Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	deed_n	light_n	manifest_a	2,272	5	9.7572	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41771	The nonconformists vindication, or, A testimony given against the indulged assembly of separatists wherein the false calumnies and aspersions cast upon the suffering Presbyterians, are answered and confuted : also, the heads and causes of separation are opened and explained, together with an illustration of the Erastian state of the present church.	Grant, Patrick, 17th/18th cent.	1700 (1700)	Wing G1522; ESTC R12655	52,064	65

THE NONCONFORMISTS VINDICATION Or a Testimony given against the Indulged Assembly of SEPARATISTS WHEREIN The false Calumnies and Aspersions cast upon the Suffering PRESBYTERIANS are Answered and Confuted ALSO The Heads and Causes of Separation are Opened and Explained together with an illustration of the Erastian State of the present CHVRCH John 3. 21. But he that doth the Truth cometh to the Light that his Deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in GOD. Ezek. 43. 10. Thou Son of Man shew the House to the House of Israel that they may be ashamed of their Iniquities and let them measure the Patern Truth and Reason Are no Treason Libera Gens Libera Mens Printed in the Year 1700. Mock Verses put forth in Room of Confutation against the Au●● by Mr. Thomas Black Indulged Preacher at Perth TO die obscure most be a dismal Fate Since Mortals Purchase Fame at such a Rate As Burning Cities razing Regal Seats Destroying Temples overturning States But Meaner Spirits whom Destinie Contracts Not to aspire unto such Glorious Acts. Yet Phaetons in conceit will be content Ere Fame be Wanting to be Fools in Print The Authors Answer SIN to reprove does much some Men offend When Worldly Interest is their chiefest end The Bramble shade shall be one Day brought Low When your Erastian Church will get it 's fatal Blow Both Fools and Wise shall known be or long Tho now you say your Mountain standeth strong At your Poetrie I need not furder hint Who sit's above knows who are Fools in Print The NONCONFORMISTS VINDICATION Prov 18. 13. He that answereth a Matter before he heareth it is folly and shame unto him MAN is a sociable Creature by nature as said the Philosopher end therefore desires company which way so ever he tends be it to He●ven or be it to Hell he is loath to go alone No wonder then to see Union and Love so common a Plant growing almost in every Garden amongst the Bad as well as among the Good True it is among the Godlie it is a dutie Commanded as in John 15 12 and also commended Psal 133. 1. Likewise it is the propertie of a Church well constitute also it is the dutie of all Believers to seek for unity and Love Yet this mark is not inseperable for it can be among Unbelievers as in Rev. 17 13 These shall have one mind and shall give their strength and power to the Beast And this also can be among Professors going on in a course of defection as we have the Example of Israel Exod 32. Who with one consent said These be thy Gods O Israel And no wonder it be so if we consider that Sin is a work of Darkness and therefore cannot abide the light as in John 3 21. For every one that doth evil hateth the light and so cannot endure that there should be any light or witness against themselves or Sins which witness makes them ready to cast foul aspersions and Accusations on the Faithful who will not go on with them in their sins Like to Josephs Mistris who did falslie accuse him of her sin by raising the hue and cry after him as in Gen. 38 14. even so is the case this day with the Faithful of the Land who will not neither dare go on in defection and separation from the princ●pals and practises of the Church of Scotland with the Erastian indulged in their Backsliding courses of Perjurie by unity concord So that when they cannot obtain their desire they most bitterlie cast their Sins upon us accusing us of separation and division We acknowledge that Union and Love are to be sought with endeavou● by all that professeth Truth but it must be in the Lord and not in aniething sinful Otherways our Happiness should be of no better stamp than Israel's was Exod 32. when the People with one consent did say These be thy Gods O Israel Now we acknowledge Union to be good in it self when righdie exercised and cannot but praise you ●or these pertinent places and passages of Scripture you urge for the obtaining of it Acknowledging your Doctrine to be sound in the abstract but indeed in the Application we disagree For there is no command in Scripture to unite our selves to Sin and obstinat defenders thereof I mean such as have made defection from the Principals and practises of the Church of Scotland by turning to Erastianism and that not onlie in one simple Act but persevering therein from one step to an other But I shall not insist on general assertions but shall procced to plain and particular Probation and in order thereto I shall confider the heads of the controversie contained in your seasonable admonition as you call it as they are set down in order 1 Where first we have the description given of the Church in her doctrine to which we well agree in the Theo●e and speculative part But differs in practise and application 1 Now first you say you own the Confession of Faith and Catechism so do we acknowledge the Confession of Faith in the whole Heads and Articles thereof But it objected by Malignants that the Confession of Faith is contradictory to the Covenants and Coronation Oath In that it is said in the 23 chap Infidelity and difference in Religion doth not make void the Magistrats just and legal authority And therefore by consequence Papists or Intid●ls may be our Lawful Rulers Answer on such consequence may be drawen from the word Infideliry this being the abstract name and an Infidel The concret So that the difference is great For Infidelitie pointe●h onlie at personal Faillings such as sins of deadness and infirmitie acting indifferendie from simplicitie but not obstinat to faithful warning from which faillings it is said in the following part Eccle●iasticall persons are not free as in Chap 25. Sect. 5 Rev. 2. 3. Chapters So that from this it is concluded that faults and faillings such as formerly mentioned doth not Non Magistrat a Ruler or depose a Minister from the exercise of his office so that this is the true and genuine meaning of this place 2do We do likewise believe and own that Jesus Christ is ●he only Head and King of his Church and that he hath instituted in his Church Officers and O●dinances O●der and Government and not left it to the will of man Magistrat or Church to alter it at their pleasure either by a sinful limited Indulgence or yet by a Bastard Toleration contrair to the sound Principals of Presbyterian Government and our Lands Engagments 3tio We own likewise order in Discipline conform to the word of God in admission of Persons to offices and priviledges in the Church We own no other Rules than the institutions of Jesus Christ and the example of the Prophets and Apostles for censure or reproof either in Doctrine or Discipline And we own that Persons of all Ranks are to be censured and reproved without partiality according to the degree of their of●ence

and turn from their wicked wayes then will I hear from Heaven and will forgive their Sins and heall their Land So that it appears from this that deliverance belongeth only to a penitent People Also in the Book of the Judges it is said of Israel That they cryed unto the Lord that is by Repentance and Confession of Sin for no other Prayers are heard of God Jo. 9 31 And he sent them a Deliverer So that from this you see that the object of Mercie is only the Penitent that confesses their Sin which cannot be said of you who hitherto hath never acknowledged your Erastian courses of defection in the matter of the Indulgence and Toleration contrair to the Example of the People of God in former times who were plain and particular as in Ezera 9 2. The strange Marriages are confessed But no Confession to be seen of the strange Marriages that hath been made with the Enemies of God by you in the forenamed Sins Alas Then how can you apply Deliverance seing ye have no warrand from Scripture so to do when all circumstances are considered and whatever you have done or may do in this Yet be asured that your Application of Deliverance is not of any other nature than that spoken of in Jer. 14 12. A false Vision and Divination and the deceit of your own Heart Now this being your state and condition then is your present temporal prosperity not anie other thing but an Judgment like to that spoken of Jer. 13 13 14 verses viz. Fair flourishing providen●es in answering you according to the Idols of your own Hearts and then bringing a Battle upon the back of it Now seeing Mercies and Judgments are misplaced and that by calling Evil Good and Good Evil then may we refuse such Worship For it is not the Voice of Christ but the Voice of Strangers which Voice we ought not hear Joh. 10 5. Moreover in the next place you furder proceed to ampli●ie our alleged Sin by affirming that our practise is altogether contradictorie by reason that it it stricketh against our selves in that we are subject to failing for you say can we affirm that we are pure might not there be Recriminations against you but these things doth not make for peace nor Edifie To which I answer I yeald there is Sins amongst us committed by some and Remonstrat by others But what altho we were all Guiltie would that blot out yours Or will two Blacks make a White or will our fallings warrand us to walk contrair to light by laying aside our Testimony against you But you say these things make no● for peace nor edifie Ans This I deny for to search ou● sin a●d to examine our practise by the Line and Rule of Gods Word is a dutie both Commanded and Commended in Scripture and is good in it self that is Bonum perse And that which is good in it self ●●th alwise good effects and if anie bad consequence or even● follow upon this dutie it flows accidentally from the Corruptions of Men I mean from some rough unpolished Stone that doth not answer Line and Level For the same is ascribed to the Gospel as in Luke 2 14. It is said to bring peace on Earth and good will towards Men this is in in it's own nature But accidentallie it is said Chap. 12 51 Suppose ye that I am come to send peace on Earth I tell you nay but rather Division So that this slows from the Corruptions of Men. Furder you say you will forbear these things Ans We dare not do so But most follow the Mark and Character given by our Saviour John 3 21. But he that doth the truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God Indeed you would have our alleged Sins buried in order that you may get your Backsliding courses of Defection Buried but we will not do so And therefore desires to be foremost in Ripping up of our Sins and in examining of our actionts by the Word of God Otherwise our Zeall will be of a Bastard kind if it be not universal against all Sin So that in this we will not pass by one Action that ever hath been done since your separation from us without trying it by the Word of GOD and the approven practises of our Ancestors Now in the first place if we have done any thing that we are not bound and engaged both from the Word of God and our Covenants expreslie to do Them we shall take with our Guilt Secondly If anie thing be done that an absolute necessitie or indispensabilitie did not calll for Thirdly If the Mercies or Deliverance of the Church hereafter for the time to come shall run in anie other Channel Than what we have Espoused then shall we acknowledge our selves Transgressors So that we are willing to reason the Matter and to put our courses into scanning That it may appear clearly to the World who are in the wrong ye or we Now we say we will not pass by one action that has been done since your S●paration from us without trying it by the word of God and the approve● practises of our Ancestors Therefore I shall in the first place confider the Seperation in it's rise and progress as to the time when it first began and that was in the Year 77 and 78 This Erastian Weed did then appear in that Presbytrie at Edinburgh Dunscore where Mr Richard Cameron was Censured for his Preaching against the Supremacy and the indulged Ministers who received the Indulgencie after Pentland in the Year 67 and when accused besor them he declared that his Accusations did prove him to be a Presbyterian for he had done nothing but what was agreeable to Gods Word and the Constitutions of the Church of Scotland And therefore he would decline anie such Presbytrie as lawful who would so accuse the Innocent of Guil● which they could not prove I say at that time the Twins began to struggle in the Church Womb as did appear by the Malice Clamour and Reproach that these Ministers did vent against Mr. Cameron for his declining of them they thought this was a sin of a deep dye But alas no Lamenting for Truth that was wronged by the Indulgence and the defence thereof as appeared by their giving by Names to all these who were against the Supremacy and Indulgency calling them Cameronions Now as this Erastian weed did still grow among these So likewise the Faithful did still adhere to Truth as did appear at Bothwell by their casting off the Tyrrants Interest declaring a War against him all the Men of his Practise as stated Enemies to the Church of Christ But the other Party who favoured the Indulgencie and Supremacie emitted a Declaration contrair to the former taking in the Tyrrants Interest acknowledging him to be their lawful King Notwithstanding of all the Tyrranie that had been done by him against the Work of Reformatson from the Year 61

ignorance has made Defection because he never knew no better nor yet was ever furder reformed and therefore no ground there is to withdraw from him nor yet from any Church that owns him as a Member so long as his ignorance is not obstinat and wilful and that in opposition to all warning But this do●h not touch our controversie it being about Truth Revealed and receaved by the Church of Scotland and therefore not sins of ignorance or simple infirmity 2. But Secondly You say though there be dissatisfaction with many Persons whether Officers or Members To which I Ans Personal sins can never make any separat from a true Church who doth not aid and assist them in their sin nor yet from the guilty Persons themselves unless they be obstinat Desenders thereof But indeed if they shall refuse ●o be reproved and warned of their sin and if the Church shall Benjamin-like Espouse their quarrel then may we withdraw from them But we acknowledge that a Church is not to be separat from so long as there are any Remonstrators in it yea if it were but one for so long ●● there is one Remonstrator in it God and Christ hath not left that Church and therefore Man should not leave it 3. Thirdly he saith Union may be consistent with many particular failings and defects in the exercise of Govrnment as spareing some corrupt members and censuring others unjustly To which I Answer it would be interrogat if the Assembly understands these defects in sparing of some from the rod of discipline to be simple deference flowing from the sin of infirmity and deadness not obstinat but subject to faith full warning if this be then their ought not to be sepration But when the exercise of Discipline is not only defered and delayed out deneyed and the deney all thereof becometh an essential pillar of the building so that the free exercise of discipline is inconsistent with the being thereof which is the case of your Church this day and Therefore when this is then their is cause of separation so the contraversie is not about defering of discipline but the denaying and laying aside of it in its free exercise as to all Persons and Ranks without exception which is your case this day Moreover we acknowledge that no Church can be without failings and faults for no perfection is to obtained in the Church militant here on Earth But however the endeavour of dutie is not to be laid aside for we ought to seek perfection withall Christian sincerity and prudence Altho' we may faill and come short therein Furder you say there was in the primitive Churches a tollerating Iezabel and the Nicolaitans to which I answer it cannot be denayed but it was so however was it not in them a defect and sin and was it not displeasing in the sight of GOD as in Revelation 2 Chap 15 16 and doth not the Lord highly praise and commend the faithfull exercise of discipline in the primitive Church as in Rev. 2 2 I know thy works and thy Labour and thy patience and how thou canst not bear them which are evill and thou hast tryed them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them liars what shal I say then in this doth the great Assembly Glory in the defects and sins of the primitive Churches endeavouring to like them in evill or say you that your case and theirs is one if this ye say then I do deny 1 Their sin was not obstinat and maliciou●ly desperat in opposition to all warrning and Admonition as yours was and is have not you Sitten twentie years warning some of you of the faithfull whose sufferings and blood with heads and hands are crying to you to deliver up that Bloody Church renting Land Destroying Soul Murdering Sin of Indulgency and Errastianism unto the Sword of Ecclesiastical Discipline and yet ye will not do it but renders us evil for good in crying out against us charging us with Separation because we will not consent to your Sin and can we exercise any greater Act of Love towards you Than to testifie against your Sin by our withdrawing from your destroying courses Oh! how miserable would this ●●nd be If we were all jointly going on in Sin and resting satisfied with our Deadness and Toleration Can ye say then that the sins of the Primitive Churches were in opposition to all warning I mean after that the holy Apostles did Write unto them and if this you cannot do then ye ought not to defend the state of your Church from their Example But 2. Can it be said that the exercise of Discipline in the Primitive Churches was inconsistent with their being and Foundation certainly it was not for they could extend the Exercise of Discipline towards all that were Baptized and receaved into the Church without respect of Persons as all Faithful Churches may and ought to do But the Exercise of Discipline is inconsistent with your being and Foundation by reason that you dare not Censure and reprove the Sins of all Ranks of such as are Baptized which Sins and Persons I shali have occasion afterwards to speak more particularly when I come to the Sins and Accusations led against you 4. Fourthly Ye insist furder and says That such Defects as do not make Communion in a Church and in its ordinances sinful will not warrand a Separation Ans These def●●●s that doth not warrand a Separation are Personal Defects Or the defects formerly mentioned But the Defects we charge you with are Totall and Universal we charge you whollie as one Man to be Guiltie And that both as to your Foundation and Application and also with obstinate Perseverance therein Now this 6 Rule ye speak of in pag. 323 viz. When Men may unit● without Personal Guillt or accession to the guilt of others there may and ought to be Union This I say doth coincidat with the following Objection annent the incestous Person Therefore I shall leave it while afterward Moreover in Pag. 324. Ye say if a Man be put to condemne anything he thinks Laufwll in his own practise or the practise of others or 2. if he be put to approve the deed or parctise of others which he counted sinfull or affirme that to be truth which he counteth error these ye say may hinder union this is likeways personal sins Now consider the nature of the sin wha● the man is to condemn ye say that which he thinks lawfull in himself or others or to approve that which he thinks unlawful in others I say no privat man can Separat from any particular Person upon alleadged offence without revaling the case to the Representatives of the Church and if the offence be clearly decided already to be sin by the Church Then the Church is to Act Faithfully in it and the Accuser ha●h exonered himself But if it be some particular light in the Accuser or Speculation of New Reformation then he is to Communicat it to