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
A81931	A summary discourse concerning the work of peace ecclesiasticall, how it may concurre with the aim of a civill confederation amongst Protestants: presented to the consideration of my Lord Ambassadour Sr. Thomas Rovv, &c. at Hamburg in the yeare MDCXXXIX. By Mr. John Dury, a faithfull and indefatigable solicitour of the gospel of peace amongst Protestants: now put to the presse for the information of such as are able to countenance, and willing to help forward the negotiation of some issue.	Dury, John, 1596-1680.	1641 (1641)	Wing D2889; Thomason E167_13; ESTC R4299	30,514	57

A SUMMARY DISCOURSE concerning the work of PEACE ECCLESIASTICALL How it may concurre with the aim of a civill confederation amongst PROTESTANTS Presented to the consideration of my Lord Ambassadour Sr. THOMAS ROVV c. at HAMBVRG in the yeare M DC XXXIX By Mr. JOHN DURY A faithfull and indefatigable Solicitour of the Gospel of Peace amongst Protestants Now put to the Presse for the information of such as are able to countenance and willing to help forward the Negotiation to some issue CAMBRIDGE Printed by Roger Daniel Printer to the Universitie Ann. Dom. 1641. JOHN 3. 20 21. Every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved But he that doth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God To the Right Honourable Sr. THOMAS ROW Knight Chancellour of the most Honourable Order of the Garter and Ambassadour extraordinary for his Majestie unto the King of Denmark and Princes of Germanie c. Right Honourable IT is easie to discourse of a good businesse but betwixt doing and saying there is a great deal of difference And although I labour to be rather effectuall then talkative neverthelesse sometimes discourses are requisite to satisfie such as must heare and judge of the work What satisfaction this may give I know not but I can conjecture that few will be pleased with it except those which really love the work for it self And although I did not intend to be half so large when I first set pen to paper as now I find my self to have been yet I am not satisfied in mine own work because I see that whiles I study to avoid prolixity I do not descend unto such particulars as Judicious States-men will perhaps look after in these endeavours concerning the outward wayes of proceeding and as learned Divines will reflect upon concerning the inward manner of reconciling mens judgements working peaceable dispositions upon their affections But my Apologie is that particulars depend upon circumstances and that the varietie of circumstances is almost infinite Therefore not so much to be discoursed of as to be observed in the action and made use of towards the effect Neither is it fit to lay open in a discourse communicable to every one the particularities which pertain to the undertaking and must go along with the execution It sufficieth in this case to make the necessitie and possibility of things intended to appear which I hope is done if not so fully as could have been yet in some satisfactory measure towards such as can conceive and make use of generall rules applyable to cases which every one acquainted with the nature of publick affairs easily can imagine and represent unto himself Now the chief end for which I have put my self upon this discourse is that I should at this occasion summe up mine own thoughts to discover the same unto your Lordship and to let others see my way who perhaps will concurre to further it in time and place convenient For seeing the work is in it self most necessary and for the Protestant cause most profitable and neither impossible nor so difficult as most men that have not tried the ford as I have done imagine it to be therefore I would not have any to despair of it nor give me occasion to complain of this age that after so many years unblamable solicitation I have found small reality of assistance in a publick work of so great necessity The jealousies and fears of the times I know occasionate this But as for me I have once for all by oath unto Almighty God renounced all by-respects in this businesse and no man shall ever be so jealous over me for outward circumstances as I shall be inwardly over my self lest the simplicity of my mind in these purposes be tainted with worldly hopes or fears against which as the traytours of good counsel I have guarded my spirit in working it into a temper wherein I may seriously take pleasure with the Apostle in all adversities and rejoyce in crosses and in 2. Cor. 12. 10. straights that when I shall be as I foresee I may be deserted neglected despised and laughed at for embracing as it were alone so vast a businesse I may then endure it patiently and without murmuring at my ease rely upon Gods providence in it in respect I know that he is able to shew his strength in my weaknesse And if he will not comfort me with the wished for successe yet I shall not faint in well-doing because these generall grounds and rules to walk by are able to support me if my heart be upright to the work in all difficulties Neither is it requisite for me to set forth and commend this matter nor will I use perswasive arguments to induce men to give assistance in it for I desire the help of none but of such as love the work for it self and who are able either of themselves or at least from these generall discoveries to satisfie their thoughts in the possibility of more particular undertakings Few men are so judicious to consider the consequence and so cordiall to assist the prosecuting of these endeavours as your Lordship hath alwayes been I speak this in true simplicity of heart as knowing from the reall testimonies of your Patronage unto the work the thing which I say Therefore as your Honour was the first encourager and supporter of me at the beginning of this Negotiation in Prussia so now at this almost full period thereof after this triall of my constancy sincerity and unblamablenesse therein I am perswaded your favours will not be failing before it appear what preparatives may be wrought further in these Quarters and in the Church of Denmark where hitherto nothing hath been attempted Who knoweth what opportunities time will produce hereafter Periander one of the renowned seven Sages of Greece biddeth us Expect the occasion the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Libr. 43. reason of this precept may be taken from Dion who saith Quòd plura negotia opportunitate occasionum quàm viribus rectè sunt confecta Thus then if I may but go on without noise in mine own private slow pace I shall rest contented for I know that this seed must not onely be sown in the hearts of men at its own times but also lie there a season and rot before it will spring up and fructifie The Prophet Isaiah in a case of this nature saith He that believeth Esay 28. 16. shall not make haste Now I do believe therefore I am resolved not to make haste Onely two things I could wish for First that all outward helps be not withdrawn from my subsistence Secondly that the favourable accesse which I have had unto some eminent Divines of Great Brittain which are not unwilling to take some spirituall tasks in hand concerning this subject may be stil confirmed If these wishes cannot be obtained I confesse the case will

I should never leave the thoughts of this work so long as I live Secondly that I should intend it for it self and keep it free from being subordinate to particular politick ends Thirdly that I should follow none other wayes in prosecuting of it then such as are most answerable to the Gospel of Christ and may be made use of without all occasion of dispute strife and scandall To these and to some other resolutions subordinate to these I am bound by a solemn vow which vow cannot be retracted nor altered Therefore if I purpose to keep my promise conscionably I am bound to dedicate my self wholly unto the effect of the work with a purpose not onely to entertain my self speculatively with this object of meditation but rather to endeavour effectually the work it self at least so long as I can by any lawfull means possibly subsist to proceed in it I suppose then I have here a task for my whole life and therefore will make no haste to rid my self of it nor ever think of being weary or of taking any other thing in hand which is not either collaterally helpfull or subordinate unto it For when I enter seriously within my self to consider what course of life I must from henceforth follow that I may be able to perform the vows and promises which I have made unto Almighty God I find that I must resolve before all things to be no more mine own man in any thing but a servant to the work and to such as will help to further it whereupon this consequence followeth that as I must resigne and give up my self unto the work so I must resolve to be at full libertie and free from all other occasions obligations and relations which may divide and distract my thoughts from it Having thus settled the main businesse which doth concern my conscience when I reflect afterward upon particulars I find that to concurre effectually with the work of a civill Confederation I must propose unto my self this distinct scope namely to labour to dispose the spirits of the Clergie of both sides but chiefly of the Lutherans to have good and moderate thoughts of their neighbours and friends the Reformed Churches For indeed though both sides be in some things faulty yet the chief fault lieth in the spirits of some Lutheran Divines who either through ignorant zeal or forwardly ends disturb the peace of Protestants And the way which they take to do it is none other but a pretext of maintaining truth against Calvinists under which name all Reformed Churches are meant who are said to be guilty of most damnable heresies Therefore to moderate this untoward affection this pretext must needs be taken away And to do it the chief Lutheran Divines must be made really sensible that the Reformed Churches are not guilty of heresie but are in very deed true Evangelicall Christians and sound Professours of the Gospel which thing although it be no difficult matter in it self to be made good yet it will prove a task of no easie performance to make Lutherans so farre obliged to take notice of this truth that they shall not be able any more to decline the acknowledgement thereof Now to gain this purpose some treaty must needs be intended with the Lutheran Clergie and it must be a peaceable treaty void of all occasion of jealousie and offence but how this treaty may be drawn on by what means and manner of proceedings it must be prosecuted How the preparations thereof may be negotiated How the difficulties which are or will be incident to these proceedings may be overcome are things now to be thought upon before the work it self be further undertaken Concerning the way how to draw on insensibly these treaties I Have hitherto professed my self like a publick Solicitor of peaceable counsels betwixt both parties to see what good inclinations either were or might be wrought upon the spirits of Clergy men in this age towards their mutuall edification in duties belonging to the Communion of Saints How much my solicitation hath stirred them up to these thoughts and how farre they are prepared to admit or not to admit of peaceable propositions it is not fit for me to declare I hope hereafter the effect it self shall speak But seeing I am resolved still to continue and to proceed to win by little and little and draw on the Lutheran Clergy towards friendly and peaceable affections I conceive that it cannot be otherwise brought to passe then by such proceedings as hitherto I have used Whereof the first step hath been alwayes a free unpartiall and unblameable conversation with the chief Divines to make acquaintance with them When acquaintance is made the next step is to come by degrees insensibly to insinuate matters of mutuall edification in making them sensible of such duties of Christianity which are most necessary at this time to be set upon by men of conscience and charitie By this means the inclinations and dispositions of their minds will either if they be good break forth and discover themselves or if they be raw and untoward will be in some part prepared towards further thoughts of this nature This being done a man may draw somewhat near the subject of peace and mutuall reconcilement in making them think of the great inconveniences of schismes and divisions amongst Protestants and of the great good which might redound to all Christians if the true causes and originall motives of such differences might really be taken out of the way as well by settling mens judgments in the truth of Christian Religion which are wholly undoubted as by bringing their will to affect the main duties wherein the publick and Ecclesiasticall profession thereof consisteth Of which duties the first ground doth seem to be this That all men and chiefly Divines are bound in conscience to intend truly and professe openly a desire and willingnesse to be at peace with peaceable neighbours and That they ought to account peaceable neighbours such men as not onely study to be void of offense towards others but also desire to entertain love and friendship with them These principles being proposed and wrought upon the minds of some of their Leaders it might be tryed whether or no they could be brought to declare and promise that they will concurre in thoughts and treaties by which the grounds of former and the cases of future scandals and contentions might be taken away from amongst Protestants If then they should not be averse from such a motion they might be brought by degrees forward First To entertain private thoughts by themselves concerning the possibilitie of advancing such treaties Secondly To communicate such thoughts to others which shall be found desirous to conferre without prejudice about this matter with them Thirdly To heare the proposals of others and declare how farre they agree or disagree with the same that means may be thought upon by which difficulties and incident causes of disagreement at the treatie may either be