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	ghost_n	holy_a	7,758	5	5.3049	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52138	Plain-dealing, or, A full and particular examination of a late treatise, entituled, Humane reason by A.M., a countrey gentleman.	Marvell, Andrew, 1621-1678.	1675 (1675)	Wing M876; ESTC R23029	77,401	164

to be excused for his contempt of authority because the different Ceremonies which he used in God's Worship did agree and consent in God's Glory For what he saith p. 53. viz. That as well may different thoughts represent the Worship of God and his Son Jesus Christ as different words can represent the same thought I cannot tell what he would have by it But this I know take it in the litteral sence of it it is as extravagant an assertion as one can easily meet withall For different words may signifie the same things because neither the things nor mens notions of things do alter by the various words or languages in which they are expressed But it is impossible it should be so in the Worship of God For the Worship of God being essentially placed in the thoughts different thoughts must make different Worships But perhaps this is to be typically or anagogically interpreted As for that lash he gives the Roman Church p. 53. The old Gentleman of the infallible Chair may well pardon him for it since he makes him amends very speedily after p. 56. by drawing in Henry the Eighth by the head and shoulders first to be lashed for his Adultery and then for deserting his good old friend the Pope The last Object He answers from p. 54. to p. 62. Is that by which some would prove him guilty of the Error of the Greeks by several Texts of Scripture The Error of the Greeks I suppose was this Their following vain and Heathen Philosophy or meer Humane Reason against the Divine Revelation of the Christian Religion by the Miracles and Preaching of Christ and his Apostles For from hence was it that the Doctrine of the Resurrection was derided amongst them that the Apostles Preaching was thought foolishness and the Cross a stumbling-block Now I appeal to any judicious and impartial Reader whether this Author hath not driven on this same or a worse design in no small part of his Book For he hath endeavoured to prove that a man may be excusable though he follows his Humane Reason to the denial of Christianity i. e. in a direct opposition to the Divine Revelation Nay he hath endeavoured to prove that Jews Heathens and Atheists are in an equal possibility of salvation with the unerring Christian. Now I desire this Author to prove that ever the Heathen Greeks had amongst them any question which they did defend more directly contrary to the Christian Religion then His is Which if he cannot do he must acknowledge that he hath out-done them all at the wisdom of enticing words to draw others from Christianity and that he doth not come far short of them at the wisdom of the flesh and the wisdom of the Princes of this World will appear in that he hath so much busied himself to prove that Humane Reason may tolerate Atheism it self and consequently all kind of lusts and wickedness whatsoever Away with you dull Greeks for a company of old fools that could not improve your reason further then to the denial of Christ meer Gregory-grey-beards are you all in comparison of our Author who can tell you presently how to deny the Being of a God by Humane Reason and to excuse your selves when you have done so exquisitely hath he found out a guide to happiness and so gentilely hath he followed the directions of his own Reason The Gentleman in the next place proceeds to establish his Doctrine by positive Arguments And his first Argument is from the safety of it which he endeavours to prove by comparing his guide viz. every mans own Reason with others that stand in competition with it As first with the apprehension of a Vision or Revelation extrinsecally coming into the Soul p. 62. If he means nothing but Enthusiasme hereby I shall onely leave it to be disputed betwixt him and his gratefull friends the Quakers For I know no Christian that will follow or expect new lights since God hath given us the Gospel a positive law to govern our lives and actions and since the Apostle tells us Gal. 1. 8. That if he or an Angel from heaven should preach any other Gospel he ought to be held accursed If he means all revelation in general even that of the Gospel not excepted as what may not a man venture at who is indued with his Humane Reason which hath already taught him to excuse Infidelity and Atheism I desire him to consider that since he himself hath proved in the latter end of his Book that we have Reason enough to believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God What strange kind of blasphemous aspersion he must cast upon the divine Wisdom if he dares to assert that every mans own Reason is a safer rule to walk by then that rule which God hath particularly revealed to us from heaven for that purpose Unless therefore he can think our own Reason more infallible then the Reason of God himself he must conclude if he believes the Gospel to be Gods Word as he professeth to do that it is much safer to follow that law which God hath been pleased to give us then the law of our own Reason For otherwise the Divine Revelation had been altogether vain and useless Secondly The next guide he endeavours to prove less safe then Humane Reason is Authority Pag. 63. By which he hath not explained what he means so that by this Discourse since he hath no ways limited the signification of the word we may justly judge he intended to set up every mans Reason as a safer guide then all Authority His reason is this For if that Anthority prescribe truth we have good fortune and meerly good fortune in our obedience But I pray you Sir Are there not many truths that can be no ways made evident or at least not so evident as is convenient but by the suffrage of Authority as the distinction of persons in the sacred Trinity the Deity of the Son and of the Holy Ghost For if the universal consent of the Church in these points did not clearly prove that those Texts of Scripture which are urged for them were to be so interpreted it would not perhaps be so easie a matter to stop a subtile Socinians mouth by meer Scripture and much less by meer Reason If we take Authority in the other common acceptation of the word for lawful power the Authors assertion is still worse and much more false For in all indifferent things and doubtful matters the Authority of the Magistrate is to prescribe to us not our own Reason only it being much safer for us to follow authority in those cases then to be guided onely by our selves So that Sir you see by this time that in most actions of our lives for most of them do concern indifferent things we have not only good fortune but good reason in our obedience to authority Nay in some cases and those not a few authority is the onely reason of our assent as in all

was true which he can never prove that God would not punish us for our wilful errours yet since the consequence of errours doth naturally lead us into the most damnable sins it therefore behooveth us if we tender our eternal happiness to take care to preserve our selves from errour which may be not only of dangerous but of damnable consequence to us What then is the wisest way for the most of men to guard themselves from these dangers This is a question well worth our consideration if we think we have such souls in us as are endangered by errour to be eternally lost and miserable What then must the common people here amongst us the greatest part of which have scarce reason enough to demonstrate themselves to be men do to secure themselves I answer It is the safest way for them to relie upon the Church especially in all matters of indifferency and of unnecessary disputes and upon some of those Guides which the Church hath lawfully called and authorized in all cases of conscience For since as this Gentleman tells us many nay most of men and the wisest of men have erred though they have had all the advantages to improve their reasons that this world could afford them how should any ordinary man who is void of all helps but his own natural reason dare to rely upon it alone in business of so great concern as his eternal happiness or misery Especially since he doth not think it convenient to rely upon it in business of lesser concern viz. That of his health or estate Now I appeal to all men that in difficult cases do consult their Lawyer and Physician whether they do not think it safer to rely upon their judgements then to be governed only by themselves they must say they do so else they were mad to consult them and give them mony for nothing So that this Author hath the suffrage of all wise men against his opinion when he tells us that upon the account of safety we ought to commit our selves wholly to our own reason in the search of truth Nay I will refer it to himself and challenge him upon his reputation if he hath any left to tell me whether his own practise doth not contradict his opinion that is whether or n● he consults his own reason and commits himself wholly to the guidance of it in cases that concern his life and estate or whether he is guided by the Doctor and the Barrister To this perhaps he will answer that he limits his discourse to the serch of Religious truths in which it is most safe for us to rely upon our own Reason But I pray you Sir why not then in all other can you shew me any cause of difference If you say because Religion is grounded upon probabilities I Answer so is Physick upon much more uncertainty then Religion and the Law is no less built upon uncertainties in many cases which have not been determined by presidents But suppose that religious matters are more intricate and obscure and less certain then other things since errours in Religion are no less dangerous to our Souls then errours in Law and Physick are to our Estates and Lives if we believe we have any souls We ought then to be more carefull to consult our Guides of Conscience then we are to take advice of our Lawyer or Physician But experience and practise is the best teacher Let us now suppose every private person to be wholly committed to the guidance of his own reason according to this Author's Doctrine and let us see what safety he enjoys thereby For then supposing he meets with a cunning Gentleman from Rome that hath been brought up in all advantages of Learning and Education that should baffle his reason for the defence of Protestantism then if he will act rationally he must presently turn Papist and so vice versâ The same thing would also hold if he should be baffled by any Jesuit under the disguise of any other Sectary whatsoever for he must so often change his Religion as he meets with more crafty Disputants than himself By which means he might every hour have a several religion and change so often till at last he had quitted all religion and turn'd Atheist which we see to be the ordinary consequence of frequent changes Nay further suppose he meets with some subtle Jesuit in disguise whose business it is to convert men first to debauchery then to Atheism and so by degrees to Popery who should baffle all his reasons for the practice of vertue nay for the immortality of his Soul and for the being of God as it may well be suppos'd where there is so great a difference in the advantages of the persons What then will become of him if he commits himself only to the guidance of his own reason he must then presently commence Brute and believe that he hath no more soul then his horse or any other beast and that he shall die and perish like one of them nay he must turn Atheist and not only deny the Lord that bought him but that God that made him and so be left altogether without any excuse Is not this person now very safe think you under the guidance of his own reason If therefore it be safe for us to run into Popery Heresie and Atheism let us follow our own Reasons and wholly commit our selves to our own guidance if not Let us follow the Church of England and those guides which she hath set over us in all difficult cases of which we our selves can be no competent judges and when we are press'd with any argument for a change in our religion which we are not able to answer let us repair to our own lawful Minister or to some other that shall direct us for a satisfaction of our doubts and objections And though this may seem a Paradox in this Age of Schism and Faction yet the relying on the Church is the very same direction that St. Paul gives 2 Tim. 3. 15. where he calls the Church of God The pillar and ground of truth For if so then all that are Christians ought to rely upon this pillar and to build their faith upon that which is the ground of truth But I know he there means the Universal Church But you 'l say how should I who am an illiterate person or a private Gentleman and understand not the languages in which the Scriptures and other Church writings are pen'd know what the Doctrine of the Universal Church is for I am not able to search for the Christian Doctrine my self I answer Read the Scriptures in English and practise those things that are plain and easie in them and as for difficult disputes either let them quite alone or else consult in all difficulties the directions of your own Church the Church of England by those guides which she hath set over you But may not these deceive me too as well as my own Reason I Answer It is