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
A95618	A lamentable representation of the effects of the present toleration. Especially as to the increase of blasphemy and damnable errours by the liberty of teaching and printing of them, to the great damage of religion, and the provoking the Lord Jesus to destroy the present government, and to inflict ruine and desolation upon these nations. Together with a proposal of some good work for Christian legislators. Humbly laid at the feet of His Highness the Lord Protector, and every member of the High Court of Parliament. / By a friend of true reformation, and his native countrey.	U.T.	1656 (1656)	Wing T64; Thomason E891_5; ESTC R203702	18,662	32

was a strange Linsey wolsey mixture of men of several interests and different Opinions woven together in a new fashioned Parliament The major part we feared and justly were enemies to the Ministry Universities and to all Magistracy too that should not reside in themselves or their party The Government was unsetied and the hearts of all sober intelligent Christians filled with fears of sudden ruine to true Religion from that Assembly Some being known enemies and most of the rest no known friends the then General also thinking meet for a time to conceal which side he would take The better I should say the greater half of that Parliament being resolved to put down the very Office of the Ministry take away Tythes and the Revenues of the Universities enlarge the Toleration for ought we know unlimitedly At which time setting aside the General the Scales were even nay rather worse for the worst end was the heavier And was not this a sad time of imminent danger Had they all united or the one half of them but headed we had been ruin'd except preserved by a miracle At this time there wanted nothing but the removal of the General or his closing with the Antichristian crue But this time of Extremity was Gods Opportunity God divided our Enemies and engaged the heart of the Lord General to joyn with that Party which made a good profession of Love and Reality of Affection to the Ministry their Maintenance and the Universities who took an opportunity though they were the minor part if the House had been full to break up that Meeting to their perpetual Honour and so we were delivered The Lord pardon our unthankfulness for this great Deliverance and make us Thankfull for the future and our children after us II. The sins of the Supreme Magistrates in suffering too much their Children their Family the People under their command to do what they list in these respects contrary to the end of Government Certainly the Magistrate doth at least interpretatively allow of these evils while he omits by good Laws to reform these things or so lisps that he cannot be understood I shall here presume to assert 1. That there is either no Law against Blasphemy and Heresie or else the Law is so dark and questionable that it 's taken for granted by most that are chiefly concern'd that there is a Universal Toleration except of publick Mass 2. Nor any Law or Ordinance in Force against the licentiousness of the Press 3. Nor against any mans being and doing almost what himself will in matters of Religion Every man may learn Gods Word or not learn Hear it or not hear it Go to Church or stay at home Professe the Truth or hold forth Errour or neither Of Blasphemy and Errour As concerning the first It is true that there is an Act of Parliament of August 9th 1650. against the Blasphemies of the Ranters which alone hath quite vanquished all that way and manner of Blaspheming by the dread of it though scarce ever any person suffered the penalties of it A HAPPY ACT IT WAS. And it is as true That there is an Ordinance of the Lords and Commons of the 2d of May 1648. very full against the Socinian Blasphemies But the Instrument of the present Government seems to repeal that Act and that Ordinance and all other Laws whatsoever that lay restraint upon men as to their Opinions and the professing of them if any other were in being at the making thereof The words of the Instrument are these ARTICLE XXXVII That such as professe Faith in God by Jesus Christ though differing in Judgement from the Doctrine Worship and Discipline publickly held forth shall not be restrained from but shall be protected in the Profession of the Faith and Exercise of their own Religion so as they abuse not this Liberty to the civil injury of others and to the actual Disturbance of the Publick Peace on their parts Provided this Liberty be not extended to Popery or Prelacy nor to such as under the Profession of Christ hold forth and practise Licentiousness And ARTICLE XXXVIII That all Laws Statutes Ordinances and Clauses in any Law Statute and Ordinance to the contrary of the aforesaid Liberty shall be esteemed as null and void So that if any man should prosecute a Blasphemer upon either the fore-said Act or Ordinance or upon any other Law if any were in force at the making of the Instrument as it 's believed there was none all would depend upon the Judgement of the Court where the Cause is tried of the sense or extent of those words in the Instrument viz. Art 37. Such as professe Faith in God by Jesus Christ And provided this Liberty be not extended to Popery c. Nor to such as under the Profession of Christ hold forth and practise Licentiousness And though it may be the opinion of one Judge and Court that it is not the intent of the Instrument to repeal any Law or clause of a Law against Blasphemy yet it may not be the opinion of another but the clean contrary Besides it is a great Question Whether an Ordinance of the Lords and Commons be in force and did not expire with the Parliament that made it Which was one of Biddle's Pleas. It may charitably be presumed that the Lord Protector his Highness did doubt whether the Sessions of Peace for London would in the Case of John Biddle adjudge the foresaid Ordinance of May 2d 1648. upon which he was indicted to be in force notwithstanding the Instrument of Government and that therefore he the Lord Protector did with the Advice of his Councel remove Biddle by a special Warrant from Newgate before Judgment unto the Isle of Silly there to be kept close-prisoner to hinder him from infecting the people with his damnable Opinions notwithstanding the Petition of his Disciples and Abettors styling themselves to be of such and such a Church for his enlargement And because I have mentioned Biddle's Case I think it not amiss to give this brief Accompt of him and it that any that desire it may know what 's become of him and his Tryal On June 28th 1656. John Biddle engaged himself in a Disputation in Pauls before many hundreds with a weak man just as the Devil would have it upon this Thesis Jesus Christ is the Almighty or most high God Where Biddle was the Opponent and indeed very learned witty and zealous he was to baffle all that heard him out of their Christianity The day being spent that day seven-night was appointed to carry on the Dispute in the same place to the heart-cutting of some that dearly love our Lord Jesus who carried in an Information of the whole unto his Highness and the Councel of State humbly begging that the said Bidle or any others might not be suffered to propagate his or their Blasphemous Assertions against the Sonne of God our Saviour or his Laws and Statutes the holy Scriptures Whereupon the Councel sent