Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	father_n	john_n	worship_v	3,267	5	9.5375	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78117	An answer to the Essex Watchmens watchword, being 63 of them in number. Or a discovery of their ignorance, in denying liberty to tender consciences in religious worship, to be granted alike to all. Also, shewing how persecution for conscience came in. / By Edw. Barber freeman of Engl. citizen & marchant-taylor of London.	Barber, Edward, d. 1674?	1649 (1649)	Wing B692; Thomason E552_9; Thomason E561_9; ESTC R205724	17,312	22

Lords people were prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them for know the Ministers of the Gospel are fitted for their service by gifts from heaven as Ephes 4. 8. 11. to the 15. And not by Arts learned at Oxford or Cambridge although I desire not in the least to take any thing from them that is properly due to humane learning as thereby to fit men for the service of the State and Common Wealth Again you say the Warre was begun for the defence of the King and Parliament to end in the death of the King and violation of the Parliament Herein you shew as little judgement in civill things as in spirituall but your London brethren at Zion Colledge hath been sufficiently answered to this Next you speak of the feares about Religion and Parliament which you say is turned into sorrows I blame you not for the mysterie of Iniquity is discovered and your cunning craftinesse whereby you lye in wait to deceive also who are those great merchants of the earth with your weeping and wailing for no man buyeth your merchandize any more The which is much aggravated in you by the Agreement of the people wherein your flattering with the Parliament concerning the tender therof is much discovered And for the draught of poyson you speak of I wish this nation had been no more poysoned with the golden cup of the Whore And for the love care you speak of to the people of your respective flocks your Ordinance for Tyths with treble damages without bayle or mainprize upon refusall will sufficiently demonstrate it wherein you have as your reverend Fathers indeavoured to rule with violence not by love And whereas your hearts tremble to think of the subversion of the ancient well grounded government of the Kingdom the Protestant Religion what do you meane what ayle you Have not your selves done this in cutting of your Reverend Fathers the Prelates Alasse they by their Agreement desire to take away all slaverie and tyrannie brought in by Tyrants and their flatterers in their Civill or Ecclesiasticall Government and instead thereof inright the Freemen of England and their posterity in their civill rights and the liberty of the Gospel of King Jesus in its due to wit to set up his government by his lawes and Statutes only Next you speak of an unlimited power of Parliament and that in Religion surely the word of the Lord is fulfilled Isay 44. 25. Saying that frustrateth the tokens of Lyars that maketh diviners mad that turneth wisemen backward and maketh their knowledge foolishnesse c. But truly Sirs I cannot agree with you in neither of these for first in civill things for which they are properly called together they are not to act for their own ends and by respects but for the good safety and wel being of the people their Trusters or Impowrers by whom they may and ought to be called to an account if they should neglect to performe their duty For if in things civill the Parliament have an unlimited power why complain you of the Executions done in Queen Maries dayes by a Parliamentarie power with the consent of your Reverend Fathers the Prelates As also in Queen Elizabeths dayes upon Barrow Greenwood and Penrie who were hanged for professing against the Common Prayer book which now you practice the case being altered neither are we ignorant of the turnings changings and unchangeings of you Priests as in Henry the eights dayes Papists in Edward the 6. Protestants in Queen Maries Papists in Queen Elizabeths Protestants in K. James and K. Charles his dayes for the Bishops and Episcopal Government Now for the Presbyterian a greater Benefice being a loadstone sufficient to carrie the greater part of you after it like some Lawyers that looks more at the greatnesse of th● Fee then the goodnesse of the cause nay being Feed leaves his Client and turns on the other side I would there were none such fate in the House of Commons Secondly For Religion they receive no authority or charge from God he having given that power and prerogative onely to his Sonne King Jesus they being Masters of the flesh only but God the Father of Spirits and therefore ●is worship being spirituall he requires only voluntary spirituall worshippers to worship him as John 4. 24. God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth c. For the many Oaths Protestations and Covenants you speak of I feare as Jeremiah saith For these the Land mourneth for it had been good if they had been fully debated concerning the lawfulnesse of them before they had been with such violence forced upon the Nation although now you desire not to have them kept for if not lawfull by the word of God they are of no more force then theirs that had bound themselves with an Oath neither to eate nor drink till they had killed Paul Acts 23. 12. And whereas you object against the Ambiguity or darknesse in that it is said it is intended that Christian Religion should be held forth as the publick profession of this Nation yet doth not declare what that Christian Religion is And can you object this Have you forgot the Protestation Covenant Vowes League and Covenant you engaged this Nation in for the Protestant Religion yet never did declare what that Protestant Religion was you intended and so much spake of And whereas you alledge that all Sects and Errors in the Church of Christ nay take the Church of Antichrist to it since the Apostles dayes do all lay claime to Christian Religion and may by this Agreement plead at least stand as Probationers for the priviledge of publick profession I wonder else how could you all this while come in for a share and are you not herein as those of whom the Apostle saith Yee professe that ye know God yet in works you deny him c. Titus 1. 16. And whereas you seem to take offence that only the Popish and Prelaticall are left out I shall desire to include them also otherwise I nor you nor they can obey Christs commands Mat. 7. 12. and Luke 6. 31. to wit to doe to all men as we would they should doe unto us In the next place I joy that you desire that God would increase that care in you and others to have Religion reformed to the greatest puritie in doctrine worship and Discipline according to the word of God and for instructing people in a publick way And for the confutation of Heresie and Errour c. How can this be done and not liberty of conscience granted I hope then the truth will not be confined as it hitherto hath been by you within the Lips only of the Tribe of Levi as you call them But that others shall have liberty to speak either to add unto or contradict if erroneous To the second branch where sound doctrine and a good conversation shall be the only meanes to winne upon the contrary minded