Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	doctrine_n	scripture_n	tradition_n	1,683	5	8.8849	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65764	The pastors charge and cure, or, A sermon first preached in Latine at Oxford and afterwards translated by the author the preaching of which created the author much trouble, and in the winding up of all, suspension from his ministery, and thereupon inforcement to leave his native countrey / by Nath. White, pastor of a congregation at summer islands.	White, Nathaniel, 17th cent.	1645 (1645)	Wing W1798; ESTC R33619	34,854	42

name not unwillingly perform the great and good God grant Amen Hitherto have we spoken of the life of a Pastor let us now in a word speak of the Doctrine that so we may hasten with as much speed as possible to the things which are remaining Pastors must take heed that their Doctrine be true and sound True that is not corrupted with the leven of errour or heresie Sound that is not stained with the doctrines of men or with traditions or with brain-sick and phanatick questions There is no need that we should travell from the sacred Scripture for the confirmation of this truth he that will but consult with S. Paul in his Epistles shall find it plentifully confirmed It behoveth a Bishop saith he to hold fast the faithfull word as he hath been taught that he may be able by sound Doctrine both to exhort and convine the gainsayers in his Epistle to Titus ſ Tit. 1.9 The same he commands to Timothy Take heed unto thy selfe and to thy doctrine t 1 Tim. 4.16 to thy selfe that thou be holy to thy doctrine that it be sound Neither doth he teach any other lesson to Titus u Tit. 2.1 But speake thou the things which beseem sound doctrine Neither truly is S. Paul like to the Cocke of a Dial the shadow of which pointeth out the houre and flieth or like to a statue in the way which sheweth the right way to others but it never stirres it selfe but he doth that himselfe which he enjoynes to others as he openly witnesseth of himself w 2 Cor. 2.17 We are not as many which corrupt the word of God but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God speak we in Christ St. Paul did not play the huckster with the word of God that is he did not handle it crastily or covetously or to conclude lesse sincerely that by that means he might get gain but as of sincerity but as of God in the ●ight of God spake he in Christ Hence it is as clear as the light that the Doctrine of Ministers ought to be hedged in on every side with abundance of circumspection Neither ought we to admire at it for from hence much profit will redound to themselves and to their flock and on the contrary much detriment and damage will accrue unto them both First of all great advantage wil redound to themselves to their flock What greater good can come to the sons of men then life and glory But this shal be the reward recompence of them and theirs that are faithfull Those that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the Firmament and they that turn many to righteousnesse that is by their faithfull preaching as the starres for ever and ever saith the Prophet Daniel x Dan. 12.3 And St. Paul writing to Timothy saith Take heed to y 2 Tim. 4.16 thy selfe and to thy Doctrine continue in them for by this means thou shalt save thy selfe and those that heare thee On the contrary corrupt doctrine doth bring much hurt and losse unto the Flock and Pastor First to the Flock corrupt and impure Doctrine may deservedly be compared to deadly poyson for as that is hurtfull to the body so this especially to the soul therefore that Preacher that preacheth deadly soule-destroying doctrine deserveth to be punished with the same punishment and with the same death with which a Physitian is to be punished who gives his sick Patient poyson to drink in stead of wholsome Physick for he kils the body but the other destroyes the soul Secondly that quick and lively saying of Christ Matth. 5.19 threatneth at the first sight unutterable punishment to themselves Whosoever saith he shall break one of the least of these commandements and teach men so that is to break them he shall be called the least in the Kingdome of heaven that is he shall be none for those that are there are great all he shall have no place in the heavenly Paradise now he that falls from heaven with one and the same fall he falls into hell irrecoverably and most justly and deservedly is he esteemed worthy of eternall death who hath seduced others and led them into deadly errors because he endeavoureth to destroy his Christian brethren for whom Christ hath shed his most pretious heart-bloud then the which a greater and more truculent sinne cannot be thought on or imagined What therefore will become of those grand Impostors of the world the Jesuits and Romish Massing-priests who compasse Sea and Land that they may make one Proselyte and when he is made they make him twofold more the child of he then they themselves Yea what will become of some Ministers of the Gospel who tooth and naile endeavour not onely in their Sermons but also in written bookes to make that holy time consecrated unto God common and prophane and to change the divine institution of the Lords day into humane that so they might cut in sunder the very nerves of the solemne worship of God and so utterly overturn all Religion What will become of our Ministers of the Gospel who in their preaching publish to the world doctrine strongly savouring of Pelagianisme and who teach other heterodox tenets What will become of others who use painting and false colouring whereby their doctrine is adulterated so that it cannot keep and retain its native simplicity and integrity for either they joyn with it the traditions of men and mingle mens decrees with Gods which is to mingle Chaffe with Wheat or else they most dishonestly flatter men especially great men of whom they expect profit and preferment and taking away as it were the salt of the Gospel with which they ought to suppresse and keep down the petulancie of mens itching and lusting flesh they connive and wink at the naughty and unlawfull actions of the sonnes of men There are some such Preachers in this exulcerate Age who like the Heliotrope or Lupine are carried about together with the Sun whithersoever the inclinations or dispositions of the great ones bend thither doe they bend and incline their heads also so that you would not think they were two but one that spake like to one and the same accord in musick these with the Cameleon do change themselves into any colour besides red and white that is they can turn themselves into any form or shape besides that which is honest and good Hence it was that Seneca doth so tax that unhappy delicatenesse and nicenesse of his Age and not much unlike to this of ours I will shew thee saith he with what poverty and scarcity great States are pestered and what is wanting to them that possesse all things scilicet qui verum dicat namely one who will tell the truth What will become of others who speake evill of good and good of evill who put darknesse for light and light for darknesse who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter Most assuredly a fearfull

in Cathedra lugebit in Gehema if any will play in the chair in his charge he shall weep and wail in hell But I proceed he that will reade Pauls Epistles to Timothy shall finde abundantly this truth confirmed in 2 Tim. 4. v. 5. he thus saith Watch thou in all things endure afflictions do the work of an Euangelist make full proof of thy Ministery And again g 2 Tim. 2.15 Study to shew thy self approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the Word of truth But did not St Paul as it is reported of the Scribes and Pharisees binde grievous burdens and hard to be born and lay them on the shoulders of Timothy he himself refusing to touch them with the least of his singers No verily he was h 2 Cor. 11.23.26 27. in labours more abundant in journeying often in weariness painfulness in watchings often he went from city to city from countrey to countrey labouring and sweating in the promulgation of the Gospell so that from i Rom. 15.19 Jerusalem round about unto Hydicun he fully preached the Gospel of Christ But what do I speak of Paul when as the great Shepheard the Prince of Pastors long since breathed forth this notable saying Oportet me operari k Joh. 9.4 I must work the work of him that sent me whilest it is day If then there be a necessity of the Lords working it is a thing altogether unbeseeming the servant to be idle Would to God you would seriously ponder and weigh this doctrinall conclusion ye flourishing and renowned Academians I am deceived if it would not somewhat retard your winged posting to the verticall point of Ecclesiasticall honour and preferment yee would not hasten with so much boldnesse and alacrity to honours if yee were sensible that they were burthens truly you would be afraid of being pressed above measure neither would you with such labour and so great danger affect the ornaments of honour and dignity If thou hadst known saith Chrysostome in his third Homily upon the Acts of the Apostles that a Bishop ought to carry the burdens of all without doubt you would not at any time make such hast to the Primacy or to any place of rule and authority But woe and alas the meditation of this burden slips out of mens minds whilst every one as Augustine eloquently speaks thus discourseth with himselfe What doth this appertain unto me Let every one doe what he will so long as I shall enjoy the profit reap the benefit this is enough for me let the Church goe whither it will May it please you to heare what that pious and devout reformer of manners wittily though tartly cast in the teeth of his own age Men eye the glory onely saith he but look not at the penalty In the Clergy saith he in every place men of all sorts young and old learned and unlearned make haste to the cares of the Church as if every one of them should live without care when he is come to a place of the greatest care Doe you mark what the Oracle of his time Bernard saith would to God this were not the disease of our age there is a sort of dainty delicate Pastors who will seek and sue for fat Benefices that they may attire themselves gorgeously live idlely there is a ●ort also who being consecrated to God doe devote themselves to Bacchus the pot and the pipe are oftner in their hands then their books and it is farre more pleasure unto them to pipe then to preach There is a sort of lazy Shepheards who have more regard to their own skinne then to the soules of their own Flock I speak the truth plainly without glozing as heretofore that faithfull Counsellor did above mentioned Neverthelesse my Brethren and Fathers I beseech you suffer your selves to be somewhat wrought upon to be somewhat stirred and moved by this that I have spoken how ever mean and simple it may seem to be the Lions themselves sleeping are wont to be excited by the stinging of the little Gnats Is this the attention think you that God requireth 'T is a God truly but 't is the Belly their God a most filthy and dishonest Deity I tremble to speak the rest notwithstanding I must speak it those who make their belly their God they glory in their shame and their l Phil. 3.19 end is destruction saith the Apostle Is this a time Men Brethren and Fathers of sporting and playing of living in delight and pleasure Behold two cruell enemies are at hand even at the doore rushing in upon us namely Impiety and Superstition and doe we sit still together with folded hands or rising doe we through our carelesnesse and negligence open the gate to an enemy rushing in upon us Our great Lord and Master that great Housholder of the world being to goe farre away and to seek an eternal Countrey and everlasting Kingdome for himselfe and us he gave unto every one of us one Talent at the least said Negotiamini dum venio occupy till I come he hath commanded us to occupy not to live riotously and wantonly But is this according to the command of our Lord and Master to occupy to seek our own profits our own pleasure to give our mindes to ease and rest to fancy and favour silence These are foule filthy Napkings in which we have slothfully laid up these Talents which should rather have been hired out to the Bankers But thus much let us know the Judge of Heaven and Earth will one day come again and will call us to an account for if we shall give an account for every idle word then why not for idle silence as Ambrose hath acutely spoken what then miserable wretches shall we regest or answer where shall we appeare Ungracious servant is a terrible word but bring him and slay him before my face ●s farre more terrible Wherefore my beloved brethren let it be lawfull for me to intreat you yea to adjure you by your owne soules by the bowels and wounds of Christ by the terrible judgement feat before which one day we must all appeare to be willing to adorn and perfect your Ministeries with holy labourings and workings Take heed to your selves and to the Flock preach the Word be instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine let every man study to shew himself to God a work man that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth O most sweet and soul-ravishing voice in comparison of which the heavenly harmony it selfe is harsh and unt●nable We done thou good and faithfull servant thou hast been faithfull in a little I will make thee ruler over much enter thou into the joy of thy Master O my brethren let us seek to be partakers of this voyce let us sue for it importunately let us work the things which God commands and God will crowne the things which