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	word_n	6,560	5	4.2187	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02610	A sermon preached in the cittie of Glasco in Scotland, on the tenth day of Iune, 1610 At the holding of a generall assembly there. By Christopher Hampton, Doctor in Diuinitie, and chaplaine to the Kings most Excellent Maiestie.	Hampton, Christopher, 1552-1625.	1611 (1611)	STC 12739; ESTC S103775	17,702	37

and water but of hearing the word of God And was it not then time to leaue them Let them refuse their Synagogues forsake their broken Cysternes that will hold no water returne to that true auncient faith that was renowned through the world and we will giue them the right hands of fellowship With ioy will wee ioyne together with them and goe into the house of the Lord. If they will not I call heauen and earth to record against them this day that they are fallen from the Gospell from truth from word from Sacraments from Religion from the house of God from God himselfe And all these our Churches studie with great endeuour to maintaine in their perfect integrity O pray pray forget not to pray for that most excellent instrument of GOD that hath established these things amongst vs by holy Lawes and good authoritie Peace be within his walls and plentiousnesse within his Pallaces Yea the God of peace and plenty blesse him for these blessings that hee hath brought vpon vs a thousand and ten thousand fold both here and in the world to come And beloued cease not to crie out vnto God to fill our hearts with praise and our mouthes with thankes-giuing for these inestimable mercies When Gods benefits are receiued with thankfulnes and due account then hee doth multiply them exceedingly Seeing then that all the enemies wee haue cannot shew one point of doctrine maintained contrarie to the wholesome forme set downe in the word and proportion of faith seeing they cannot iustly reproue our administration of the Sacraments Let not these graces of God towards our Churches be extenuated by scornefull reproofes or slaunderous Pamphlets least there follow questions whether they be the houses of God or no least they be forsaken by fanaticall and giddie spirits as if they were the Synagogues of Sathan These be the fruits that vnaduised whisperings wil bring forth and this vse the enemie of mankinde hath made of them They haue serued him as a pedagogie an A B C or introduction of Schisme of frenzie of Anabaptisticall confusion Two errors I haue obserued that are the grounds and occasions of these enormities The first is an immoderate desire of Christian libertie The second an importunate challenge of equalitie in gouernement of the Church As to the former many are deceiued therein and deceiue others whilest they set Christian libertie vpon Tenter-hookes and stretch it further then the nature thereof will beare seeking not onely a liberty of minde and conscience in things indifferent but a freedome also in their actions Christian libertie hath place in minde and conscience alone It contenteth it selfe if there be no burthen of merit of iustification of holinesse or pleasing God vrged vpon the conscience that is the seate of Iesus Christ and if that be left free vnto him Christian libertie is safe and sound It respecteth nothing but that which is betweene God and thee And is not this a goodly libertie when we know that such and such things doe neither iustifie nor condemne vs afore God If this content you not vnlesse you may haue freedome also in your actions to doe what you will you haue left Christian libertie which reacheth not to our actions and respecteth not that which is betweene thee and thy neighbour and thou act come to a licentious immunitie This difference being obserued may appease manie controuersies about indifferent things Wherein if brethren will hold but that moderation which true Diuinitie teacheth and retaine this freedome our Christian libertie in their consciences which is not infringed and conforme their actions that they doe not ouerthwart good order to the disturbance of the Church and offence of the Magistrate How ioyfully might we all goe vp into the house of the Lord and sing in the tune of Angels Ecce quam bonum quam iucundum habitare fratres in vnum For as much therefore as God hath warranted the Magistrates authoritie in these cases and required our obeience let vs no more thinke how to finde out pretences Studia abeunt in mores But if there be any consolation in Christ any comfort of loue any fellowship of the spirit any compassion and mercie fulfill this ioy that ye be like minded hauing the same loue being of one accord and iudgement that nothing be done through contention or vaine glory but that in meekenesse of minde euery one esteeme other better then himselfe That we may all with one way and one heart goe vp into the house of the Lord. As for equalitie which is the other errour when one aduised Lycurgus to establish it amongst the Lacedemonians that so the least and meanest might beare like sway with the greatest The wise man answered that he which called for it should begin it first at home in his owne house And if all men be carefull to exclude paritie out of their priuate families if men experienced in policie and gouernement will not admit it into the common-wealth because that cannot be preserued with equalitie but by authoritie and rule Why are not men as sensible of the house of God as of their owne houses or why should equalitie that is found intollerable in all other societies be obtruded onely to the Church Because distinctions and inequalitie of Pastors cannot be proued by Scripture That is not so There were diuers Pastors vnder the Law but they were not equall For there was one high Priest as it were a transcendent aboue them all But his eminencie was to expresse the soueraignetie of Iesus Christ Then there were Captaines of euery family of the Leuites and that proues an inequalitie Last of all there were two ioyned with the high Priest which are called rulers of the house of God 1 Chro. 24.5 In the new Testament there was distinction and inequalitie betweene the Apostles themselues or else Paul would neuer haue called Peter and Iames and Iohn chiefe and pillars of the Apostles There was distinction and inequalitie betweene the twelue Apostles and the seauentie Disciples We reade of manie Pastors at Ephesus Act. 20. And in the Reuelation Iohn writeth to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus which euicteth necessarily that there was one greater then the rest Par in parem non habet imperium But Paul gaue Timothie authoritie ouer Pastors Therefore hee ordayned and intended an inequalitie and no paritie amongst the Pastors of the Church The reasons of those that call for equalitie in the Ministers are not made to build vp and they are too weake to pull downe Abraham saith grauely vnto Lot Let there be no contention betweene mee and thee for wee are brethren that is one reason Againe the Cananite and the Pherizite are yet in the Land another motiue In which case who knowes not that the aduersaries of our doctrine will sooner be ouercome with vnited then distracted forces and so we that fight the Lords battailes cannot disioyne our selues without preuarication and bootie Away then with all singularitie and admiring of our owne opinions Know yee not that it is the seminarie of inward contention the Spirit of the Prophets must be subiect to the Prophets Let vs haue but one heart and one way that wee may fill the Lords house with garlands of victories that wee may beate our aduersaries from humane merits and bring them to the diuine mercies from free-will and the possibilities of Nature to the grace of God from traditions to the written Word from elauation adoration circumgestation transubstantiation of the Sacrament to the commemoration of Christs death and a sweet fruition thereof by faith From their Hierarchie and visible Monarchie to the headship of our Lord Iesus Christ From superstition to the true vvorship of GOD. O how glorious are these holy triumphs how instantly doe they call vpon vs to combine our selues together that the conuersion and offering vp of the Papists may be acceptable and sanctified I will not dismisse you of the Laitie without some short exhortation to peace The very name of peace is a sweet word but the work is sweeter I cannot alwayes speake of it But that which I cannot alwayes speake of that you may keepe alwayes As for example He that praiseth God with his tongue cannot doe it euer but he that praiseth God with his life and conuersation may euer doe it Euen so doe I commend the words and works of peace vnto you Or if you thinke me vnworthie to commend such a diuine blessing looke if it be not the word of our great and worthiest King He commandeth it vnto vs from the Author of peace Beati pacifici Not pacidici but pacifici Blessed are not the praisers but the practisers of peace Let the mountaines bring peace and the little hils righteousnesse vnto thy people O thou Prince of peace And so the God of peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus the great Shepheard of the sheepe through the bloud of the euerlasting Testament make you perfect in all good works workking in you that which is pleasant in his sight through Iesus Christ to whom be praise for euer and euer Amen FJNJS 1 Part. 2 Part. Be●●●rd in Can● ser 65 Epist ad protect Angl. 87. pag. 69. Tertul. de praescript De vnitat ecclesiae cap. 3 In 1. cap. Esa Contra Praxeam Chrisost in Epist ad Rom. hom 23.

challenge Laban for his wrongfull imputation before the Law had said thou shalt not steale And euen thus he moued Abraham to pay Tythes to Melchisedech the Priest of the high God before the Law was ordayned to pay Tythes And the Law ye know ordayned Tythes to be payd to the children of Leuie But Abraham payd Tythes to Melchisedech whose Priesthood was of another order then the children of Leuie were to giue vs to vnderstand that Tythes were due to all Priests whether they were vnder the Law afore the Law or after the Law Here me thinks I heare some aske how it happened then that Christ that the Apostles of Christ made no expresse mention of Tythes to be payd in the new Testament The answere is easie that whilest Christ liued the Priesthood of the Law was not abrogated And after it continued some space in the Apostles time vntill the dissolution of that common-wealth that the ceremonies ordayned of God himselfe might be honorably buried During which time it was vnseasonable for Christ or his Apostles to snatch Tythes vnto themselues which by Law were yet setled in the Leuites But after that legall Priesthood was abolished then to whom Tythes belonged Christ himselfe declareth not in words but by his fact deed Vpon which I build the foundation of my argument thus That which Christ receiued in right of his Priesthood of the new Testament is due to all the Ministers that succeede him in the same But Christ receiued Tythes in right of his Priesthood of the new Testament Tythes therefore are due to all the Ministers of the same The assumption is proued in the 7. Chap. to the Hebr. Ver. 9. And to say as the thing is Leuie also which receiueth Tythes payd Tythes in Abraham For he was yet in the loynes of his father Abraham when Melchisedech met him The Apostles purpose in that place is to proue the Priesthood of Christ greater then the Priesthood of Aaron He proues it by two reasons 1. The lesse is blessed of the greater Christ in Melchisedech blessed Abraham and Leuie Therefore Abraham and Leuie are lesse then Christ His second reason is drawne from the matter that I haue in hand The lesse payeth Tythe vnto the greater Abraham the father of Leuie payd Tythes to Christ in Melchisedech Therefore Leuie did acknowledge Christ to be greater Priest How because Leuie payd Tythes that were due to the Priest into the hand of Melchisedech the figure of Christ Here two things are remarkable First that Tythes were perpetually allotted to the Priest else the Apostles argument had carried no great soliditie Secondly that Melchisedech neither giueth the blessing nor receiueth Tythes in his owne name but in the person and right of Christ So as that which Melchisedech did in figure was in deed and truth done by Christ It was Christ that gaue the blessing vnto Abraham as wee may see by the efficacie thereof It was Christ that receiued Tythes as the Apostle doth conclude not wrongfully He commanded in particular termes to giue vnto Caesar the things that are Caesars In generall doctrine to yeeld euery man his owne Therefore no man can well imagine that hee would forestall or intercept any others due but receiued his owne By what right Sure not in the right of his Godhead whereby the supreame dominion of all things resteth in him But by the title and in the right of his Priesthood for so the Apostle argueth You that be hearers may make this vse of my speech that seeing Tythes were payd by Abraham vowed by Iacob prescribed by the instinct of nature before the Law allotted to the Priests vnder the Law continued since the Law seeing the Church hath beene in iust and good possession of them aboue 4000 yeares seeing they were dedicated to the seruice of God seeing they were deuoted vnto God And the title or right that man had before donation doth by the act and from any such time of donation remaine the proper possession of God vntill the worlds end vnlesse himselfe renounce or relinquish it Yeeld your Tythes willingly because you cannot hold them from your Ministers without impietie In such cases the Lord loueth a cheerefull giuer Et nos libenter accipimus beneficium quod profit danti Nobis quidem in hoc benefacitis sed vobis melius Beatius est dare quam accipere Besides the entertainment of Ministers there is another reason for publique assemblies that the puritie of sincere Doctrine might be kept inuiolable by that meanes from the corruption of Gentilitie the poyson of Heresie and the rage of Schisme whilest the worship of God is not left arbitrarie or voluntarie but hath a prescript forme from whence it is vnlawfull to decline For that hath beene and alwayes will be dangerous It is noted for a special blemish and staine amongst the Israelites in the booke of Iudges That euery one did what he thought good in his owne eyes without regard of law of order of vniformitie in Church or common-wealth And where lawes eyther be not at all or want due execution that our wauering mindes be not held in a conformitie It is the easiest thing in the world for man vaine and curious by nature and delighted with change to fall into confusion and grosse idolatrie Let Ieroboam be the example hereof who had no sooner withdrawne his followers from those assemblies that were appointed by better authoritie but straight-waies both himselfe fell into Schisme and to Idolatrie and wrapped all his adherents in the like offences So the Scripture markes him out euerie where Ieroboam that made Israell to sinne Let Ieroboam carry this marke alone and let it neuer be found or felt in this Church For if the publike ministerie be defaced by any not maintained by others but neglected deceiuers will creepe into priuate families and lead captiue simple women and men too laden with sinnes and led with diuers lusts euer learning and neuer able to come to the knowledge of truth Not vnlike to mothers which bring forth Monsters which they hide in corners and secret places shaming to shew them openly and yet priuily doe feede and nourish them Vbi Apostolica forma vita quam iactatis illi clamant vos susurratis illi in publico vos in angulo illi vt nubes volant vos in tenebris at subterraneis domibus delitescitis Quidsimile illis in vobis ostenditis Thus hath beene hatched elsewhere the heresies of Papists the frensies of Anabaptists the schismes of rash brethren and the prophane impieties of Atheists of ill egs worse chickens The remedie for these inconueniences is to cut off arbitrarie worship to restraine and suppresse whispering or corner diuinitie Therefore to the entent we may not haue here is Christ or there is Christ we must all ioyne together in cherishing intertaining and frequenting one publicke ministerie one prescript and setled forme of prayers and Ecclesiasticall rites This is not mine owne conceit I learned it from Mr.

Caluin Concerning the forme of prayer saith he and Ecclesiasticall rites I doe very well like that they should be certaine in a prescript order and that the Pastors be not sufferd to swerue from it aswell for the help of the simple as also that a consent of all Churches may be held and lastly to preuent the rashnesse of those that affect nouelties The Ministerie was ordained for this end as the Apostle doth teach vs Ephes 4.14 that wee should no more wauer like Children and be carried too and fro with euery blast of doctrine whereby it appeareth that the spirit of God hath fastned vs to the publike ministerie the better to hold vs in a constant loue of the truth And therefore addressing our selues vnto it let vs also reioyce to goe into the house of the Lord. A matter as some will obiect easie to be said and done amongst the Israelites because first the Tabernacle afterward the Temple were visible known to be destinated to the worship of God Now the house of God is not so conspicuous nor commonly knowne doubts and questions are still moued which is the Church That these allay no part of your forwardnesse heare I beseech you how they may be cleared and heare it not from me but from S. Augustine Inter nos Donatist as quaestio est vbi sit Ecclesia quid ergo facturi sumus in verbis nostris eam quaesituri an in verbis capitis sui Domini nostri Iesu Christi Puto quod in illius potius verbis eam quaerere debemus qui veritas est optime nouit corpus suum Nouit enim Dominus qui sunt sui Nothing is sought for with more endeuor then the Church and nothing mistaken with greater error The cause is apparant for that wee seeke it in the markes that wee frame of it to our selues and not in the notes that Christ hath giuen vs to know it by Men would haue the Church to be conspicuous and visible but wee cannot make that a marke of the Church vnlesse wee infringe an article of our Faith I beleeue the Catholike Faith When I see a thing there needes no faith for it Faith in the Apostles doctrine is of things inuisible that cannot be seene Succession is as much vrged for knowledge of the Church and it is plaine enough that the ancient fathers did vsually alledge their continued succession of Bishops against Heretiques But the principall point of their allegation consisted in the succession not of place or person but of doctrine which the good Bishops had kept in a long descent from the Apostles times Percurre Ecclesias apud quas ipsae adhuc Cathedrae Apostolorum praesidentur sonantes vocem representantes faciem vniuscuiusque Amplitude and diffusion is made another marke of the Church and that had beene a very deceiueable cognisance when the Arrian heresie ouerswayed all But may it not now be returned in preiudice of those that alledge it who sees not the fall of great Babilon and the waine or abatement of the Bishop of Rome his Hierarchie Last of all Antiquitie is brought for a note of the Church and if that were a certaine or perpetuall euidence then was the Church ancient as soone a● it began Augustine found the vncertaintie and invaliditie of these markes that men deuise and saith nolo humanis documentis sed diuinis oraculis sanctam Ecclesiam demonstrari The markes that Christ hath giuen to the Church will be surer first because he is truth secondly because hee knoweth his owne body best this is a firme Maxime that the Lord knoweth who are his Mat. 28. when he sent his Apostles to subdue the world by gathering him a Church three things were giuen them in charge first that they should preach the Gospell vnto euery creature secondly that they should baptise them in the name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost thirdly that they should teach those that beleeued and were baptised to obserue all that hee had commanded Behold the things that the Maister of the house commanded to be in his house are not they true markes of the house first the sincere doctrine of the Gospell secondly the right administration of the Sacraments thirdly that forme of discipline I meane not any certaine manner for that was neuer yet proued which may bring obedience to Christs commandements let them that vnchurch vs so easily at their pleasures ioine issue with vs vpon these markes and they shall see that we haue no cause through the grace of God to shun the triall The Church of Rome hath the Word of God indeed contained in their Bibles we deny it not but as Hierome saith of certaine Heretiques so we say of it Heretiques corrupt the truth of the Gospel with their false constructions and are like our worst kind of brewers that make wine water whereas cleane contrary our Sauiour turned water into wine so they haue the gospell but not truely expounded nor taught sincerely First because they refer not their constructions to the glory of God according to the rule of our Sauiour qui quaerit gloriam meam verax est but the church of Rome attributing saluation to their owne merits aduancing free-will extenuating originall sinne c. seeke not the glory of God but their owne gaine therefore they are not true There is another reason of their vntrue constructions because they interpret not the Scripture according to the proportion of faith as Paul willeth Rom. 12 Let him that prophesieth do it according to the proportion of faith As all gold was not holy but that only which belonged to the temple so euery sense that is without compasse of Scripture though it shine and glister with neuer so much sharpnes of wit yet is it not holy By the same spirit that the Scriptures were written by the same they must be interpreted and vnderstood this is the golden rule to know truth from error Scripture must be interpreted by Scripture not alwayes literally not alwayes allegorically not alwayes anagogically not alwayes tropologically but the darker places by those that be more plaine or easie And as Tertul writeth oportet secundum plura intelligi pauciora ne vnus sermo multa alia subuertat secundū omnia potius quam aduersus omnia intelligendus erit Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my Church if we looke to the proportion of faith Christ vndoubtedly is that pretious rocke not Peter as they would haue it for the Church cannot be built but by faith and that may not rest vpon Peter or any other creature Againe Vnto thee will I giue the Keyes of the kingdome of heauen hereupon they would perswade the world that the power of their Keyes which is Ecclesiasticall should locke vp and let loose the power of the sword and ciuill Magistrate If you will iudge hereof by the Analogie of faith you shall see the bounds and limits of both powers Paul