Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	devil_n	father_n	lie_n	3,415	5	9.0726	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A59621	Antapologia, or, A discourse of excuses setting forth the variety and vanity of them, the sin and misery brought in by them, as being the greatest bar in the way to heaven, and the ready high way to hell : being the common snare wherein most of the children of men are intangled and ruined / by Jo. Sheffield ...	Sheffeild, John, d. 1680.	1672 (1672)	Wing S3061; ESTC R11053	145,253	322

Heaven shall hear of me I will perish repenting believing praying so as never any man did yet Thou hast at least as good ground to encourage thee to pray and hope as Nineveh had who when under such Comminations and Threats of destruction at hand said Who knows but if we repent cry to God mightily and reform throughly the Lord Jonah 3. 8 9. will repent and have mercy on us that we perish not CHAP. IX The Causes and Reasons of Excuses THus have I wearied the Reader and my self too in seeking to hunt out this subtile Soul-Deceiver out of his Subtersuges and Lurking-holes If we could catch those Foxes that marr our Vines and bind this Destroyer of our Country as they call'd Sampson it were time well spent We will sit down now and see if we can discover the Reasons of those so many and various Excuses Them we shall reduce to two heads 1. Enquiring the Causes whence they come 2. The Ends why they are taken up 1. For the first If we enquire whence Causes of Excuses they come it will lead us back as far as Original Sin there then thence they had their Original They came in with the first Sin As Satan was a Destroyer and Murderer from the beginning and abode not in the Truth so was this Sin a Deceiver 1. Man's Fall Causa prima and Lyer from the beginning when Integrity went out Excuses came in An old Date and memorable Year Primo mundi The first year of the Conquest Anno libertatis deperditae The first year of man's slavery under Satan And as with a Conqueror many new Usages are brought in so is it here God made man upright there was none of these in his prime Constitution but man faln sought Eccl. 7. ult out many Inventions This was Causa prima The first Cause There and then did this Black Art commence which ever since the Children of men have studied and improved The ancientest Art or Science in the World and most practised Young and Old Learned and Unlearned all verst in it no need of these in Integrity He that Joh. 3. 20 21. doth good cometh to the light but he that doth evil flyeth it lest his deeds should be made manifest Then did Adam and Eve lay their heads together to cover their Bodies with Fig-leaves and their Sin with Excuses The harmless Fowls of the Air build their Nests on the tops of Trees in the sight of the Sun but the Beasts of Prey have their Dens Caves and Holes wherein they hide themselves and steal not out but in the dark 2. The second is near akin A primà 2. A Prima orta Our Corruption by the Fall Jam. 1. 13. orta Original Corruption Peccatum Originatum flowing thence hath filled the World with Excuses ever since Now is man led aside of himself and enticed now is every Imagination of the Heart evil from his youth And man busieth himself about Gen. 6. 5. these two Imaginations chiefly 1. How to devise and contrive Evil. 2. How to conceal and cover it As the Fox and Badger first earth themselves under ground then do what they can to stop up the mouths of their Dens that they may not be discovered Thus doth man busie his Brains night and day how to defend Sin and to prove Darkness to be Light 3. Nor could the World be so full of 3. Causae assistentes 1. Priacipal Satan Excuses as it is if there were not some assisting Causes to set them forward Of which there be two sorts The one Principal viz. Satan and he to be sure is never far off to lend his assistance And hence you may see with wonder how prompt and ready some are at this Art as if they had been trained up in Loyola's School that you may know whose Children and Schollars they are by their Language and Evasions He that is the Father of the Lyer is the Father of the Excuse-maker He that taught man to lye taught him to make an Excuse He that taught Eve to entice and Adam to sin taught both to make excuses The Devil first put into Judas heart to betray his Master then taught him to wipe his mouth and say Is it I He first taught Ananias to tempt the Holy Ghost then puts Acts 5. a lye in his mouth to excuse it Know therefore Man or Child when thou tellest a lye to make an excuse the Devils stands at thy Elbow Speak the truth and shame the Devil 2. The second and less principal is Man 2. Secondary Father Master or what ever other It is not possible else that many so young should be so dexterous and ready at this Art if they had not been taught Parents sometimes put a lye into the Childs mouth and bid him say He is not at home Thus the High Priests instructed the Souldiers to say Christ was stollen out of his Sepulchre Mat. 28. 13 while they slept and they would take it upon them Profound Casuists the Jesuits Predecessors who have since so improved See the mystery of Jesuitism this Art to such a perfection that they must be acknowledged the only Masters of it who can find a cover for every Dish and an excuse for every Sin 4. There be other Causes Concomitant 4. Deficient causes 1. Not considering God's Omniscience which I may call Causae deficientes Deficient or defective Causes 1. Want of due sense and consideration of God's Omniscience Omniprescence Purity and his other Perfections of searching the Heart weighing the Spirit that he is a strict Observer of all our Actions a severe Discoverer Detecter and Detester of all Deceit and that will bring to light all the hidden works of Darkness otherwise they would stop and say Will not God find this out They consider not saith the Lord that I remember all Hos 7. 2. their wayes how their own doings have beset them about they are before my face They forget how he fetcht out Adam out of his Thicket and singled out Achan from the Croud Jacob knew his Fathers sight was bad and the Wife of Jeroboam that Ahijah's 1 Kings 14. 4. Eyes were set or he would not have been so bold to deceive his Father or she to disguise her self to amuse the Prophet Had Gehazi known his Masters spirit had gone along with him and that he should have been so immediately examined and taken tripping in his Tale he would have let Naaman and his two Bags alone If the Prophet knew what the King of Syria did in his Bed-Chamber The Lord that revealed that to him knows all thou dost in the Chambers of thy Imagery He compasseth thy Bed and thy Path knoweth Psal 139. 3. thy down-lying and up-rising and is throughly acquainted with all thy ways 2. A second deficient Cause is Men consider 2. Or the extent of the Law not the latitude extent purity and spiritualness of God's Law That it requireth truth

and sincerity in the Worship Service and Obedience which we do perform to to God The word of God is quick and Heb. 4. 12. powerful piercing to the dividing of the Soul and Spirit and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the Heart Now did men believe and were sensible of the quick and lively Power the Majesty and Authority of the Word and did remember those Rules to walk with God and be upright In all our wayes to acknowledge him That whatsoever we do we should do it as to the Lord and not to Men and Col. 3. ●3 withall consider That by this word we shall be judged in the last day It is not possible Joh. 12. 48. they should study such shifts and flatter themselves in them for there would be no more need of them then for the man that doth well to hide his head and fly from the light when he can make out his Joh. 3. 21. works to be wrought in God 3. Very few have heard the sound of the last 3. Or the day of Judgment Mal. 3. 17. Trumpet sounding in their Ears nor do they believe there is a Book of Remembrance written before God And that a dreadful day of account is coming when these Books shall be brought forth and that Rev. 20. 12. then God will set all in order before the Sons of men with all the circumstances of their evil Actions and then bring every Secret to light and reward all according to their Works For did they so it is not possible there would be so much base dealing and wickedness in the World making Lyes their Refuge as if they had made an Agreement with Hell and a Covenant with Death But there is a world of Atheism in Christendom and of Infidels among Christians that seek ●o dig deep to hide their Counsel from the Lord and their Works are in the dark and they say Who s●eth us and who knoweth us They turn things up side-down saith the Prophet turn a fair side outward and a Esay 29. 15 16. foul side inward 4. In the fourth place There is little 4. Want of Conscience of that we call Conscience in the World and the want of it is a main deficient or efficient I may say of Excuses There is much talk of Conscience every where but where is it to be found almost Right Conscience is Cordis scientia saith Bernard Or cum Deo scientia say others not Scientia simplicis Intelligentiae as I may say a bare speculation but an active practical and uniform Concurrence of Breast and Brain of Profession with Practise yea of Man with God when words deeds agree with the heart and the heart with God But alas there is much of Science in the World little of Conscience much Head-knowledge little Heart-knowledge much studying men little minding of God Were there more of this in the World there would neither be carrying on of Designs nor studying Excuses but Acts 24. 16. a serious and sincere endeavour to be without offence both before God and before men 2. For the ends which Excuses are 2. Ends of Excuses made use of 1. Many fly to them as we say For shame of the World and Speech of 1. To avoid shame the People as did they who took up stones to throw at Christ who plead●d They did it not for any of the goods works John 10. 33. he had done that had been too bad but for Blasphemy Better a bad excuse then none at all People woud have cryed Shame on them it they had not covered their Malice with some plausible pretence So again when Pilate urged his Accusers for Reason Reason as they cryed out to him for Justice Justice why what Evil hath he done I find no faule in him They would have been thought inexcusable if they could not have said We have a Law and by our Law he ought to die But none could they name that he had ever violated So wh●n the Scribes and Pharisees never John 19. 6 7. left pers●cuting Christ John Baptist and the Apostles and all that were better then themselves People would have cryed shame on them for their Impiety But when they could say You see we Reverence the true Prophets Moses Samuel Jeremy Daniel c. We Celebrate their Memorials garnish their Sepulchres and for those Mat. 23. 30. good men we lament their loss Had we been in our Fathers dayes we would have Sainted ●ot Slain them But Jesus and the Baptist we know not whence they are The one hath a Devil the other is a Wine-Bibber a Samaritan Heretick a Mover of Sedition and what not So that now they must not be thought any wayes ill affected to true Piety but honoured as the Pi●lars of the Church the zealous Asserters of Truth Unity and Order and the only Sappressors of Heresie Schism F●ction Sedition and Novelty Just so do the Papists St. Peter St. Paul St. Lawrence c. we keep dayes in their Memory preserve their Reliques pray to them honour them with a kind of Worship shew more Piety towards them then all you Protestants do But if Luther Calvin Cranmer Ridley c. teach the very same Doctrine that Peter and Paul they shall be Anathematized or burnt to Ashes if they can light of them 2. A second end Is to gain a repute of 2. To gain a Repute of Religion Religion And such is the luster and beauty of Religion that though few affect the power of it yet all court the Name and are ambitious of the Reputation of it Thus Machiavel instructs his Prince to put on the Vizor of one Religious yet to scruple nothing mean while whereby he may more enlarge his Dominion or drive on his Designs Thus those very Jews again John 10. 33. make their defence We stone thee not for any Cures or other good Works wrought or thy shews of Sanctimony but thy Blasphemy and Arrogance To make thy self the Son of God and equal to God we cannot bear Very pious Souls Though many have been so wicked as to do it none ever was so weak as to own it that they hated Piety and Virtue for its own sake A fair Pretence is fittest to cover so foul a Disposition Those that hated and cast out their Brethren of old as the Prophet said for owning the Name of God no other Crime yet said Let God be magnified Esay 65. 5. All was done out of zeal to God's Glory and the Churches Peace What do the Papists and other Persecutors pretend less 3. A third end Is to stop the mouth 3. To stop the mouth of conscience of Conscience and still its Clamors Conscience would lead the man an unquiet life and would be clamorous if he had not somewhat to pretend Therefore some grave shews of Religion some form of Godliness some Sins forborn some good Works done some Duties performed must bribe Conscience to let

as good a man as he I 'le carry no Coals If with my Inferior I may tread on him make him know I am his Betters my Servant shall know I am his Master my Wife that I am Head c. 6. This is a great Murderer and guilty of much Bloud If I am affronted saith the Gallant I will draw or send a Challenge If challenged I will not so Vn-man and Vn-Gentleman my self as not to fight him To lose the repute of a Christian one that feareth God and the guilt of Bloud is no disparagement but to lose the reputation of a Gentleman or indeed a Lamech that were a perpetual Gen. 4. disgrace If any wrong me should I not hate him if he provoke me strike him and lay him at my foot If abuse me may I not revenge my self and do to him as he hath done to me never be reconciled to him again as I hate to be false to my Friend but shall love him as much as he loves me so I will not be false to my self but hate an Enemy as much as he hateth me 7. This is the great Adulterer and Mother of Whoredoms If I commit Adultery David if Incest Lot may Excuse me If I have committed Fornication it is a Venial Sin many of the Fools of Israel have done so before me I am not the first nor shall be the last if I talk at random and speak scurrilously it is but to make my self and others merry and words are but wind if I have a wanton Eye or lustful Thoughts Thoughts are free what hath any to do with them 8. The Eighth Commandement is wholly taken away by Excuses If I steal better so then starve If I be false to my Master said the unjust Steward Luk. 16. Blame me not if I desire to live I have nothing to live upon but my Wits better so than dig or beg or be cashiered If I rack my Tenants may I not make the best of my own If I over-reach in Bargaining Caveat Emptor may I not sell my Commodity as dear as I can If I spend all it is but my own if I hoard up all lend spend give nothing may I not please my self If I have an advantage against my Neighbour and take it vexing him with troublesome Suits in Law the Law not I am to be blamed If I commit Sacriledge the Church hath enough and too much already It is but a piece of a Babylonish Garment given to the Church in times of blind Superstition If I pay not my Tythes the Parson comes easily enough by his Living Thus is there no Eighth Commandement 9. For the Ninth we may say Excuses were a Lyar from the beginning and abode not in the truth and yet pleads for all manner of untruths If I tell an untruth the Jesting Lye doth no man harm the Officious Lye doth a deal of good to my Friend The Excusatory Lye hideth a fault and saveth anger yea the pernitious defaming Lye will have somewhat to defend it self I have now cryed Quit with him he reviled me and I have reviled him if slander it was my Enemy If I take up an ill Report and spread it you have it as I had it I was not the Author of it yea if I make Oath to a false Charge it is but what is put in my mouth and others will second it Thus is there no Ninth Commandement left neither Lastly as for Coveting what Excuses have men ready to justifie any thing If my Neighbour hath Field or Tenement that lyeth convenient for me why may I not seek to add House to House and Field to Field by fair means if it may be as Ahab to Naboth or else out him by Law and dispossess him if that will not do as did Jezabel by a Wile and Quirk in the Law or play the Sycophant and forge some cavilling Accusation to pick a hole in his Coat as sometimes Zacheus had done or by flattering Insinuations undermine him as Ziba did Mephibosheth or if I envy repine at or maligne my Neighbours good what hath any to do with that Thus have Excuses made void the whole Law and not left one unviolated 2. As Excuses are such capital offenders against the Law they are as much against the Gospel too endangering the frustrating of Gods Counsel slighting the offers and tenders of Grace as those in the Parable Luke 14. 18. Thereby receiving the Grace of God in vain or turning it into wantonness or slipping the season and opportunity of the day of Grace as if he that out of Grace stretcheth out his hand all the day long were bound to stretch it out all their life long to a rebellious and gainsaying people 2. Are as injurious to Christ slighting his Person and Kingly power because his Visage so marred Outside so mean Parentage so low Followers so inconsiderable his Precepts so pure Yoke so strict Cross Mat. 11. 6. so heavy and ignominious that he goes for a blessed man that was or is not offended in him They cast him out of the Vineyard and had a reason for it then the Inheritance was their own They take Mat. 21 38. away his Life and have a Law and great Reason of State for it to prevent the Roman subjugation Excuses have banished the Gospel because it brings a Religion and Laws different from former Customs Acts 16. 21. have made the Jews to stumble at the imputed Righteousness of Christ Ro. 10. 23. having a Legal Righteousness of their own have emboldened the Papists to joyn other Mediators with Christ as the Blessed Virgin and their Patron Saints to mingle the Bloud of Christ with that of Martyrs their own Merits Pardons Pennances Satisfactions all to Corroborate but indeed to Invalidate the alone all-sufficient Satisfaction of Christ Excuses have corrupted the Doctrine of Grace laid down Tit. 2. 11 12. Perverted the use of Grace Rom. 5. 22. that Grace should reign by Righteousness have made Christ the Patron and Minister of Sin Gal. 2. 17. because he came to save Sinners in a word have subverted the whole Gospel perverting the Doctrines of Justification Faith Repentance Remission of Sins to encourage men to sin and presume with the greater security 3. Excuses have sinned against the Holy Ghost sighting and putting by his Motions Excitations Convictions as did Felix not regarding his present first second reiterated Knocks Calls Invitations but perswading themselves the Spirit will come again at their pleasure when they are old sick or dying as Sampson once thought he would go shake and rouze up himself as in former times but wist not Judg. 16. 20. that the Spirit of the Lord was departed from him 3. Excuses are of so evil and malignant aspect that they have turned all things unto Sin that they have had to do with increasing to more ungodliness making ill use of Gods Decrees Ezek. 33. 10. Of Gods Providences as Adam the Woman whom thou gavest me Gods Patience