Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	day_n	lord_n	sabbath_n	1,964	5	9.6405	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A76085	The second part of that book call'd Independency not Gods ordinance: or the post-script, discovering the uncharitable dealing of the Independents towards their Christian brethren, with the jugglings of many of their pastors and ministers, to the misleading of the poor people to the detriment of their own souls, and the hurt both of church and state, with the danger of novelties in religion; proving that Independency, is one of the most dangerous sects, that ever appeared in the world, since mortality inhabited the earth. In the which also there is a satisfactory answer given to the principall cavils of him that writ that railing pamphlet, stil'd The falshood of Mr Will. Prynnes Triumphing in the antiquity of popish princes and parliaments. With Doctor Bastvvicks just defence against some calumnies in way of preface. / By John Bastvvick, Dr in Physick.; Independency not Gods ordinance. Part 2	Bastwick, John, 1593-1654.	1645 (1645)	Wing B1069; Thomason E287_9; ESTC R200091	93,218	111

was no place left for a Moderator amongst them and that All art of perswasion would be thought but a flattery or cowardize and hearing and seeing also how slight opinions they had of indifferent men and how they onely made use of a moderation for the strengthning of their party I then gave my self really to discover the frauds and juglings of many of their Ministers and all to see that if by this means when their falcaies were once discovered the truth might more oriently appear which would the better make way for a Moderator if any thing may undeceive a poor deluded multitude And so well acquainted I was with the language of many of them as I easily discerned that if they could but once make a party strong enough they would then give lawes to all men and for the strengthning of their faction in the meane time they pleade for a tolleration of all Religions an opinion though pleasing to the flesh yet so diabolicall as I wonder any Christian truly fearing God should so much as open his mouth in defence of it or that any Christian truly fearing God can with patience heare such Beasts plead for a tolleration it being a thing so abominated by God himself and so odious to all the holy Prophets and Apostles And yet notwithstanding this is the doctrine of all the Independents for the strengthning of their party and they abuse Scripture for this purpose and use many impious and vaine cavils for this very end to some of the which I have answered in my former Book and the chiefest of those that I ever yet saw are in a railing Pamphlet set forth against M. William Prynne Esq called The falsehood of M. William Prynnes truth triumphing in the antiquity of Popish Princes and Parliaments In the which Treatise amongst many things against all authority and power of Parliaments which I leave to the consideration of the great Councell of the kingdome whom it most nighly concernes he greatly pleads for a toleration of all Religions and to that end sets downe six Impossibilities as he tearms them which do necessarily accompany persecution for cause of conscience for all opposition of error is persecution with these men though they oppose truth it selfe for the maintenance of their novelties the which his impossibilities I shall set down forthwith in order and answer them severally after I have made my just defence against such of their calumnies as are worthy the taking notice of as for some of their scurrilous reproaches all men that are honest and know my conversation can testifie the contrary and therefore I slight such things as savouring of nothing but rancour and venome which they accused me of before they had seen my book But whereas they calumniate me as the greatest Incendiary of the Kingdome they most shamefully abuse me and I have been freed from that reproach by both Houses of Parliament who adjudged all my sufferings unjust as against the law and liberty of the Subject And if it were a thing that could be any way usefull unto me I could prove by the testimony of many of the brave Gentlemen in the Kings Army who in great assemblies did acknowledge when I was a prisoner amongst them that I had great injury done me Yea the Papists themselves have often averred it that never any Subject suffered more unjustly then I did in that I was cast in prison and fined for maintaining the Prerogative Royall of the King against the Pope and for defending of that Religion which was established by the Lawes of the Land and further added that had any Catholick writ as well in defence of their Religion as I did for the maintenance of the Protestant Profession he should have been so farre from suffering for it as they would not only greatly have honoured him but also highly have rewarded him for his endeavour and this that I now write I am able to prove by a cloud of witnesses and my unjust suffering in their opinion made me finde more favour amongst all the Governours that were Papists which I doe ever acknowledge for a singular curtesie from them then ever I found from Protestant Gaolers And therefore whereas the Independents do accuse me for the greatest Incendiary of the kingdome all men may see they speak as untruly so most malitiously For it is well known till I declared my dissenting opinion from them I was much magnified by most of them though now they have other thoughts of me and accuse me not only to be an Incendiary and that my Book deserveth to be burnt by the hand of the common Hangman but that I am a man crased in my braine But whereas they reproach me that I am an Apostate this all that know me will free me from yea the very Brownists and Anabaptists will be my witnesses besides my former writings which have been set forth to the view of the World for all men know that an Apostate is one that either diserteth his Generall or Captaine and fals to the Enemy or renounceth his Religion and opposeth that way he hath formerly made profession of both which rather agreeth to many of the Independents then to my self as the ensuing discourse I am confident will sufficiently declare And now that I may say something of my education which many at this instant in the City and them men of emunency can witnesse for me that have known me from my childe-hood At sixteen years of age after I had following the customes of youth spent my tender dayes in the pleasures of Hawking and Hunting I was sent by my Christian Kindred to a Village in Essex called Wethersfield under the Ministery of that learned and reverend Preacher Mr. Richard Rogers who writ that divine Book called The seven Treatises by whose means under God I came to the knowledge of the truth and to that learning that God hath given me for he out of his tender love unto me took me into his Family and in a short time by the rare dexterity he had in educating of youth being a brave Scholar and one of the best Latinists of the Kingdome through the blessing of God upon his endeavour made me fit for the University in which space he had an especiall care to season me well in all the principles of the true Protestant Religion And as his whole life was a preaching he so instructed me as before my departure from him I was able to give an account and reason of my hope to any that asked me of my Beliefe And in all his Ministery doctrine and preaching he swarved nothing from the doctrine received in all the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas as those in France Germany and the Low-countries saving in the point of the Sabbath and sanctifying of the Lords day of which to his honour be it spoken he was a diligent observer ever teaching and urging upon the people the holy and religious keeping of that day which to say the truth is one of the

excellentest means of upholding piety and godlinesse as in his doctrine so in his example he went before all the people in a strict observing of that day imploying it only in the duties of piety and charity alwayes either in praying or preaching or catichizing or repeating of his Sermons or in meditation or in visiting the sick or relieving the necessitated And in this faith I was instructed and in this through the grace of God I now stand firme and in the which by Divine assistance I shall ever persevere to the last period of my life never as yet having swarved from those principles notwithstanding all opposition And from under this reverend mans ministery and preaching I went to Cambridge where by his means Dr. Chudderton the Master of Emanuel Colledge in which I was a Studient a man of fame for piety in his generation took me into his own tutering and pleased to make me his companion an honour that many of my betters enjoyed not and he also had as great a care to further me in those principles of Religion I had formerly been indoctrinated in as any man living could have And from him I went into the Low-countries where I lived four years and a halfe in the Universities of Leiden and Franeker and halfe that time in the house of reverend Doctor Amise who pleased so highly to honour me as he likewise made me his companion and was a most painfull Tutor unto me and added greatly by his learned Lectures and private communication to the confirming and strengthning of me in all those orthodox truths I had formerly been instructed in And from thence I went to Geneva where there were as learned and orthodox Ministers save only in the point of the Sabbath in which I shall ever dissent from them as any in the world Now I never have deserted my Generall the King of Saints and King of Kings the Lord Jesus Christ and Julian-like apostated from my Captaine or from my Christian religion nor never have swarved from any opinion in doctrine that is imbraced or believed in the Reformed Churches or taught by the orthodox and learned Ministers of the Church of England or from any opinion that I made publick profession of or ever pleaded for or perswaded others to imbrace the God of Heaven and my conscience bearing me witnesse and as all that know me can testifie as many that are now Independents have done And therefore they deale most injuriously with me and unchristianly to call me an Apostate and only because I oppose their Independency Now whereas they say that I have forgot that I was a sufferer and remember not the former kindnesses shewed unto me by the godly of the Land and that I am now turned a persecutor they do me in this also a great deale of wrong for I have never forgotten any kindnesse shewed me by any as the following discourse will sufficiently shew Neither have I forgot that I was a sufferer or am now a persecutor of the Saints as they calumniate me though I shall ever oppose all Heresies and novelties in Religion in the very Saints as Paul opposed Petes error Gal. 2. when he temporized and did not walk uprightly and desire all Christian Magistrates and Ministers and Parents and Masters of families and all good people to do the same because I have been a sufferer for the Truth But it seemeth strange to me that the Independents should use such an Argument to me That I should not oppose all Heresies and novelties in Religion and exhort all other good Christians to do the same because I have been a sufferer for the Truth One would think that this should rather be a motive and incitement to put me on to oppose all error because I have suffered for the Truth before for if that be a good reason to deter men from defending of the Truth against Errors and Innovations in Religion because they themselves have been sufferers for Religion then Elias Esaiah Jeremiah and all the holy Prophets should have been deterred to oppose all Errors because they had been persecuted for the Truth and suffered at wicked and ungodly mens hands for it and yet they notwithstanding were the more encouraged to inveigh against all the false Prophets and Teachers of their times as all the Scripture of the Old Testament witnesseth and Christ also and John Baptist and all the blessed Apostles who suffered grievous persecutions some of which were whipped in every good Towne they came in and were stigmatiz'd and gloried that they carried the marks of the Lord Jesus about them And all these therefore by this Argument of the Brethren should have been afraid and discouraged to oppose the Errors Heresies and novelties in Religion in their dayes whereas on the contrary we finde that Christ and Iohn the Baptist and all the Apostles ever opposed the Errors Schismes and Heresies of their times with all the false Teachers calling them A generation of Vipers Wolves in Sheeps clothing ravinous Wolves Children of the Devill Enemies of the crosse of Christ Dogs evill workers them of the Concision Hereticks and wisht that they were cut off and give them such odious names as there can be no more reproachfull utter'd The same did all the holy Prophets and yet all these were sufferers The same did Luther Calvin Zwinglius Bullinger against all the Sects of their times and yet they were all persecuted by the Papists And therefore it is not a dishonour but a praise to all those that love the Truth and have suffered for it ever to oppose all Errors in Religion yea it would argue great cowardize and basenesse in any Christian or at least that he were now very cold in Religion that would not so much as open his mouth in defence of that Truth he had formerly suffer'd for for feare of offending men And if this Argument be of any power to disswade any man from opposing errors in Religion because they have been sufferers for it then the Independents themselves should not so bitterly inveigh against those Tenents they count Errors for they brag much of their sufferings also cry out daily of Persecution when notwithstanding no man troubles them howsoever they with all reviling speeches daily persecute their brethren under the name of Presbyterians But I say if this Argument will make any thing against me to disswade me from defending of the truth and exhorting all good Christians to oppose all Heresies and Innovations in Religion why then do the Independents in all their Pulpits and in all their scurrilous and blasphemous writings oppose the Truth it selfe and why doe they for the setting up of their New-lights and for the bringing in of their own Traditions and Novelties persecute their brethren with all injurious languages worse then ever Ishmael used towards Isaac or Esau towards Iacob and proclaim them all enemies of Jesus Christ and his kingdome and persecutors for they also have been sufferers and that eminent ones

listen after it The same may be said of all the former Christians and Martyrs in Ages past and of all our glorious Martyrs here in England some of which were haled before King Henry the eighth and others in Queen Maries dayes before all the Tribunals before the Judges and Rulers of the Land by which means as they gave evidence unto the truth and sealed it with their blood so it was one of the principall causes of first propagating the Protestant Religion through the Kingdome and of afterwards establishing of it here whereas if they had never been questioned for their consciences by all likelyhood it would only have remained in some corners of the Kingdome and in some private Families and never have been publickly authorized For the confirmation of all I have now said the places above cited and Christs own words might sufficiently evince But it will not be amisse to hear Pauls testimony concerning this point whose witnesse I conceive is more to be credited then all the Independents put together much lesse then this Bablers He in 2 Tim. chap. 2. vers 9. speaking by the Spirit of God concerning persecution saith Wherein I suffer trouble saith he as an evill doer unto bands but the Word of God is not bound and in 2 Tim. chap. 4. vers 7. The Lord stood with mee and strengthned mee that by mee the preaching might be fully known that all the Gentiles might heare c. Out of the which words we may observe two things First that the Apostle suffered for his conscience not for evill doing Secondly that his suffering notwithstanding hindred not the preaching of the Gospell to all Nations for he himself affirmeth the contrary saying That by his bonds the Word of God was not bound and by this his questioning and persecution the preaching of the Gospel was made fully knowne that all the Gentiles might hear c. I refer it therefore to the judgement of any learned and intelligible man whether we ought rather to believe the Spirit of God speaking in Paul or this Chatter of uncircumcised ears and lips And Paul in Acts 20.22 23. saith And now behold I go bound in the Spirit unto Jerusalem not knwing the things that shall befall me there save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every City saying that bonds and afflictions abide me The same also was foretold unto him by Agabus in Chap. 21. vers 11. Yet Pauls bonds neither in Jerusalem nor in any other City and his being questioned for matters of conscience about the Resurrection before Foelix King Agrippa and Festus hindred not the propagation of the Gospell to all Nations as this Jangler would infer for Paul himself testifying the contrary in his Epistle to the Philippians chap. 1. vers 12 13. But I would ye should understand Brethren saith the Apostle that the things that hapned unto me speaking there of persecution have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the Gospell so that my bonds for Christ are manifest in Caesars Court and in all other places By this testimony also of Paul it is evident that the persecution for cause of conscience rather furthereth the preaching of the Gospell to all Nations then hindreth it as is yet more manifest through the whole story of the Acts as for one instance chap. 8. vers 4. where it is said That they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the Word And all Ecclesiasticall histories testifie the same so that by this that I have now said and many more evidences that might be produced it is clear that persecution for cause of conscience imposes not an impossibility that by it the Gospel should be preached to all Nations For persecution is the Bellowes of the Gospell driving every spark of truth into a flame So that all judicious men may see the vanity and invalidity of this Cavillers first assertion And this shall suffice to have been spoken of that Now I come to prove my second conclusion viz. That persecution for cause of conscience hindreth not the growth of grace and knowledge in the Saints yea it is so far from hindring Christians from growing in knowledge and from one measure and degree of faith unto another as this fond Babler in his second assertion would inferre as it every way improves their graces and knowledge as we may see in those in Heb. 11. concerning some of which the Lord giveth this testimony vers 34 35 c. Who through faith quenched the violence of the fire escaped the edge of the sword out of weaknesse were made strong waxed valiant in fight turned to flight the armies of the Aliens And others were tortered not accepting deliverance that they might obtaine a better resurrection And others had triall of cruell mockings scourgings yea moreover of bonds and imprisonment They were stoned they were sawne asunder were tempted were slaine with the sword they wandred about in Sheepskins and Goatskins being destitute afflicted tormented of whom the world was not worthie they wandred in Deserts and in Mountains and in Dens and Caves of the Earth and all these having obtained a good report through faith received not the promise c. All these thrived rather by their afflictions and persecutions and increased in grace and out of weaknesse were made strong if we may believe the Scripture The same is also affirmed concerning afflictions persecution for conscience sake in Rom. 8. where Paul saith Who shall separate us from the love of Christ Shall tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword as it is written for thy sake we are killed all the day long we are accounted as sheep to the slaughter nay in all these things we are more then conquerours through him that loved us By this witnesse of the Apostle persecution which has been the lot of the Saints all the day long that is to say in all ages is so far from hindring the increase of grace and the degrees of faith that it makes them more then conquerours through him that loved us And Peter writing to his counntrey men that by persecution were scattered and dispersed through Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithinia affirmeth the same who in chap. 1. vers 5 6 7 c. saith That they were kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time wherein meaning persecution ye greatly rejoyce saith he though for a season if need be ye are in heavinesse through many temptations that the triall of your faith being much more precious then that of gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be found unto praise and honour and glorie at the appearing of Jesus Christ who having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glorie receiving the end of your hope even the salvation of your soules And in chap. 3. vers 14 15. But if ye suffer

Apostles from visiting one another for if there had been but one congregation then of necessity Paul and the other Apostles should have met there in so long a space and therefore it stands with all reason that there were many congregations of Believers in Jerusalem if we had no testimonies of holy Scripture for to prove it For if any credit may be given to the Historians that write of these times there were above three of four hundred Synagogues in Jerusalem I speak within compasse and common understanding dictates that there were some hundreds of assembling places where there was so many hundred thousand people and such multitudes of Teachers And in those Synagogues the people met together to hear the Law and Prophets both read and interpreted unto them and the Synagogues both in Jerusalem and through all Judea and Palestine were the places of the morall worship as the Temple was the principall place of the cerimoniall service And as here in London Pauls was the place where after the Jewish or rather Heathenish fashion and manner they had their ceremoniall imployments which consisted in outward performances as crouchings and cringings capings and kneeings pipeing and tooting in Popes Surplices and their four square Cow-turds and crotchets windings and turnings Altars Crosses and Crucifixes and a thousand other such trumperies the acting of all which made the judicious Christian-beholders think themselves rather in the school of Numa Pompilius or in the Colledge of the old Roman Priests then conversant in the Church of God so the other Churches through the City were the places where the Morrall worship was chiefely exercised as the reading preaching and hearing of the Word chatechising exhortation admonition prayers thanksgiving c. So after the same manner it was in Jerusalem The Temple was the principle place of the Ceremoniall Worship and the Synagogues were the places of the Morrall Service where Moses and the Prophets were read and interpreted unto them every Sabbath day And it followeth of necessity that there must needs be a very great number of Synagogues in Jerusalem where there were many hundred thousand people and such multitudes of Rabbies and Doctors and such a number of Priests Levites Scribes Pharisees and Lawyers all Interpreters of the Law and such as sat in Moses his chair who our Saviour commanded the people to hear Now as in the dayes of King Edward and Queen Elizabeth after their Latine Service and their Idolatrous Masses were cast out of all the Churches and the reformed Religion was set up in the severall Congregation in place of that fals Worship and all the people repaired still and more willingly and more abundantly unto their severall Parish Churches and Chappels to hear the Word Preached and as the meetings and meeting-places were still continued whereas they onely heard Masses before which they understood not now they heard the Gospell purely preached unto them in lieu of that and the people came more abundantly unto those assemblies Even so whereas before the comming of John the Baptist and of our blessed Saviour they had the Law Psalms and Prophets read and Interpreted unto them in all their Synagogues after the Gospell began to be published to the Law and the Prophets the glad tidings of Peace was Preached by Christ and his Apostles and the other Primative Christian Mininisters and by many of the Priests that imbraced the faith and that in all their Synagogues every Sabboth day especially where the people upon all occasions in great multitudes met together for it is said That the Kingdome of heaven suffered violence and the violent tooke it by force Now to any man that will not resolve to shut his eyes and refuse to see the Sun-shine of the truth it may appear that all the Synagogues in Jerusalem as in all other Cities after the Christian Religion was so generally imbraced and the Jews were turned Christians were the places where they still continued to meet in to hear the Gospell as formerly they had done to hear the Law and there is many testimonies out of holy Scripture to prove this Assertion neither can we in charity think that they being made Christians were lesse zealous to hear the Gospell then they were to hear the Law yea their diligence in that good work is often mentioned in the holy Scripture to their praise and honour as that they met dayly in the Temple and in every house to hear the Word and to partake in all the Ordinances And it is well known that Paul into what City soever he came was as diligent in preaching as the people in hearing Now when he remained in Jerusalem fifteen dayes he would not be idle and it is to be beleeved that the other Apostles were as diligent in their severall Ministries as Paul was as I said before so that their much imployment without doubt was the onely cause that hindred the Apostles from comming unto him and retarded Paul from saluting of them for we may not conceive that so famous an Apostle as Paul was could lye hid in Jerusalem or be unknown so long from the other Apostles neither in charity may we think that there was any love wanting either in Paul towards them or in the Apostles towards Paul but we most impute their not visiting of each other to the multiplicity of their imployments that so hindered them that they could not finde convenient time each to see other So that by this I have now said it is evident to any rationall man that there were more Christians and beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem then either could or did meet together in one place for all Acts of worship for they met every Sabbath day together in their Synagogues to hear Moses and the Prophets read and Interpreted as the Scripture affirmeth yea from house to house dayly and therefore we may easily gather that as many Synagogues and meeting places as there were in Jerusalem to say nothing of the Temple so many Churches and Congregations of beleevers there were in Jerusalem for Synagogue and Church are all one in Gods dialect and they that were Jews before the preaching of the Gospell were now made Christians and beleevers Neither had the Christians and beleeving Iews any cause to separate themselves from the congregations for there was nothing in their Synagogues to scruple them without the law of Moses should offend them and that the Scripture testifies they were very zealous of and many of them that were converted perswaded the Gentiles after their conversion and illumination to joyn the Ceremoniall Law to the Gospell which although it was not permitted unto them yet for a time it was connived at and tollerated in the weak Jews yea in the tenth of the Hebrews the Christians are blamed for forsaking of the assembling of themselves together and it was counted a fault in them and therefore it may without any error be concluded that there were as many if not more Assemblies and Synagogues of beleevers