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	religion_n	true_a	7,548	5	5.1593	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A67743	The cause and cure of ignorance, error, enmity, atheisme, prophanesse, &c., or, A most hopefull and speedy way to grace and salvation, by plucking up impediments by the roote reduced to explication, confirmation, application, tending to illumination, sanctification, devotion / by R. Younge ...	Younge, Richard.	1648 (1648)	Wing Y143; ESTC R16605	116,892	303

And Saul touching David 1 Sam. 26.21 Yea I know they are perswaded well of them even when they speake most to the contrary though I expect not they should use them thereafter We know Pilate judged Christ guiltlesse but yet he put him to death And Festus acknowledged that Paul was without crime yet he left him in prison I dare say Tertullus knew that he lyed when hee called Paul a Pestilent fellow his conscience could not chuse but answer him Thou lyest in thy throat Tertulus Paul is an honester man than thy selfe And must not these mens consciences tell them that the same they accuse so are in their lives the most unreproveable of the Land Yea I will appeal to their greatest adversaries whether the Protestant at large or those who are called Puritans be of the purest Religion and most reformed to the Primitive Church For not seldome are wicked mens judgements forced to yeeld unto that truth against which their affections maintaine a rebellion And yet as if they would stamp Gods Image on the Devills drosse and the Devills Image on Gods silver they justifie those actions and persons which God condemnes and condemn those which he justifies True these enemies to holines spare not to cast asper●●ions on us else how should they worke their wills How should Naboth be cleanly put to death if he be not first accused of blasphemy 1 Kin. 21.13 and the like of Ioseph Eliah Ieremiah Susanna Paul Stephen and our Saviour Christ himself But if you marke it they are as guilty of the crimes whereof they be accused as Ioseph was in forcing of his Mi●tris or as Naboth and the rest were of those things which were layd to their charge I speak not of those monsters those white Devills who make Religion a stalking Hor●e to villany I know too many dishonour God by wearing of his livery But what was Satan to the children of God Iob 1.6 though hee thrust himselfe into their company Or what wise man will tax all the Apostles because one was a Iudas To argue because some are so and so therefore the rest are alike is a saplesse reason only becomming a foole An argument that deserves rather laughter than beleife Yet most men are 〈◊〉 fooles or rather brute beasts led with sensuality and made to be taken and destroyed as Saint Peter speaks who because they love to speake evill of the way of truth 2 Pet. 2.2.12 If they see but an hipocrite discover himselfe they not onely harden themselves in their sinnes and as it were breake their owne necks at this stumbling block being Satans trap set on purpose to catch their blinde soules in but condemn all the rest of his profession to be such as he is save that they dissemble their hypocrisie more closly cunningly which is as equal and ●u●t as it was for Simeon and Levi to murder all the Sechemites for the offence only of Hamors Son But as all are not theeves that Dogs bark at so all are not hypocrites which they terme so But admit there were more than there are the faults of many should not make us uncharitable to all Nor the goodnesse of some make us credulous of the rest SECT 52. INdeed as all our enemies are not alike witty so they are not alike malicious for some transcend this way as Doeg did the rest of Sauls servants another way you shall know such an one by these few markes his hatred is so inveterate and universall that hee spends all his wits in frothy scoffes and invectives against the whole people of God and as if the door were not wide enough except he set open all the windows and break downe the walls to let in this infectious ayre his tongue scrues something against the religious into all discourses and when his owne invention failes it shall be supplyed with what he hath heard for as the Papists never found any error spued out by the Ancients but they have licked it up superstitiously to abuse the same so he never heares of any scoffe slander or devillish invective formerly devised but he licks it up that he may spit it out againe in the face of some Professor or on the other side poyson those with whom he doth converse being to his company like a mad dog that so biteth every one he meets that they become madde too and as apt to bite others as himselfe or in case he meets with another like himselfe in wit and malice it may bee said of them as Diogenes spake of two ill conditioned women when hee saw them talking See how the viper and the Aspe are changing poyson And nothing so tickles the spleen or glads the heart of such as that discourse which may most shame profession disgrace Relion and dishonour God But O that ever those tongues which dare call God Father should suffer them●elves thus to be moved and possessed by that uncleane spirit Or that ever the church should own such for her children In the Primitive times the Church would have denied her blessing to such a Sonne that should have thought himselfe disparaged by serving Christ and wearing of his livery although hee had not scoft at others yet this man flatters himself that he is a Christian yea you cannot beat him from it but that he is as good a Christian as the precisest and shall goe to Heaven as soone But let him that reads consider whether it be not a fearefull thing to lend to Satan the heart for devinng the tongue for uttering and the eare for hearing of calumnies and all this to disgrace the grace of God in his children and make it fruitlesse to themselves and others O impiety to be abhorred Such sport on earth is only sport for the Fiends in Hell and let them look to it for such joyes may chance to cost them eternall mourning yea certainly if the infernall Tophet be not for them in case they repent not it can challenge no guests for I may well say unto such an one Many sinners have done wickly but thou surpassest them al thine is such a superlative such a soul murthering sin that no other sin can paralel it SECT 53. BUt thou hast plenty of excuses to pacify thy blinded and benummed conscience Yea thou wantest not some carnall reasons to make it good as an easie in●ention may put false matters into true Sylogismes And amongst the rest thou wouldest not have men singular wherefore that they may have lesse zeale and more temper thou seekest to allay their heat with frumps and scoffes and taunts and jeeres as how often doe we hear remisse professors strive to choake all forward holinesse and zeale by commending the golden meane For carnall men who cleave as close to custome and example of the greatest number as clay to a Cart Wheele thinke every one exorbitant that walketh not after their rule 1 Pet. 4.4 As the Sodomites thought of Lot Gen. 19.9 the hundred

and twenty Governours of Daniel Dan. 6.11 and the Caldeans of Shadrach Meshech and Abednego Dan. 3.10 to 30. Daniel of all Darius his servants was so bold as to pray three times a day not in contempt of the King of Babilons decree but in zeale and obedience to the God of Heavens command the Governours ●●ranging at it accuse him and say this Daniel which is of the captivity regardeth not thee O King nor the Decree which thou hast signed but doth so and so wherfore command we pray thee that he be cast into the Lyons den for no decree nor statute which the King establisheth may be altered Dan. 6. Again what disorder is this that I heare of you saith Nebuchadnezzer to Shadrach Meshech and Abednego will you not serve my Gods nor worship the golden Image that I have set up Dan. 3.14 who answered no be it knowne unto thee O King wee are not carefull to answer thee in this matter they were all as stiffe as if they had eaten a stake and they could not bow to an Idoll as the godly have been in all ages not being able to wheele with the times Yea they that truely fear God are usually as immoveable as the Sun in its course because they thinke and speak and live by rule and not by example and hold themselves as fast tyed as if they had the oath given them which the 〈…〉 solemnly presented to their Judges 〈◊〉 to sw●rve from t●eir consciences wh●●●●mmand soever they should 〈…〉 themselves to the contrary 〈…〉 strictnesse is a great eyesore 〈…〉 men who hate singularity almost as they doe sanctity which makes them so cry it down And no marvell for these men and so all Protestants at large so scorne to be singular that they will conform to any Religion the State shall establish yea should they be commanded to worship a Calfe with the Israelites Exod. 32.4 or a golden Image with the Chaldeans Dan. 3.7 They would instantly doe it as the times of Queene Mary witnesse Good honest men let them injoy their communities peace and plenty any Religion shall serve their turne They are as indifferent as Doctor Kitching who being Abbot was first the Popes sworne Servant then an halfe Papist King Henry having cast off the Pope a Protestant under Edward the sixt a downe right Papist with Queene Marie And a Parliament Protestant againe when hee tooke the Oath of Supremasy under Queene Elizabeth Of whose faith I take most Protestants at large to be For let them hear of a change in Religion it shall never a whit trouble them What cares a stupified worldling for the removall of our Candlestick What is it to him if the superstition and blindnesse of Popery did over-shadow the Land and turne day into night It is nothing to him if he can but see to get money Light or darknesse Scripture or tradition the King or the Pope Christ or Antichrist are all one to him to heare a Sermon or see a Masse he likes them both alike Perhaps they may thinke better of themselves and untill they be put to it resolve stoutly but a temporaries Religion and flashes are but like Conduites running with wine at the coronation that will not hold or like a land flood that seemes to be a great Sea but comes to nothing Now these are the men if you observe them that cry out so against singularity which imputation together with their extolling the meane is a cunning discouragement but it is the Devils Sophistry for the meane of vertue is between two kindes not betweene two degrees it is a meane grace that loves a meane degree of grace Yet this is the onely staffe with which the World beates all that are better then themselves What will you be singular Or are you wiser then all Or what is this but want of discretion And to speake truth that which worldly men call discretion eates up all true wisedome Their discretion and moderate stayednesse devoures all true honesty and goodnesse But shall Lot leave his righteousnesse for such an imputation of singularity Or shall he not depart Sodom because the whole City thinkes it better to stay there still Shall Noah leave building the Arke and so himselfe and his whole houshould perish because all the World else thinkes him haire-brained Or must the name of a Puritan dishearten us from the service of God No but as Saint Paul said in his Apollogy Acts 24.14 after the way which they call heresie so worship I the God of my Fathers so wee in this case After the way which prophane men call Puritanisme let my soule desire to serve Iesus Christ. SECT 54. Ob. I Grant will the more moderate worldling say in such cases wherein the word of God is expresse singularity is not lawfull onely but laudable But which makes my spleene rise they will not conforme to things indifferent Answ. A seduced heart deceives thee in so saying why else doest thou cast the same aspersions upon such as are conformable But admit they onely are thornes in thine Eyes doest thou well to hate al that are not of thy own judgement or that have tenderer consciences then thy selfe No for honest and good men may differ in opinion not only in things triviall but in matters of great moment provided they agree in the fundamental articles of the Catholique faith and yet may and ought to continue brotherly love and communion as members of the same mysticall body as many examples witnesse both of eminent Christians and Fathers of the Church as also our Saviours words who speaking of the fundamentall poynts penneth the league thus He that is not with us is against us but o● poynts not fundamentall thus He tha● is not against us is with us Wherea● these differ from thee if thou beest a true Protestant as thou wouldest bee thought to be in nothing materiall for there is a vast difference between another discipline and another doctrine and they little differ that agree in matter Only their consciences are not so large as thine and thou thinkest those things indifferent which they cannot assent unto though they take more paines to satisfie and informe themselves then thou doest But admit they be things of an indifferent nature even actions of indifferency when once they are felt to trench upon the conscience lay deep obligations upon the soul even whiles they are most slighted by carelesse hearts there being no lesse difference in consciences then stomacks of which some will digest the hardest meats and turne over substances not in their nature edible whiles others surfeite of the lightest food and complaine even of dainties And indeed every gracious heart is in some measure scrupulous and findes more safety in feare then in presumption And certainely in cases of a doubtfull and questionable nature it is ever good to take the surest side and which draws neerest to probability Many things are of so questionable a

eye-sore of our enemies and let envy looke herselfe blinde And so much of the first Cause SECT 59. Quest. WHat is the second Cause why ungodly men hate and persecute the religious Answ. Their ignorance of God of Christ and the Scriptures Quest. How is that proved Answ. By Testimonies Examples Reason and our own Experience 1. First by Testimonies They shall hate and persecute you yea they shall excommunicate and kill you for my Names sake saith our Saviour to his Disciples because they have not knowne the Father nor me John 16.2 3. and 15.21 And again they are an offence unto us because they understand not the things which are of God but the things which are of men Matth. 16.23 And are deceived because they know not the Scriptures neither the power of God Matth. 22.29 Luke 19.42 2. Secondly by Examples and Reason This the Apostle confesseth to have been the cause of his persecuting the Church 1 Tim. 1.13 Who so soon as he was inlightned with the saving knowledge of the truth changed his note with his name and preached that faith which before be persecuted It s worth the noting how he was no sooner informed but he was reformed Now if we looke upon him as Saul wee shall see what we are by generation if wee looke upon him as Paul we shall see what we are or should be by regeneration Neither is it strange that the world through ignorance should hate and persecute the members of Christ for upon the same ground they even crucified Christ himselfe Father forgive them saith he of his murtherers for they know not what they doe And why have the Kings of the earth in all ages banded themselves together against the Lord and against his Christ Psal. 22. But because they knew him not John 15.21 For if the Princes of this world had knowne they would not have crucified the Lord of glory as the holy Ghost speakes 1 Cor. 2.8 Alas poore ignorant soules they did but imitate Oedipus who killed his Father Laius King of Thebes and thought he had killed his enemy And what do the Cavaliers now in killing the Saints But as if one with his Hatchet should cut off the bough of a tree upon which hee standeth For they are beholding to the Religious for their very breath Neither is their great plot any other peece of policy then as if the Sodomites should make hast to turne out Lot and his Family that fire and brimstone may make hast to destroy them For as when Noah and his Family were once entred the Arke the Flood came and destroyed the first World Gen. 7.11 13. So the number of Christs Church being accomplished fire shal come down to destroy the second World at which time the Devill and all Reprobates shall be laid up in hell Oh the wickednesse and witlesnesse of our Malignants Methinkes the Parliament may justly twit their unnaturall Country as Themistocles once did his Athenians with these words Are yee weary of receiving so many benifits by one Assembly And certaynly if ever it shal be dissolved without their consent which God forbid it would faire with the causers of it mens eyes being opened as it did with the Authors of Socrates his death which I finde thus reported After that Socrates was put to death at Athens Arastophones rehearsed a Tragedy of his concerning Palamides at the hearing whereof the people were so moved that they presently fel upon the Authors of Socrates his death and drew them forth to punishment But to return to what we intend If we consider it rightly we shall find that ignorance is the cause of all sin Sin indeed at the first was the cause of ignorance but now ignorance is the cause of sin Swearing and lying and killing and stealing and whoring abound saith the Prophet because there is no knowledge of God in the land Hos. 4.1.2 It is a people that doe erre in their hearts saith God why because they have not knowne my wayes Psal. 95.10 SECT 60. 3 THirdly Experience proves that none are so farre transported with a mad and supertitious zeale against the religious as the rude rabble who can yeeld no other reason or confession of their faith if they be asked then this that they are no Puritans or that they hate a Puritan from their soules when as the devill himself who hates the Puritan they mean most of any can make as good a confession of his faith as this For who are the greatest censurers and the violentest opposers of goodnesse are not the ignorant fry who have more rage than reason and the more fottish still the more insolent As reprove one of them for swearing or drunkennesse or unjust dealing or for prophaning the Lords day for Atheisme and the like you are sure to be branded with the odious title of Puritane yea you are factious and schismaticall if ye will not be drunke and every whit as lewd as they are It is worth a large smile to observe what a clamour the blundering rabble will make against the people of God if one in their company but mention the word Puritane or tell them how scrupulous and precise such an one is O what a number of sharp and deadly arrows will each of them shoot both at the good and goodnesse maugre all admonition For each being stung with the Gad-slie of mis-governed zeale as Paul was before hee knew Christ they presume to affirm with incredible impudence accompanied with invincible ignorance that there are not worse men in the world then the religious Wherein it is hard to say whether ignorance or malice doe more abound whether it be more out of the strength of will or weaknesse of judgement It is the nature of ignorant and carnall men that walke after the flesh in the lusts of uncleannesse whom Saint Peter calls bruit beasts led with sensuality to speake evill of the things they understand not 2 Pet. 2.12 Especially in judging acts of zeale and piety their opinion still lights upon the worst sense like them in the s●cond of the Acts who mocked the Apostles when they were filled with the holy Ghost and hearing them speak languages which they understood not cried out These men are drunke with new wine Untill we be borne againe we are like Nicodemus who knew not what it was to be born again Iohn 3.4 Untill we become zealous our selves wee are like Festus who thought zeal madnesse Acts 26.24 Untill we be humble our selves we are like Michal who mocked David for his humility and thought him a foole for dancing before the Arke 2 Sam. 6.16 Yea to such as shall perish or are for the present in a perishing condition all religion seemes foolishnesse 1 Cor 1.18 And thus you see in grosse that Ignorance is a main cause of hatred and persecution Wee shall more clearly discerne how it comes to be so if we note The Root Ignorance The Stem Suspition or