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	rule_n	scripture_n	3,650	5	6.1148	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86220	A discourse concerning the queries proposed by the House of Commons to the Assembly of Divines; about the divine right of Church Government in answer to two main questions. First, whether is be expedient to the State and Church, that the Assembly of Divines should answer those questions yea or no? Secondly, in case to be expedient; how they should be answered satisfactorily both to the conscionable and unconscionable disputer of the matter. Shewing first, the necessity of giving an answerr [sic]. Secondly, some necessary requisites to make that answer satisfactory to all, and without exception. / Written for the private satisfaction of a friend, anno Dom. 1646. And now published for more common use, by an unpartiall lover of truth and peace.	W. H.	1648 (1648)	Wing H152; Thomason E428_10; ESTC R204608	10,320	24

wish I could desire that all Divines or conscionable men before they set upon any Questions to resolve them in particular would set down the Rules by which they doe order themselves in their meditations for the impartiall decision of Scripturall doubts This I would have them to doe that they may be able to make it appear upon due search that their way in answering doubts is cleere before them that they are not swayed by any interest of their own or by any forestallment of received opinions from other men of their own side or by any other thing in the course of Humane Learning which might have any influence upon them to byas their thoughts and take them off from the simplicity of the Gospel but that their light doth come cleerly from the Word it selfe alone by a Scientificall way of truth demonstrable unto all men of capacity to be such and rising from such undenyable principles of interpretation which all understanding Christians do acknowledge and receive as undoubted for when men can give an account unto themselves by a search of their own intellectuall proceedings that the light which they held forth from the Word unto others is thus begotten in them they need not feare to be much contradicted if they can but make themselves to be understood in what they hold forth or seriously minded and considered in the way by which they hold it forth in doubtfull cases And truly because the way of Scripturall interpretation is not agreed upon amongst Divines therefore most men are led rather by opinion to deliver the meaning of the Text conjecturally then by Scientificall grounds demonstratively But if the Christian World could once be made so happy as to be taught a cleere and plain rule of Scripturall interpretation and a method to apply plain Scripturall truths unto doubtfull cases of conscience for the resolution of the same and if these two things should be published to the Christian World and made upon sufficient tryall demonstrable to all men of capacity then a ground would be laid for a greater matter then the resolution of these Parliamentary Questions namely for the ending of all vain janglings and confused disputes about matters Doctrinall and Practicall in Divinity For if these two Rules can be found out and made use of in these Queries not onely all obloquie would be prevented in this matter but a Way found to direct all men that are impartially rationall to enlarge the knowledge of Scripturall truths from the Scripture it selfe and Scripturall grounds so as to avoid the intanglements of meer humane and Philosophicall notions and the deceits of a Science salfly so called because the Rules by which they in this matter should proceed universally sit to determine other doubts of the same kinde so far as by the opening of the sense of holy Scriptures and by the application thereof unto humane cases they are determinable And that some such Rules may be found and must be fought after if ever we should receive satisfaction in Scripturall doubts may thus be made apparent First we all confesse that nothing is to be received as a Divine Truth but that which is attested by the Word or consonant unto the Testimonies thereof Now it is cleer that the Word cannot be said properly to attest any thing to us except we understand the meaning thereof Nor can we be said to understand the meaning thereof except we know a reason why we cōceive it to be so as we apprehend it to be and not otherwise nor can such a reason be knowne without some Rules of Interpretation and Meditation which are demonstrable to lead the mindes of those that use the same into Truth Nor can these Rules be demonstrable except they arise from such Common and undeniable Principles which all Rationall men in matters of that kind do take as granted seeing I say these things are so it followeth that if there be such Principles then from these Rules may be taken to lead the doubting mind unto the apprehension of Truth and if such Rules may be had they should be held forth for if they can not be held forth no reason can be given of any Scripturall interpretation and all interpretations are alike to be received but this being absurd and destructive to all common Principles and to the Analogy of Faith it followeth evidently that Rules may be had and must be sought after and knowne and received before any Scripturall doubts and disputable matters can be resolved satisfactorily Therefore the onely true Meanes to prevent contradictions and endlesse debates will be to shew the method of intellectuall proceedings unpartially regulated towards the decision of doubts and sufficiently fitted without all exception to discover and finde out truths as well in these as in all other doubts of the same kinde for except the Rules and method be universall to hold in all it cannot be trusted in any particulars for we know that it is the ordinary course of most men in controversall points first to conceive a position answerably to their capacity and interest and then to seeke out places of Scripture by which it may be made good This is to build the wall first and then to fit the Rule unto it whence it is that the Scripture is made to speake so different senses as men for the maintaining of their severall Opinions can probably wrest it unto But if we would know the truth indeed we should look upon our own opinions as doubtfull matters and having no ayme but to examine them by the Word we should come to the meditation of the word by a cleer Rule and having found the truth attested by the Word it should be made a line and plummer by which all particular opinions in debate should be squared for in so doing the wall would be fitted to the Rule And except men be willing to lay down the love of their own tenents and to suspect themselves that they may be led out of the way by their own forestallments or fail to enter rightly upon the way or stray from it after they are entred for want of constant and sufficient light except I say they will suspect that they may erre some of these or all these wayes they will never be carefull to prevent the deceits of their own thoughts unto which men are liable and if they be not carefull of this they will never be sure that they have found the Truth Therefore in this doubtfull matter which is of such main concernment as that unto this particular Church and State I know nothing of greater or equall importance at this time I could wish that amongst those who were in doubts in agreement were made of the Rule by which men should proceed to Answer doubtfull Questions satisfactorily and before my decision should be given to any Queries or cases of Conscience I would have them always to declare their whole Method of proceeding by way of Prolegomenon or Preface And if in these particular my advice could be taken the Method should be this first to collect out of the whole Scripture but chiefly out of the New Testament all the places of Scripture which speake cleerly of the Church of Christ and of the Government thereof These places they should Analyse each by themselves to finde the true sense thereof and demonstrate the the same by a Rule of Interpretation which should be undeniable Having found the sense of every place they should cast the matter of Truth gathered from them into so many simple or compound Propositions as that matter wil conveniently afford distinguishing them into severall heads These Propositions should be set a part as Rules fit to be made use of for the determination of the doubts proposed Having found all the Rules which the Scripture doth yield they should Analyse the Questions also and shew the point of doubt distinctly which should be determined then they should proceed to compare the matter questionable with that which the Scripture hath already determined and from the proportion which shall be found of the one to the other in their Agreement or Disagreement a conclusion will result to determine the whole matter and to shew that the inference of the conclusion is according to truth the Reason of the Method of the Application might be declared That when it shall appeare that nothing is done Magisterially but by a Rule directing the mind unto the the discovery of Truth all exceptions may be cut off for in case no fault can be found neither in the Rules of proceeding nor in the proceedings according to Rules cavilling will be prevented and the danger of endlesse debates incident to these and all other matters will be taken away which I beseech the Lord at last to bring to passe for his own name sake Amen FINIS

A DISCOURSE Concerning the Queries proposed by the House of Commons to the Assembly of Divines about the divine right of Church Government in answer to two main Questions First whether it be expedient to the State and Church that the Assembly of Divines should answer those Questions yea or no Secondly in case it be expedient How they should be answered satisfactorily both to the conscionable and unconscionable Disputer of the matter SHEWING First the necessity of giving an Answerr Secondly some necessary Requisites to make that Answer satisfactory to all and without exception Written for the private satisfaction of a friend Anno Dom. 1646. And now published for more common use by an unpartiall Lover of TRUTH and PEACE LONDON Printed for Richard Wodenothe at the signe of the Star neer Saint Peters Church in Cornhill 1648. The Publisher to the impartiall READER READER THis Discourse gentle and impartiall Reader was written long agoe that is soon after the Queries were proposed to the Assembly of Divines by the House of Commons And the reason why then it was not put forth by him to whom it was written was perhaps the same which occasioned the stopping of the Answer which the Assembly of Divines was then preparing to the Queries namely an Order of the House sent to the Assembly bidding them forthwith to proceed to the Confession of Faith and Catechisme till they should finish the same It seemed by the Order that the Divines were taken off from answering those Queries and it is likely that thereupon the Authors friend to whom this Discourse was sent thought it needlesse to publish it to the world But I having lately seen it and knowing the Order that an Answer should be given to the Queries to be renewed because I thought the Discourse worthy of the consideration of all that lay the Queries to heart have used means to advance it to the Presse My designe is chiefly to provoke such as are in love with Truth to follow the temper of this mans Spirit in the search thereof And then also to call upon the Author himselfe who hath offered these Advices unto others that seeing he hath convincingly shewed that a setled rule and method of interpretation is so necessary to find out the true sense of the Scriptures that therefore hee would if he hath any Talent in this kind discharg his conscience by holding forth unto the children of Truth that which he perhaps doth further know or hath elaborated concerning that Rule and Method then any other it being a thing so far beyond either the thought or hope of most men And certainly nothing can be more usefull to the composure of our Scriptural controversies then this Rule if it can be gained Therefore such as know the Author and have any interest in him should presse him to enlarge himselfe upon this Subject but especially in my humble opinion the hono rable house it self should be moved in some particular manner by their call to set him apart and to enjoyn him thereunto and give him all possible encouragement for the perfecting of it as a thing of great concernment wherein he is a debtor to the Church of God and to Them and to the publike course of spiritual Learning W. H. Imprimatur John Downame Errata Pag. 1. line 17. Universall r. Universall p. 5. l. 2. of those truths r. of those main truths p. 6. l. 31. be bound r. bound p. 7. ancienst r. ancient l. 22. and answer r. an answer p. 8. l. 7. faith r. belief l. 11. which be proposed r. which shall be proposed p. 9. l. 24. entrance r. envy p. 10. which they proceed to discover r. they discover Truths l. 29. held forth r. hold forth p. 11. l. 25. proceed universally sit r. proceed would be universally fit p. 12. l. 14. from these r. them l. 33. answerably r. answerable p. 13. l 4 so different r. so many different l. 27. who were r. that are l. 28. doubts in r. doubt an l. 28 29. by which men r. by which all men l. 30. my decision r. any decision l. 33. particular r. particulars p. 14. l. 10. simple r. single l. 11. as that r. as the l. 20. of the one r. in the one l. 21. in their r. by their A DISCOVRSE Concerning the QUERIES proposed by the House of COMMONS to the Assembly of Divines WOrthy Sir This State would be happy if all that manage publike affairs did minde the true interest thereof with zeale and simplicity as you doe The great cause of our misery is that men of publike employments have no publike spirits few there are that walk in the light openly according to the Royall Law of Liberty for almost all are snared in holes and hid in prison houses The holes are their private Interests and Ends without which nothing almost is done for the Publike by any body and the prison houses are the Parties to which they are engaged for most men act by the rule of prejudice rather to crosse an opposite party then to advance the Universall good of all Therfore matters which are named publike are carryed rather by strife and debate then in a peaceable way and destruction is found to be the path of many rather then edification in love But seeing you are enabled to raise your minde above the thoughts of such as are led by the sense of their flesh to run into parties and do not enquire so much after the miscarriages of others to lay them open and to clamour against them before the World as after the wayes of righteousnesse whereby all may come unto the acknowledgement and apprehension of that truth which is after godliness seeing I say this is your commendable endeavour and study I thinke it my duty to contribute what I can to your furtherance therein and for this cause shall be at this time willing to let you know my true sense of the doubts which you make concerning the Questions which are offered by the Parliament unto the Assembly of Divines to be resolved The Queries whereunto you seeke an impartiall Answer are two First Whether yea or no it be expedient for the Church and State that the Divines of the Assembly should answer these Questions Secondly If it be expedient that an Answer should be given thereunto then your further Question is of the manner how that Answer should be made Namely what must be intended to make it such as will give to those who doubt of the matter conscionably just satisfaction and will take away from others who desire no satisfaction but rather pretences of cavilling all just occasion of contradiction and of multiplying new Questions in infinitum For you doe prudently and justly conceive that no answer will be better then one that is not satisfactory because it may be the end of some Statists and Lawyers is to make the Question endlesse for seeing they have not been able to gain either the whole power over the Church therein to