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	reprove_v	2,125	5	10.3012	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A76088	The storming of the Anabaptists garrisons, vvith a brief discovery of the weaknesse of the same, & of the inconsiderableness of the sconces and forts of all the other sectaries, in despight and contempt of all the which, any Christian souldier may safely march to Heaven, without the least danger; ... In a word, in the insuing discourse, the vanity of all novell opinions is discovered, the ignorance of all the which can no way hinder any mans happinesse: and the baptisme of little children borne of Christian parents, whether Iewes or Gentiles, is proved by the word of God to be lawfull, ... / By Iohn Bastwick, Doctor in Physick.	Bastwick, John, 1593-1654.; Smart, Richard, fl. 1647.	1647 (1647)	Wing B1071; Thomason E390_23; ESTC R201542	43,659	52

if I stedfastly to the last period of my life hold that all the conditions of the Independents are meere novelties and their own inventions and that any Christian may die either in the ignorance or contempt of them without the transgression of the law of God The same may be said of all the Anabaptisticall opinions and of all the other erronious doctrines of all the other Sects Yea the rejecting of them all is so farre from sin or depriving men of happinesse and peace of conscience here and eternall felicity hereafter as it is a great vertue to contend earnestly against them for the faith once delivered to the Saints Jud. 3. Yea which is yet more it is a great sinne in any that shall embrace any of those doctrines and approve of those Novelties in Religion for they are all no better then the traditions of men which our Saviour Christ so often warnes his Disciples to take heed of Math. 15. Mark 7. telling them that they worship him in vain who serve him after the precepts of men and confirmes that his doctrine not only by his own testimony but out of the holy word of God Isa 29. And surely those that offer God a vaine worship sinne and that in an elevated nature and greatly provoke God by it which all the Sectaries do that serve him after their own inventions and traditions But had it been so that I had indeed been either a Brownist or an Anabaptist or any Sectary or had I at any time been carryed about with every wind of doctrine or run after every new light as some daily do it had been my sin so to have transgressed the commandements of God but it would have been my glory and honour upon better information and more mature deliberation and judgement to have renounced all those errors and to have embraced the truth Yea it hath bin ever thought praise-worthy in any to change either their manners or judgements for the better and to relinquish the by-waies of sin and error and to receive the truth in the love of it which because many have forsaken it is the just judgement of God to give them over to strange delusions according to that in the se●ond of the Thessal 2. and this I conceive is one of the chiefe causes of the great wrath of God that is now come upon the world and the principall occasion not only of all those miseries and calamities we are now embroyled with but of all those monstrous errors and blasphemous opinions that are now swarming every where And therefore I say if I had at any time been formerly misled and had renounced error and embraced the truth and so have changed my opinion for the botter I had in that done nothing but what God commands and all sollid Christians cannot but allow of and in so doing I should have brought glory to God and procured peace to my owne soule and been a good example to others of doing the like and have given an occasion to all such as truly feare God of praising his Name which all those will do that leave the error of their wayes and the by-paths of sin and turne their feet into Gods commandements But I constantly affirme God and my conscience bearing me witnesse that I never was in my judgement one of them as they falsly calumniate me not only behind my back but to my face reviling me and and that in an odious manner in the open streets calling me an Apostate a persecutor of the Saints an enemy of the people of God and a stirrer up of mutiny against the faithfull of the earth all the which charges they themselves are most guilty of But this is their ordinary language both in private and publick concerning me who never wronged them except to speak the truth and in their own language be to hurt them with which reproches that rabble rout of the Sectaries that were John Lilburnes followers a yeare and a halfe since abused me in the next chamber to the Committee of Examinations and with the which those impetuous women that accompanied his wife to the Parliament with her Petition the last yeare which you heard of most unchristianly bespatter'd me where they behaved themselves in such uncivill manner towards the very Parliament men as the honourable House was forced to order that they should be kept our of that roome which before their insolency was common not only for all Petitioners but to all such as were civill to the great dishonour of God and the shame of their sex and of their holy profession And as they do upon any occasions most barbarously rayle on me wheresoever they meet me though I know them no● by face so they use all possible mean's they can to disparage me by rayling and fomenting calumnies against me and that against all the laws of God and humanity vilifying my books especially the Utter routing of all the Independent Army hindring by all they might the publishing of it pulling down the Titles through Town and Country wheresoever they were set up so that in one night and day they destroyed and defaced no lesse then three hundred through the City and as often as any of them again were pasted up they pulled them down to the number of eleven hundred at times all which their proceedings shew the sinfulness● of their wayes for whereas it is the duty of all good Christians to contend for the truth against error and with all their best indevour to propagate it and spread it abroad for so we are commanded Jud. 3. they hinder it what they can which manifestly proclaimes to the world that they fight against the truth for our Saviour saith John the third That they that doe the truth come to the light that their deeds may be seen and they that shun the light it is because their deeds are evill This I say hath ever beene the method of the truly godly and of the Saints indeed to publish the truth against error and to come to the light and touchstone the word of God for the discovering of errour and proving and declaring the truth but these men being conscious to themselves that their deeds and doctrines are evill shun the light and labour by all their abilities to extinguish whatsoever glimiring of it should discover them and therefore have conspired together to hinder the devulging of my Books especially the utter Routing and my Postscript because they doe apparently hold forth the truth and disolay and discover both the errours of their opinions and their deceitfull dealings in deluding the poore people and in with-holding the truth from them in unrighteousnesse which is not only to their eternall dishonour but one of the most horrid wickednesses that can be perpetrated against God and men for it is an open fighting against God and a hindring of the salvation of the people which was one of those great sinnes the Jewes were guilty of 1 Thess 2 16. by which they filled up the

measure of the wrath of God against themselves to the full to their own damnation as the Apostle there speakes And truly the practice of these men is not far from that of the Jewes it being a sinne against their owne knowledge for if they were not convinced that their wayes were erronious they would come to the light and they would exhort all men to read my bookes and to buy them up yea they would themselves lay out their moneys as they promised and send them freely abroad through Town and Countrey to breed Independents for they gloried exceedingly what store of Independents I had bred and engaged themselves in the hearing of others that when my last booke was once printed for they heard it was then in the presse that they would buy fifty pounds worth of them and publish them every where for the increasing of Independents Now then if their way be the way of God as they pretend and if men by reading of my books as they boast be made Independents why doe they not publish them and procure that they be spread abroad why doe they not bring the people to the light yea why do● they every where disgrace them and to the uttermost of their power hinder the publishing of them both by pulling downe titles in all places they disswading all men from reading of them These their proceedings doe sufficient●y declare unto all the world the sinfulnesse of their dealings and that they wilfully withhold the truth from the people in unrighteousnesse and by that means hinder their salvation and keep them still in blindnesse and error in as much as in them lyes for they say my Books breed Independents and they are the only saints in their dialect and yet they will not indure the publishing of them for the breeding of saints but let them as they brag lye as wast paper All these their actions do declare that they are very injurious and malicious men and that of all men if the power lay in their hands they would never grant unto the Presbyterians liberty of Conscience nor suffer them to enjoy a Tolleration or an Indulgence for their Religion for if now in word and deed they reproch revile and maliciously abuse them and hinder the very publishing of their Books and if now they spend their best abilities by slanders and all indirect meanes as can sufficiently be proved by their daily practices to suppresse the truth and light of the everlasting Gospell and preaching of the same and labour to set up erronious teachers in all places and publish through the Kingdome and that at their owne charges all erronious and seducing Pamphlets though distructive to the government of Church and State and to the disturbance of both and hinder as much as in them lyes the publishing of all such books as may discover their errors and juglings to the world all these their indirect dealings abundantly manifest that they are not only persecutors which they accuse their brethren to be though falsly but that they would never give a Tolleration to the Presbyterians or suffer them to use the liberty of their consciences whatsoever they now pretend and howsoever they plead for it amongst us for all men may well gather that if they will not indure our Books to be read by the people in which the truth is maintained and error confuted they would never suffer the preaching of it publickly But in all these their practises as in many other they are like the Papists and Jesuits who as the world knowes hinder the spreading of all orthodox Books amongst the people and make it death to all such as either divulge them or have them in their houses where they have power in their hands And where they have not the Inquisition there in all disgracefull manner they disparage the orthodox Writers and vilifie their bookes disswading all their party from reading of them telling them that it is not only a mis-spending of their pretious time but an animating of Hereticks yea a very great sin and a tempting God and by such proceedings as these they delude the poore ignorant people especially the women devouring Widowes houses and leading captive silly creatures to their owne destruction And therefore for my part when I behold the practises and dealings of all the Sectaries compare them with those of the Jesuits and Papists I can discerne no difference between them And truly they that shall reade my utter routing but with deliberation will soon perceive there is very little difference between them and the Papists in divers of their opinions as well as in their practises so that a man may without any sin conclude that they are a company of Papists in a new dresse whatsoever they pretend to the contrary which will the better appeare if things be duly considered for it is well known that the holding of any one dominative or principall point in any Religion or Sect makes one to be called by the name of that Religion or Sect As for example if any one hold that men ought to be circumcised after the manner of Moses though in all other points he be a Christian yet all men call a man this Jew And so if any one hold but any one principall point of popery as that the Pope is head of the Church and Peters successor or that the Masse is a sacrifice appointed by Christ though in all other points he be a Protestant yet all men will say he is a Papist So if any amongst the Papists hold but one opinion of the Protestants though in all other of his tenents he be a right down Papist as for instance if he hold that the Pope is not head of the Church but is Antichrist or if he hold that the Masse is an Idoll or that the word of God is sufficient without traditions or that it ought to be had in the vulgar tongue and to be read by the people any one of these opinions though in all other things he be of the Papists judgements is enough for ever to take away his life where the Inquisition dwells and for such a one to be branded with the name of an Heretick or a Calvinist And so it is in all other Sects he that holds but any one of the Antinomian opinions is accounted and called by all men an Antinomian And he that holds that Children of Christian Parents ought not to be Baptised though in all other points he be orthod●x yet he for this will be reputed and called an Anabaptist Now then when the Sectaries hold so many of the Papists tenents as that of Free-will and falling away from grace and that the word of God cannot be known to be the word of God but by the testimony of men c. and hinder as much as in them lyes the publishing of all orthodox Books and further the divulging of all erronious Pamphlets for the deceiving of the ignorant people by these their opinions and practices they proclaime themselues to

consider other passages and duly weigh Christs actions and expressions towards little children at other times and what he sayes and testifies of them the truth will yet more perspicuously appear viz that children of Christian parents have a right to Baptisme and that the children of the Jewes as well as their Parents were equall in Priviledges and were as well baptized as they When our Saviour Christ reproved his Disciples for their dispute which of them should be greatest it is related Marke the 9. ver 36. 37. That Christ tooke a child and set him in the middest of them and when hee had taken him in his armes he sayd unto them Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my Name receiveth me and whosoever shall receive me receiveth not me but him that sent me And ver 42. he sayth Whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that beleeve in me it is better for him that a milstone were hanged about his necke and and he were cast into the sea And in the 17th of Matth. it is recorded there that when there was a dispute amongst the Disciples who is the greatest in the kingdome of heaven Christ to discide this controversie ver 2. called a little child unto him and set him in the midest of them and sayd except yea be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the kingdome of heaven whosoever therefore shall humble himselfe as this little child the same is greatest in the kingdome of heaven And who so shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me but whoso shall offend one of these little ones which beleeve in me it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea and ver 10. speaking unto his Disciples he saith unto them take heed ye despise not one of these little ones for I say unto you that in heaven there Angels doe alwayes behold the face of my Father which is in heaven c. These words of our blessed Saviour concerning little children borne of the Jewish Nation then his people in Covenant with him require a deepe consideration and truly if they be rightly weighed they may be an excellent means if not to put an end to the controversie between us and the Anabaptists yet of convincing many gainsayers who have meane and low thoughts of little children for Christ in these words doth greatly magnifie the dignity of little children where he proclaimes the same blessings to such as shall in his Fathers name receive them as he doth to any that shall receive his Disciples or a Prophet affirming that they that received them receive himselfe and him that sent him and they that shall offend any one of them it were better that a milstone were hanged about his neck and that he were cast into the middest of the Sea And he pronounces no greater judgements against the greatest enemies of his Church Moreover Christ in terminis saith they beleeve in him If any shall aske me how that can be that little children beleeve I answer that Christ hath sayd it who is the author and finisher of our faith Heb. 12. the true witnesse who cannot lye and who can as well worke faith in little children who doth whatsoever he will in heaven and earth Psal 115. as to put into the heart of good Josiah when he was young and but eight yeares of age to seek after the God of David his father and to doe that which was right in the sight of the Lord 2 Chro. 34. ver 1. 2. 3. And who found some good thing towards the Lord God of Israel in the little child a wicked Jeroboam 1 King the 14. ver 13. Which good God himselfe wrought in him And all reason will dictate unto any man that God can as well worke faith in little children as fill John Baptist with the holy Ghost even from his mothers wombe Luk. the 1. ver 15th according to that of Christ John the 3. ver 8. The wind bloweth where it listeth the Spirit of God can as well worke his graces in little children as in growen persons who hath ordained strength out of the monthes of babes and sucklings to still the enemy and avenger Psal 8. ver 2. and as Christ sayth to perfect his praise Matth. 21. ver 16. I say therfore in regard of the great power of God and in regard of so many Presidents of his wonderfull working of grace and good in little children and in regard that Christ himselfe hath sayd that the little children of the Jewes did beleeve in him I doe beleeve that they had faith in Christ and by vertue of that had right unto Baptisme as well as their parents But which is yet more Christ saith not only little Children beleeve in him but that the offending of the least of them not only exceedingly displeaseth him but excludes the despisers of them out of heaven and for further terror to such as should offend them he sayth that their Angels behold his Fathers face in Heaven intimating that little children have a guard of Angels to protect and defend them and to punish their enemies so that whatsoever can make any of the most eminent servants of God to be in esteeme amongst men and whatsoever Priviledges they are graced with the same things are to be found in the little children of beleeving Parents and such as are in covenant with God for they by Christs testimony have humility and faith and a guard of Angels to attend them as well as men and women and God is their Father as well as theirs and Christ is their Redeemer as well as theirs Who saith ver 11. that he came to save those as well as they asserting moreover they that received such little children receive with them Christ and God and they that offend them are accursed Now then when little children partake in all the eminentest priviledges which the ancientest beleevers are graced with and are in as high esteeme in Gods account as they by all reason they are not only capable of Baptisme but have a right unto it as well as their Parents as being in the covenant as well as they And truly it may not be passed over slightly which addeth something yet to the dignity of little children Jesus Christ sends his Disciples to schoole to those little children and makes them his Disciples masters and from them bids them learne their first ●esson of ●u●ility and selfe-denyall tell●ng them that unlesse they become like one of them they should never enter into the kingdome of heaven which is as great a dignity as can almost bee conferred upon the sons of men to be made the masters and teachers to those that were to teach the world for in some respects Christ equaliseth those little children with himselfe for Matth. the 11th ver 28. he saith unto all such as would be saved Learne of me for I am