Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
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A88370
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Little non-such: or, Certaine new questions moved out of ancient truths. I. concerning the words, let us make man after our own image. II. Whether that was a materiall apple which Adam did eate III. Whether the forbidding of marriage be not a Popish injunction onely, and not rightly grounded from the Scripture. Newly published with intent to finde out the truth if it be not here already.
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1646
(1646)
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Wing L2552; Thomason E353_8; ESTC R3620
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12,656
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16
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LITTLE NON-SUCH OR Certaine new Questions Moved out of ANCIENT TRUTHS I. Concerning the words Let us make man after our own Image II. Whether that was a materiall Apple which Adam did eate III. Whether the forbidding of marriage be not a Popish injunction onely and not rightly grounded from the Scripture Newly published with intent to finde out the truth if it be not here already Magna est veritas prevalent London Printed for H. P. 1646. Advertisement IF any will prejudicate or have not patience to examine a truth how long soever concealed or obscured or if he be fantasticall and will laugh at his shadow not discerning from whence it proceeds let him put a part this serious though little discourse it is intended for better judgements Since these late eruptions in Church and State the minds of men are become much distracted and no marvell seeing the various opinions concerning civill Government in the first place whether Monarkia Aristocratia or neither but a mixt and some perhaps affecting Oligarchia which is the worst Then as touching the rents in the Church what shall suffice to be said since many both grave and learned Divines doe avouch that all the heresies fomented at severall times informer ages and condemned by severall Councels are now extant attended with as many more and how shall it be otherwaies when both Fathers and Councels are derided and contemn'd without controle by the very off-scouring of the people yea even such as setled and confirmed our Christian faith by refuting errors and heresies the first 400 yeeres which till now the Christian world hath received for Orthodox yet is it no wonder to see the Scripture abused and mis-interpreted by every Mechanicke mis-applying the sence to their fantasticke humors seeing there was never heresie broached but came with verbum Dei Scripture in the mouth the divell himselfe could finde no fitter way to vent his impostury when he came to tempt our Saviour Although it may be doubted whether or no there be any thing new that never was for nihil dictum quod non dictum prius nothing said that was not said before yet many matters are daily opened which have been shut up and clouded by the Romish Church since the time of Phocas the Emperour when that Hierarchy begun to usurp upon the rest And likewise many errors and heresies that seeme to be new are but the same in substance they were in former times yet perhaps with some additions as absurd as the principall Now to reduce the Primitive purity will be a worke too hard for mans capacity it must be God onely in his good time who for our pride vainglory hypocrisie and perhaps infidelity hath suffered us to fall into these fractions and distempers But in the mean time if some grave and learned man will a little trouble himselfe to resolve a few following questions it may give comfort to weake consciences that are in doubt and perchance afflicted And herein we detest to be curiously inquisitive in things not necessary but onely covet the health of our soules and the bettering of our understandings BEginning then with the first Booke of Moses called * Ch. 7. v. 26. Genesis And God said Let us make man after our likenesse V. 27. in the Image of God created he him male and female created c. Some then seeing the shape and forme that man beares in his personall appearance doe conceive that God the Creator beareth the same form in shape and person some others say this Image is meant in the likenesse to our maker in soule and spirit and therefore blame them that imagine or set him forth in the likenesse of any humane shape To that is answered againe that the Text formerly cited cannot be meant of soule and spirit because at that time man was not a living soule for proofe they say that God finished his work in six daies whereof the making of man was part and rested the * Ch. 2. v. 3. seventh and hallowed it but after the seventh day he breathed life into man and made him a living soule Chap. 2. v. 7. Therefore he was made according to the likenesse of God in personall shape because at his first making he was not a living soule till after God had rested the seventh day and then breathed life into him as is formerly proved And long after his transgression God said * Ch. 3. v. 22. the man is become like one of us so it seems at first he had not a spirituall understanding It is likewise said God shewed unto Moses his back parts but his face should not be seen * Exod. 33.23 therefore if he have back parts and a face he hath a shape which when he pleaseth he can make visible as then he did And the Lord spake to Moses face to face as a man speaketh to his friend * Ch. 33. v. 7. Moreover what were the three men that appeared to Abraham as he sate in the tent if not the Trinity * Ch. 18. v. 2. which did afterwards eate of the Cake that Sara made and the Calfe which Abraham fetch'd from the fold as appeares v. 8. Now though it is and must be acknowledged that God is so infinite in wisdome and power that therein he cannot be circumscribed nor comprehended yet say some that doth not hinder a personall shape or proportion But some others notwithstanding those plaine seeming proofes doe not allow that God hath any bodily shape at all which if it be so resolved and these things reconciled to better proofs and reasons out of Scripture by one that is wise and learned it will satisfie THe second question ariseth out of Genesis And the Lord * Gen. 2.16 17 said of every Tree of the garden thou mayst eate but of the Tree of the knowledge of good and evill for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die Now some make a question whether it were a materiall Apple that Adam did eate at the instance of his wife Eue. And if the question be of the Species it may well be doubted for it doth not appeare in the Text to be an Apple more then a Figge or other Fruit onely in generall tearmes it is called the fruit of the * Ch. 3. v. 2 3. Tree in the middest of the Garden But I suppose the question is not of the Species but whether it were a materiall fruit and so to be understood in literall sence It seems it should be so understood in the sixt verse When the woman saw the tree was good for food and to be desired to make one wise she did eate and gave unto her husband c. What can be plainer for a literall construction yet some will have the whole matter to be an Allegory and understand by the Serpent in this place no other then concupiscence and by the fruit of the Tree in the midst of the Garden some other thing then the eating
this very age and time wherein we live let some that are learned informe us better So then we perceive by this Tract and all the rest it is fornication uncleannesse and these forenamed works of the flesh which is forbidden but for that excellent and sacred institution of marriage from which Ordinance the blessed elect of Gods children doe proceed that holy Order we see is honourable amongst all without exception as is formerly proved Now then without all dispute that marriage is most just which is made without any ambitious or covetous end and if this liking and mutuall correspondency happen betwixt the neerest of kindred then is it also the most naturall the most lawfull and according to the primitive purity and practice nor is there now any Popish Canons to restraine it which perhaps some consciences might boggle at in regard of the precept you are to obey the Magistrate for conscience sake And indeed we would not argue any thing here against higher powers that are in true orthodox authority but onely desire that no Law or prohibition should bind the conscience in matters that the Gospell of Christ hath left free unto Christian people And if we can judge aright all these works of the flesh formerly recited from severall Texts in Seripture did never so much abound and no marvell for what fruit can be expected from bastard Plants or what match is made amongst a thousand or perhaps amongst ten thousand without ambition covetousnesse inordinate appetite or some collaterall respect pardon the plainnesse of the phrase for I have read of a Law as I now remember amongst the Spartans viz. No man should give a dower in marriage with his daughter then did the best men seeke to acquire the most vertuous women and who then they flourished more in Arts and Armes Now if the Patriarks our fore-fathers chose their kindred in obedience to a duty commanded the Heathens tooke wives for their vertues and yet we Christians will have none but for money the attribute aforesaid deserves the lesse rebuke Well then let us avoyd communities which is reported to be maintained by some late sects let us avoyd fornication with all and by all meanes with our kindred for that is the highest degree of fornication as is formerly declared But for holy wedlock where there is hope of propagation and hearts consenting as is proved to be the duty of the next kinsman so was there never more cause to shake off the Popish thraldome and to revive that Primitive custome seeing by these late and common calamities so many thousand families are forced from their habitations which they have honestly laboured for and for ought they know must starve and perish at some have already done if they cannot finde a dwelling more remote therefore we must be of opinion with such as do account mulct and punishments an Antichristian yoke where they are imposed upon the conscience but most especially when there is neither act nor intention against the service of God or prejudice to our Christian brethren and here we remember the saying 2 Cor. 13.2 of Saint Paul Be of one mind live in peace Now then to close up all by asking of a question If in such a case honest women that have no portion to bestow them thorough the causes aforesaid should require this duty from the next of kin whether upon refusall their said kinsman deserve not the reproach mentioned in the story of Boas and Ruth and as touching the * Deut. 25.5 raising of seed from one brother to another formerly recited at large in the beginning of this discourse surely they doe and must answer in their great account for the misearriage of their kinswomen if so it happen yet we are not ignorant the Civill law saith an Vnkle to his Neece is in loco parentis and that they say is a bar in marriage but setting Law and evill Custome aside we demand in reason how he can stand her in better steed then to marry her if she be willing and hath no means to be otherwaies provided We are commanded to feare God and the King and not to meddle with them that are seditious Neither are these things moved out of nicety or by way of paradox or as St Paul speaks of * 1 Tim. 6. doting questions or strife of words whereof comes envy and perverse disputings or as some cite Scripture to cloake their deceipt and hypocrisie but onely to finde out the truth which if those that are Orthodoxly learned will take paines to resolve it will be a charitable worke to satisfie the consciences of some lesse learned who are likely to seeke habitations in forrain Countreys and would in discharge of their duties doe that which they conceive to be most just viz. without ambitious or covetous ends adventure upon the first Institution Now we know the vulgar sort that lookes no further then the times they live in will bogle at this doctrine and thinke it a Navell Then here we will put you in mind of what some of you do yet remember namely a quality of two eminent men esteemed very wise especially in the lawes the one would not abide a sholder of Veale the other did not love a Duek what would you have thought these men wise to proclaime it unlawfull for any other to eate these kind of meats because they did not love them surely no you would have held them rediculons So our question is not how any mans appetite likes or dislikes we onely desire to know yea or no whether the matter in it selfe be unlawfull or where it is repugnant to Scripture when all places of this subject are compared together And if it be controverted not with Heathen fables or mens bare opinions but by Scripture proofe by one that is learned and of a refin'd wit it may satisfie but if it come from a young head not halfe codled or from one that is old and Note doting or from any that is popish or illiterate t is ten to one such judgement will be renounced or at least suspected Some other questions we intended to move as namely those at the latter end of Mr Smiths Sermon entituled The lost sheep is found which yet we have not heard any answer unto and why through Popish superstition on the one side and diversity of Schisms and Sects of the other side there is yet no certaine frame of Discipline setled to confirme the weake and wavering Christian Or seeing we have found so much fault with Turke and Pope for their bloody tenents and that the weapons of the Church are preces lacrymas prayers and teares whether that will prove a good Religion which is setled or maintained by the Sword but if these be first resolved to be as they are here conceived or otherwise convinc'd of errour by Scripture proofe we may then have encouragement to move some other things necessary for the confirmation of our selves and others LAVS DEO POSTSCRIPT 1. WE have lately seen a little Booke which saith the sinne against the holy Ghost hath hitherto been mistaken 2. We have seen another maintaine that Independency is no Schism 3. We have seen another maintaine out of Scripture that our Saviour Christ shall live 1000 yeers with his Saints upon earth 4. We have seen books writ against baptizing of Infants though the custome hath been so for 1400 yeeres 5. We see the Office of Bishops of no repute though their Function hath continued since the time of the Apostles and what Heresies were by them refuted in the first four generall Counsels 6. We know our own King Henry the 8. married his brothers wife and put her away and tooke another which we cannot approve of 7. We have heard that Martin Luther married a Nun which in the Popes opinion was a greater trespasse then if he had married his naturall sister And in feare of the president the holy Father thundered out his Excommunications but the honest Doctor to requite him said he would open a gap that all the bushes in St Peters patrimony should not stop againe and 〈◊〉 as good as his word These things considered our little Discourse that maintaines nothing positively but asketh questions under correction will not be strange to them that are judicious however it seem strange to such as will laugh at their shadow Salo. Nothing remains certain under the Sunne FINIS