necessarily be in the world Ergo Papistes must be tolerated to broach and teach them I see not what coherence there is betweene the Antecedent and Consequence of these Enthymems no more between the Antecedent and Consequence of them who said Why dowe not euill that good may come therof whose damnation is most iust as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 3.8 But let vs proceed Faith is the 1 So is repentance the gift of God as well as faith and yet a thiefe may be hanged well enough gift of God alone and is not to be beaten with hammers into the head or heart of man It dependeth not of man but of the election and free praedestination None comes to me saith Christ but whom my Father draweth who therefore 2 Was not Paul violently drawes vnto Christ and did not he say Compell them to come in neuer vsed violence but by his word and meeknesse drew at length all the world to him and his faith Vpon these grounds of Scripture and Christes example the first and most learned of our profession haue taught that none may be 3 So do we teach likewise we cōpell not to the faith but to cease from broaching errors and to vse the meanes to obtaine saith compelled to the faith and therefore haue written bitterly against those who at our first appearing sought by sword and fire to root vs out And can we for shame 4 This is the very practise of Papists put in execution our selues what we condemne in others or b is doctrine to be altered with the exchange of our state and condition What may his Maiestie thinke of vs if now we recall the doctrine which we haue heretofore taught to be well warranted by Gods word Christ his words are infallible it is the heauenly Father alone that can draw soules to Christianitie and it is the internall vnction of his spirit that teacheth it and planteth it in mans heart And therefore in this case let vs lay force aside and 5 But we must not neglect the meanes otherwise it will be required at our hands leaue it to Gods goodnesse to draw those whom he hath elected and in the meane time not to repine at the prudence of our Prince if he vse and employ all his subiects 6 As if the prince were not to care for the establishing of Gods true and sincere worship within his dominions howsoeuer affected in Religion to the strengthening of his state and benefit of the Common-wealth Faith is the gift of God and what followeth thereof I know Faith is the gift of God and that none may compell the hearts and wills of men But yet God doth ordinarily kindle faith in our harts by the preaching of the word for Paul saith Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God Rom. 10. Wherefore Christian Princes ought to haue speciall care that the preaching of the word be pure and sincere that it be not adulterated or corrupted by the inuentions of men Men should be compelled not to the faith but to the places where Faith is taught Againe albeit no man may be compelled to faith that it is not the worke of humane strength to frame new hearts and new wills in men yet may they be restrained and kept in obedience by good Lawes and affliction that they do not broach and teach false and hereticall opinions that they be not carried into all licencious wickednesse and that by their euill examples they giue no scandall vnto others Besides Repentance and Sanctification are also the gifts of God and yet ought the Magistrate to execute vengeance vpon all malefactours according to the quality of their offence So ought he in this case compell men to the outward discipline Moreouer if faith because it is the gift of God ought to be permitted free vnto euery man Wherfore did Paul strike the false Prophet which would haue drawen the Proconsull from the faith with blindnesse Act. 13. Why do the Scriptures commaund that the seducing Idolater be slaine without any mercie Why do they command vs to auoid an Heretique after once or twise admonition Concerning our first Teachers and Professours their purpose was to moue the Popish Clergie to delight rather in teaching then in tormenting poore soules How the Protestants spake against compulsion for they thought it a strange kind of preaching to driue men to beleeue by whipping as Boner and others did Or els they detested their violent and furious maner of compulsion who neither tooke paines to perswade nor allowed men time to learne those things which they forced them to beleeue But if some of our first Professours were of the contrary opinion it cannot preiudice vs halfe so much as this suite and defence for toleration doth the papistes the greate braggers of vnity who now for some priuate respects maintaine this paradoxe directly against the doctrine and practise of their Church I denie not but that he must labour to draw all his subiects to the trueth but we differ in the meanes which I holde to be Gods holy word We 1 Lucian-like scoffing of the Libeller haue taught to this effect that euery man may reade the Scriptures and search the trueth of himselfe as God shall inspire him and we hoped that by this meanes all

that the truth feareth no triall and flieth not the open pulpits and publique disputations The learned writers tooke it then for a disgrace to their writings to be quitte by Proclamation which thing once my selfe 11 Note well Ergo the Libeller is a man both of yeeres and place or qualitie amongst vs. Which causeth me to suspect that he can be no Seminarie locust nor Apocalypticall frog or Iesuite being in company at a dinner was cast in M. Iuells dish and hence it proceede that the answeres of the aduersaries the more they were forbid the better they were esteemed to the disuniting of many that were most earnest before with M. Iuell in his challendge as the Lord Copley so they termed him D. Steeuens and others And if it shall please his Maiestie that the said challendge be 12 But that challenge was neuer yet wholy answered by the Papists Is it likely that the Libeller is a Puritane seeing he doubteth of the truth of Iewels challenges prosecuted and triall made for the truth especially among the learned in the publique Schooles and Vniuersities and that not in one point only b but in all he shall giue great satisfaction to euery one that in this time of so many sects hath care to finde the truth they that haue the truth shall be confirmed and such as know it not shall more easily find it by such a free search and inquisition Of triall by Disputation The Papistes euer foiled in Disputation Now the Libeller mainely laboureth to perswade triall by disputation wherein I can but wonder at his impudency considering alwaies in euery conference the Papists fled before vs. Martin Luther and Philip Melancthon maintained the cause of the Gospell by disputation before the greatest States of Germanie against as subtill instruments of Satan as euer since haue risen vp to oppugne the truth Theodore Beza a man of rare knowledge and vtterance assisted with Peter Martyr disputed this cause at Poyssie with the choice of the Sorbone and of all the Papistes of France that the Cardinall of Lorraine wished that Beza that day had beene dumbe or the chiefe of his Auditours deafe I will not mention the disputation of Zuinglius Oecolampadius and others at Bearne Basile Strasborough Zurich and other free Cities in all which the truth was euer found among the Protestants But to speake heere of the like at home So it was also in the disputation in King Edwards time And in Queene Maries albeit they brought those worthie Martyrs of Christ Cranmer Ridley and Latimer to dispute at Oxford with most vnreasonable inequalitie and conditions yet they so foiled and wounded their enemies that both those that were present and whosoeuer shall yet read it to this day may easily see that they fought valiantly with the sword of the Spirite to the confusion of those that stroue against them In the beginning of Queene Elizabeth her most blessed and happie raigne the Popish Bishops and greatest Clerks were prouoked and appointed by auctoritie to dispute if they were able to maintaine their doctrine against the Ministers of the Gospell But after a few impertinent words they gaue ouer their cause in the plaine field and so ridiculously handled the matter that it is maruell that the remembrance of the confusion and shame of that day doth not terrifie the Papistes from once daring againe to moue the matter of disputation with vs. But as the Prouerb saith He that runneth away may fight againe So Campian the Iesuite came with open defiance to prouoke the Protestantes to fight with him boasting to maintaine his cause by Scripture Councels Fathers by all Lawes Ciuill Canon and Common and by all Histories and monuments of former ages But what the issue was and how his glorie was turned into shame the Acts of those disputations in publique print do manifestly declare So this Puritan-Papist as also some others of the same crew crake much of disputation and conference But if it pleased his Highnesse and the State if necessitie or conueniencie did so require questionlesse the rottennesse of their cause should soone appeare For we haue the Arke of the Lord among vs we haue his siluer Trumpets sounding continually in our campes Though they came about vs like Bees yet should they be quenched as a fire of thornes they put confidence in themselues but in the name of the Lord of Hostes we should preuaile against them Concerning the challenge of that worthy and learned Bishop Iewell of reuerend memorie B. Iewels challenge he vndertooke and performed against the Papistes those seuen and twentie points wherein they differ from vs and the Primitiue Church which remaine vnanswered vnto this day sauing that D. Harding prated a little in the first point onely which yet was so defended against him and some one or two others that tooke his part that they quite left the field and fled And as hitherto by writing to the glory of GOD to the gathering and edifying of his Church we haue defended and maintained the trueth against them So by the grace and assistance of GOD many of vs will be alwaies ready to do the same hereafter Restraint of Hereticall Bookes But if they will haue their Bookes passe freely without restraint and all men to be allowed to read them Let them first assure vs that they will leaue it free for all such as are abused by them to reade ours For we are not ignorant of their discipline to the keeping of the poore and ignorant people in that captiuitie that they may not once dare to reade our writings least they should be conuerted and repent that the Lord might saue their soules For a few onely excepted whom they thinke desperate of being conuerted by any meanes vnto the truth they restraine all vnder their iurisdiction from reading our workes If they so straitly prouide to hinder the truth and to keepe Captiue simple soules in their blinde kingdome of darkenesse much more reason haue our Magistrates to prouide that the children of light be not led into darkenesse by them Gamaliell is noted by Luke for a man of 1 Mutuò muli scabunt One Pharisie commendeth another deepe iudgement and worthy Doctor in the Law of Moises and commended much for his 2 It was a very foolish counsell politique aduise giuen the high Priest and body of the Councell to take heede to themselues what they entended to doe touching the Apostles who seemed to them to teach a new doctrine For said he If this counsell or this worke be of men it will come to naught but if it be of God yee cannot destroy it least ye be found euen fighters against God And in this kinde he gaue certaine instances in Theodas and Iudas of Galiley For as the truth cannot be ouercome so errour and heresies cannot long stand but will at length of them selues perish and it is certaine that heresies which arise among Christians are as Augustine well noteth