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	holy_a	scripture_n	9,894	5	6.0621	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A73284	Profano-mastix. Or, a briefe and necessarie direction concerning the respects which wee owe to God, and his house even in outward worship, and reverent using of holy places. Shewing chiefly when, and how, wee ought to enter; how to behave our selves being entred, how to depart; as also, how to esteeme of Gods house at every other time. Written out of a true and sincere intent to reduce the disordered and factious, to a better order then either their neglect, stubbornnesse, or scrupulositie can purchase for them. / By Iohn Swan curate of Duxford S. Peters.	Swan, John, d. 1671.	1639 (1639)	STC 23513; ESTC S106202	33,675	74

the pricks and Haman-like expect that all should bow the knee to them but they to none no not willingly to him who is the Lord almightie But is it not written of Salomon 1 Kings 2.19 that when Bathsheba came unto him notwithstanding in dignitie shee was his inferiour and then a petitioner to him that he arose from his throne and bowed himselfe unto her Much more ought wee that are worse then nothing to shew all humilitie and reverence when wee come before the presence of God It is also written in the Gospell that our Saviour would not have his Disciples enter into a mans house without salutation And shall wee not thinke it to be a part of religious manners to doe as much when wee come into the house of God when wee doe it it is a kind of dutifull salutation of the divine Majestie And therefore as wee count them to be rude and disobedient who will not bend their knees to their parents at their first approaches nor bow their bodies to their betters when they come in place where they are so be they both rude and disobedient who will not only refuse but dispute the case and scoffe against this kind of worship or bowing of the body at our first entrings into the house of God It were easie to shew that all Nations and Religions have beene carefull to expresse some reverentiall gesture at their first approaches into their Temples and shall Christians now make question of it We may bee too suspitious of superstition and so bee superstitious in avoyding that which wee goe about to taxeand condemne in others Nor is it but requisite that I also shew which way our posture be directed And so much the rather because in the opinion not of a few here resteth that which is the greatest question For what more frequent in the mouthes of many then that such as worship towards one thing and place rather then towards another are meere Idolaters But I beseech you condemne not without a cause nor let your zeale runne before your knowledge For adoration towards the Lords Tables a lawfull worship It can be no Idolatrie because it is no prostration before a false god but before the true it being every jot as lawfull to make use of the place whither as of the place where So that either it must be unlawfull to use Oratories or Churches to worship God in or this must be granted of directing our Aspect rather one way then another And why one way rather then another wee shall find it to bee in regard of that which is most sacred and of most eminent relation to God in the Church For as Gods house and honour goe together so the chiefe place must needs invite the worship of God towards it as to the most presentiall place otherwise wee should exclude due decencie from Religion and be preposterous in our worship of which more shall be spoken afterwards Object Oh but say some let the matter be palliated how it will it is but an imitation of the Papists in their worshipping of Images who alledge for themselves that they doe not worship the Image but God by the Image Answ To which I answer that to worship God by an Image and to worship him towards some place and Monument of his presence are things of a different nature The one is absolutely forbidden by the Law of God the other wee find continually practised by his people with his allowance and approvement Nor doth it seeme to have beene any other practise then what was first done ex more generis humani as one in his letter to his friend hath truly expressed Nature having taught them as in their addresses to men to look unto their faces So in their addresses to the divine Majestie to accommodate their posture towards something where his presence was more declared and manifested then else-where Thus in the wildernesse without any precept to bind them they worshipped God toward the Cloude as the monument of his presence going with them Exod. 33.10 34.5 8. Then afterwards when that monument was no longer they looked towards the Arke of the Covenant or Mercie seate both in the Tabernacle and the Temple And for this it was no more commanded then the former There is indeed in Exod. 25.22 a promise made to Moses of a presence there which is enough to signifie that the Lord hath his throne in the places which are set apart and sanctified for his service But neither was the Tabernacle made nor did Moses reveale any thing that was told him concerning it till after such times as wee are sure they had worshipped toward the Cloud Nor last of all when it was erected can it be any where showne that there went out a peculiar precept for such a practise And yet the very saints of God whilst they were alive as well as those in heaven who worship towards the Throne avowed the performance of it Psal 5.7 Psal 28.2.99.5.138.2 Jon. 2.4 Mich 6.6 2 King 18.22 See also 1 K. 8.44 Dan. 6.10 2 Chron. 6.20 21. as in many places of the Scripture well appeareth some whereof are noted in the Margin But among them all I may not forget that godly resolution which was in the Prophet David whose purpose was so setled concerning this that let others be never so backward in it hee would bee forward Let others doe what they would hee would doe what hee ought The most expresse text of which intent is in the fifth Psalme at the seventh verse where his words be these Psal 5.7 But as for mee I will come into thine house in the multitude of thy mercies and in thy feare will I worship towards the Temple of thy holinesse The word translated I will worship is in the Hebrew I will bow and therefore Tremelius expresseth it by the Latine word Incurvabo By which the Prophet meaneth that for his part being come into the outward Courts of Gods house into which and no further it was lawfull for him to enter hee would bow towards the Sanctum sanctorum or chiefe place of Majestie Psal 99.5 in honour of God as hee elsewhere sheweth whose house it was in all the parts but there His in more particular and therefore called The Temple of his holinesse And may it not from hence be gathered that they who would have all places in a Church to be alike holy are greatly wide from the truth of the matter I doe suppose it true and shall make it more manifest that they who would have the Belfree as holy as the body of the Church the body of the Church as holy as the Chancell the Chancell as holy as the Sacrarium or Altar-place are much mistaken For first as S. Paul hath said in another case Doth God take care for oxen So may I say in this Doth God take care for Bells or hath hee as much respect to them as to those things which are more immediately employed in

at which they might not offer except they were in perfect love and unitie one with another For in that Sermon where this dutie is commanded the Precepts given were not legall but Evangelicall it being a degree above the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees to seeke such peace as was then preached upon the Mountaine No tradition of the Elders or other Law being knowne to urge any such direction as was there delivered Whereupon considering one thing with another it may bee concluded as in a plaine case that by both names that sacred seate of the body and bloud of our Saviour as Optatus stileth it hath beene promiscuously and indifferently called from the first beginning of the Christian Church They goe wrong therefore who will be led by vulgar opinion and astonished by popular reports of they know not what Rome indeed hath made many things offensive to ignorant eares But it is neither vulgar opinion feare nor heare say that can disprove a truth For as shee seekes no corners so being suffered to display her colours shee cleares her selfe against all sorts of opposites bee their temper what it will To returne then to the matter in hand Antiquitie and that grounded upon Scripture takes from it as well as from what is appendant to it all and every just aspersion of innovation And verily those Sainted times loved the great God of Heaven and Earth too well to love any thing like him They knew him to bee a jealous God and therefore did not adore the thing or place toward which they worshipped but God alone to whom this homage is due Just Mart. ad Orthod quaest 118. See also Ter●ul Apol. c. 16. Orig sup Nū Hom. 5. Basil de spirit sanct c. 27. Aug. de Serm. Dom. in Mont. lib. 2. c. 19. cum mul●is aliis It cannot bee saith Iustin Martyr that at the time of our Prayer wee should looke at all the parts of heaven at once therefore we worship looking towards one part viz. the East Not that that is only of Gods making or that hee hath chosen that only for his dwelling but because it is the place appointed for that worship and service which wee performe to God Adding moreover that from whom the Church received the custome of praying from them also it received where to pray that is from the Apostles Thus that godly Father and blessed Martyr who was famous about 117 yeares after Christs Passion expresly witnessing that this order came first from the Apostles viz. that Christians direct their aspect towards the East when they pray or worship Tertullian witnesseth the same order and so doth Origen Athanasius Basil Gregorie Nissen Saint Austin Damascen with many others Nor can the Centurie writers but affirme it most of our Churches excepting some of late being built for scituation accordingly From which direction thus delivered was clearely shewed that albeit in the Iewish Tabernacle and Temple the Westerne part thereof was chiefe yet not so in the Christian Churches for in ours the Easterne part must be preferred And as with them the Westerne part was chiefe because the Mercie seate was there so with us the Easterne part because the Holy Table is placed here And for the scituation of both these there was just cause why they should bee rather so then otherwise For the Iewes wee know were in the times of darknesse in comparison of our times of light Their Tabernacle therefore and Temple had the place of highest Majestie in the West towards which they looked for want of the Sunnes appearance Christ was then unborne But wee are in the dayes of a better light the Sunne is risen and visiteth us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●s the Day or Easterne light from on high Luke 1.78 Wee therefore in acknowledgement thereof turne our faces toward the East have there the place of highest Majestie and by turning thither professe our times to be the times of light To which may be added that of Damascen Damas de Orthod fid lib. 4. c. 13. affirming that when Christ hanged upon the Crosse hee was placed so as that his face looked into the West and therefore could not be seene but of those whose faces were directed towards the East Which together with the former was also a reason why the Christians had cause to preferre the Easterne part of their Churches before the Westerne and to place the Altar of their commemorative Sacrifice rather there then else-where Yea and further because the Divell is Gods Ape the Pagans looked into the West as well as the Iewes That therefore in opposition to the one as well as the other wee may renounce the Divell whom they served in their heathenish Idolatrie as well as the religion of the Iewes who denie Christ to be come wee turne to the East and so enter a covenant with the Sunne of righteousnesse And of this last Saint Ambrose among other of the Fathers speakes after this manner Thou art turned to the East because hee who renounceth the Divell is converted to Christ and beholds him directo obtuitu with a direct aspect Vnto which custome as is probably supposed Saint Iohn seemeth to allude in Revelat. 7.2 For there the Angell ascends from the East to meet and embrace them that looke towards him and seale them with the safetie of that Sacrament by which Christians seale their service unto him as in Master Yates is well observed Here therefore wee are to seate the Holy Table as in its proper place Nor was it ever otherwise among Christians when they might bee suffered to doe as they would except in some particular Churches which can be no fit president to be opposed against a generall practise And thus as I can see no reason why any should bee offended at a decent and holy reverence when wee come into the House of God which all Religions have beene carefull to performe so much lesse that they should grudge against it when wee doe it towards that place where the high and heavenly Mysteries of our salvation are to be consecrated and celebrated with all the solemnitie and devotion wee can possibly imagine Here it is that wee have our perfectest communion with God It begins indeed in Baptisme but ends in the Lords Supper for higher wee cannot goe till wee come in heaven and they are the best Saints that are admitted to it at the least wee judge them such because such they should be For though all may come to the Word and be present at our ordinarie Service yet when this commeth all but the faithfull must bee gone Ite Missaest was that which was said of old yea and still the unworthy are not to bee admitted but the rest invited to come and draw neere that they may receive this Sacrament to their comfort and have that high advancement of being fed at Gods owne Boord with the body and bloud of his beloved Sonne Say not therefore any longer Why are not the Font Deske or Pulpit

crucis for the death of the Crosse For whereas the chiefe Priests Scribes and Elders at the time of his death * Math. 27.37.40 mocked him in allusion to his name saying Hee saved others himselfe he cannot save and whereas the Iewes and wicked Miscreants have alwayes ever since derided the Christians with their crucified Iesus it pleased the Lord in his wisdome to exalt his Name so much the more by how much it was debased and vilified by wicked men And this hee would should be expressed by some externall gesture thereby to shew the inward obeysance and subjection which is due to Christ Against which whilst some object that it cannot be meant of any actuall bowing of the knee because Angels Soules departed Divels and damned soules have no knees to bow they doe but deceive themselves For the Apostle speaking unto men speakes after the manner of men giving us to understand that as wee are to shew our reverence and subjection by bowing of the knee so they by some such gesture as is truly correspondent to this of ours Wee know that in * 1 Cor. 13.1 another place hee gives the Angels tongues And therefore may as well in this place give them knees They have the one as well as the other And so in their kind doe what is here commanded us They their way wee ours for there be many passages in the * Rev. 4.10.2.5.8 c. 14.7.11 See also Heb. 1.6 Revelation which may cleare this doubt And albeit some of these of whom the Text speaketh be of a different quality from the saints and Angels and are therefore obstinately bent against Christ Iesus and will not for the present do their Reverence nor be willing to shew any outward token of subjection or obedience yet seeing Christ must reigne till he have put all his enemies under his feet 1 Cor. 15.25 the time shall be sure to come when the strongest opposites shall bee brought unto it and whether they will or no be made to stoope and to do open reverence to that blessed name which hath bin so often scorned and derided by the Devils and wicked And therefore let every one that liveth bee afraid even how he leanes to perversnesse lest he come at last to be accounted guiltie of a desperate evill For when we have done the best wee can it is no whit more then Christ hath merited For worthy is the Lambe that was slaine to receive power riches wisdome strength honour glorie and blessing Revelat. 5.12 Besides were it so that this were not spoken properly in respect of us who have knees it may as well bee granted that neither is it required of us that wee should confesse for the one is mentioned in the text of Saint Paul as well as the other So that if wee take away the proprietie of speech from the one wee take it also from the other and then wee are as little bound to confesse as to bow which were a tenet directly opposite to a knowne truth For as with the heart Man beleeveth so with the tongue he confesseth as the Scripture elsewhere speaketh viz. Rom. 10.9 10. Nor againe is there cause to feare that although wee bow at the name of Iesus and not at the name of God that wee doe thereby advance the Sonne above the Father For first this honour of Christ begins with the Father hee was the cause of it by Him was his Sonne exalted both in his person and his name which hee would should bee acknowledged and therefore saith the text every knee shall bow and every tongue confesse And secondly as it began with him so it ends with Him also for saith the text againe It is unto the glorie of God the Father And no marvell for it redounds much to His glorie that wee should thus honour his Sonne It is no will-worship taken upon our owne heads but such as even the Father himselfe both desireth should bee done and is not only well pleased that it be done but also glorified in regard that it is done From whence it appeareth that this bowing to the Sonne is in effect a bowing to the Father also at whose command and unto whose glorie we doe it And although it be in it selfe a dutie of the text yet hath the Church also interposed her authoritie for the more strict and decent observation of it Canon 18. Injunct 52. In which neither doth our present Canon nor that Injunction of Queene Elizabeth cause more to bee done then what had formerly beene observed in the Church of God in those ancient times which had beene before For when they speake of reverence done at the name of Iesus these words are also mentioned viz. as it hath beene accustomed Nor was it a late custome among the Papists for even in the dayes of Saint Hierom. the Christian Church was carefull to observe it His words bee these Hier. in Isa 45.23 Moris enim Ecclesiastics est Christo genuflectere quod Iudaei mentis superbiam demonstrantes omnino non faciunt For it is saith hee the custome of the Church to bow the knee to Christ which the Iewes shewing the perversnesse of their mindes altogether refuse to doe Thus it was then but how long before I cannot tell Only this I observe from hence that the ancient Church understood that text where this dutie is taught in the same sense that we understand it now And therefore how they can bee acquitted from enemies of the Orthodox veritie who feare not to stand against it no man I suppose is able to declare And sooner by farre may they bring forth an argument of spight then an evidence of the spirit who speake against it The people must use the Answers of the Liturgie The next dutie that I shall mention is that being in Gods house and at his service care must bee had to use all the Answers of the holy Liturgie and that cheerefully and aloude not whispering or betweene the teeth nor as some doe silently and not at all For tell me I beseech you where is the eagernesse of your Prayers and Prayses if in a publike Assemblie yee bee as mute as fishes Revel 14.2 I heard a voice from heaven saith Saint Iohn as the sound of many waters and as the sound of a great Thunder and I heard the voyce of Harpers harping with their harpes Like unto which should bee the voyce of the Church on earth in all her severall Congregations when shee uttereth her Prayers and Prayses to the God of heaven For first wee are to come joyntly to the place of publike meeting like the concourse of many waters whose voyce stands to signifie the voyce of a numerous and full multitude being met together Secondly to bee earnest in our devotions like the sound of a great Thunder And then thirdly shall this loude voyce of ours bee musicall like unto those heavenly Harpers harping with their harpes It may be Multa vox ex