Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	hear_v	speak_v	word_n	7,138	5	4.4441	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86660	The happiness of a people in the wisdome of their rulers directing and in the obedience of their brethren attending unto what Israel ougho [sic] to do recommended in a sermon before the Honourable Governour and Council, and the respected Deputies of Mattachusets [sic] colony in New-England. : Preached at Boston, May 3d, 1676, being the day of election there. / By William Hubbard ...	Hubbard, William, 1621 or 2-1704.	1676 (1676)	Wing H3209; ESTC W12661	72,888	77

abstain from some expressions in the controversies then stirring with great freedome and boldness used by others that he might not be the envy of words and phrases draw upon himself and in him upon the Church of God an inevitable and unnecessary danger As a great Divine of ours notes out of Gregory Nazian If the like wisdome and Moderation had been observed in those that earnestly contend for truth so as not to load the truth they maintain with hard severe though it may be true expressions that beget more obstinacy in the Adversaries and it may be suspition in the weak or unresolved looker on differences amongst men might be more soberly composed and the truth with more assurance entertained Dr. R. on Psal 110. p. 372. The words of the wise saith Solomon are heard in quiet more then the cry of him that ruleth among fools i.e. A wise man that speaks without clamour noyse or contention gains more credit to his words by the weight of the matter then another can do by the obstreperous noise and loud sound they are wont to be uttered withal The like wisdome doth moderation discover in things of a civil nature where many times the rigorous exaction of the strict letter of the rule of Justice proves unjust in the issue and most unprofitable to the Cumini sectar himself or his instruments According to the usual saying summum jus est summa injuria The Duke of Burgundy began a quarrel with the Switzers about the Toll of a load of Calve-skins wherein he lost his life and all his treasure 5. Peaceableness is another property of Wisdome which ought to be esteemed by the tendency it hath toward the obtaining the great end that all ought to aym at sc the honour of God and good of Societies which is much more promoted by peace then by the proceeding of force The Woman of Ab●l whom the Scripture commends for her wisdome discovered her wisdome by her peaceable Counsel The poor wise man saved the City by wise counsel not by weapons of War Eccles 9.15 when a great King came against it besieged it built Bulwarks against it There is nothing more easie then to begin a War as nothing more difficult then to manage it aright or bring it to a good issue therefore is peace in a wise mans eye a rich booty Contention saith Solomon is like the breaking forth of water therefore his advice is to leave off before it be medled with Prov. 17.14 D●lc● b●llum inexpertis is a true saying i. e. War uses to be welcome to none but those that never made tryal thereof as I fear New-England may find by woful experience which will leave a reflection of the deeper guilt if any have had any needless hand in the inviting of such an unwelcome guest into the Country But I judge charitably of the present Auditors and dare not censure others It was the spirit of David one wise as the Angel of God and no mean Warriour neither I am for peace but when I speak they are for War Psal 120.7 It seemed then David used not Wars but when necessity forced him thereunto In matters of Religion who is it that gains by Contention it is the duty of every Christian to contend for the Faith once delivered to the Saints but they ought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle speaks Eph. 4.15 least otherwise the loss of love is more matter of grief then the truth we suppose we have gained is matter of rejoycing like them that angle for small fish with a golden Hook Not that any truth of God ought upon any pretence to be undervalued nor any precept of God be counted little but every thing is beautiful in his season where the urging of some truth of less moment may certainly endanger the breach of peace which is a greater good I know not but it might with more acceptation have been forborn for we know our Saviour Christ did not nor the Apostles after him at every season declare such Truths as the Hearers were not capable to receive For all necessary and fundamental Truths we cannot be too resolved in Contention for them But for Opinions of less certainty and moment where wise and good men have alwayes needed a latitude wherein to differ and turn aside one from the other it can be no part of wisdome to be too eager or rigorous about them some with the Disciples Luke 9.54.55 are ready to think he deserves no less then to be destroyed by fire from Heaven if he follows not them whom yet our Saviour justly reproves for giving too much way to their own Spirits 6. Condescension may in the next place be added as another property of Wisdome Humility the ground of condescension is nearly allyed to wisdome both are the procreant causes of great Blessings to the Sons of men Prov. 22.4 The wisdome that is from above is gentle easie to be entreated No man ever thought that Abraham was the less wise because more willing to yield in the controversie between him and Lot Those parts of the natural body that are the most yielding are the stronger and most useful were all the other members of our body as hard and as stiff as the Bones how uncomfortable would our Actions and motions be If any finde it better to break then bow they may thereby gain some reputation for their wilfulness but not for their wisdome This must alwayes be understood of things lawful and expedient to be yielded to else Moses the meekest man upon Earth will not bate an hoof nor Paul the most humble of all Christians will not yield or give place for an hour both which in other cases could deny themselves and yield very far 7. Deliberation is the last property of Wisdome which I need mention it can hardly be thought to consist with Wisdome to do any thing rashly in matters of moment Temerity of Counsels argues rather height of folly and pride then depth of wisdome for in so doing we should lay aside Reason our most faithful and best Councellour and commit our affairs into the hands of passion and affection or worse cum res transit in affectum perit omne judicium they loose their wisdome that suffer themselves to be transported with passion Deliberandum diu quod semel statuendum it had need be a long time deliberated upon that is to be appointed for ever after For although our statutes be not unalterable like those of the Medes and Persians yet that which is maturely agreed upon at the first will stand in the less need of alteration or abrogation the frequency of either of which abates much of the rigour of the Laws and honour of the Law-makers Many things in humane affairs admit not of second thoughts notwithstanding they are generally known to be the best In bello non b●s ●ccat therefore sayes Solomon with good advice make War and manage it likewise with the same care lest there be no room

about this Argument What considerable benefit this place hath already reaped and as t is hoped may further receive by this one Colledge in the Countrey founded and hitherto carried on by the pious care and religious endeavore of our former worthy Leaders and other liberal Benefactors is sufficiently demonstrable to the view of the World 4. By the calling of Synods or Councils as need may require to discusse points of Religion in controversie and to hear matters of differences and determine them and be of use when ever there is want or truth or peace in the Churches Some are ready to attribute too much to the power or use of Synods which make others or the other hand ascribe too little to them For although civil Rulers are not absolutely tyed up to their determination further then they are grounded upon the word of God As if the secular powers were alwayes bound to submit to the decrees of the Ecclesiastical Senate as is practised in the Church of Rome yet if orderly called and duely managed of what great use they have been in all ages and still may be the experience of all times can abundantly testifie as the learned Crakenthorpe in his elaborate discourse about the first general Council hath fully evidenced nor can it ever be made out that any general Council where all the Requisites essential to such a Council were found have erred in their decrees about any matter of Faith or fundamental Article thereof as the same Author doth assert For although what Grotius sayes cannot be denied that the Sovereign power is not tyed to the judgement of Physitians in the case of a wound nor of a Geometrician in the measuring of Land yet is he much mistaken that from thence shall inferre that the civil power need make no use or can receive no benefit or direction about such cases in question before he gives his final determination in and about the same The priests lips should preserve knowledge and of old they were in all arduous and difficult cases to repair to the Priest and to the Judge that should be in those dayes Deut 17.9.12 By proportion of that Text it is no hard matter to gather what is the use and benefit and what the power of Synods in a christian state 5. By preventing the spreading and growth of corrupt Doctrine and heretical Opinions I confess it is not easie to hit the joynt in this controversie yet for the satisfaction of their minds that may need or desire I shall adventure to say something to this question and that in this order laying down some propositions that may by degrees lead unto a meet conclusion about Toleration or Suppression of differing Opinions for some men will call that Religion Heresie in which good Christians are bound to worship the God of their Fathers Therefore all that formerly hath or at present doth pass up and down the World under the name of Heresie Schisme or corrupt Doctrine is not without due ground so to be judged and condemned I shall not here entertain you with any sharp invective or declaiming against a boundless toleration of all Religions least it should be an insinuation that some here present are inclined that way which I believe there was never any occasion given to suspect 1. In the first place therefore I shall lay down this as an undoubted Position that it is scarce possible to give any general rule about Toleration that will suit with all times and places but much must be left to the prudence and discretion and religious care of Civill Rulers A weak body as some have said ought not to suffer that out of charity to another which a stronger may and it may as truely be said that a stronger need not to suffer that which a weaker must which some say was the case of Holland with the rest of the united Provinces who have softened the sharpness of all differences about Religion found in other places so troublesome by a more general freedome for the exercise of differing Religions or differing perswasions about Christian Religion or connivance at them then other States judged meet that they might thereby gain the more hands to strengthen themselves against their common Enemies The rule given by some others that whatever may consist with the interest of Religion and safety of the Common-wealth is too indefinite For if the Civil Rulers will say that then it is not safe to allow any to dissent from the publick profession established by Law what shall become of the weak and infirme they must of necessity be driven to suffer ship-wrack of their Consciences and of their lives and estates it being impossible that all Consciences can quietly submit to the Religion of the state Doubtless as much tenderness as may should be used out of pity to the infirmities of mens understandings seeing in many things we sin or offend all That golden Rule laid down by our Saviour is of excellent use if it were attended Alteri ne feceris c. to do no otherwise to others then we would they should do to us if we were in their condition And indeed it may seem not only unchristian but very unreasonable to deny that to others which our friends and our selves have or may desire or need from others a special Law of Humanity toward strangers was given by God to the Children of Israel from the consideration of what had been their own case in Egypt before 2. Such Opinions in Doctrine or professions and practises in Religion as are attended with any foul practical evils as most Heresies have been ought to be prohibited by publick Authority and the broachers or fomenters of them punished by penal laws according to the nature of the offence like other fruits of the flesh God never appointed a Sanctuary for Satan nor City of Refuge for presumptuous offenders As Joab was taken from the Horns of the Altar whether he was fled so let all such heretical transgressors that fly for refuge to the Altar of their Consciences seeing their practises and Opinions argue rather searedness then tenderness of Conscience and therefore such weeds justly deserve the exercise of his power to root them up that bears not the Sword in vain The deeds of the Nicholaitans every good Christian be he an head or member of the Christian state ought to hast and endeavour the extirpation of such roots of bitterness out of the Garden of God 3. Any Doctrine undenyably tending to the disturbance of the civil state ought to be suppressed and the publick profession yet by civil Authority forbidden and the disobedient to be proceeded against as wholsome and meet Laws provide in such cases for Salus populi est suprema lex the safety of the people is the supream Law our Saviour neither preached nor practised sedition no more should any of his followers his command was to give unto God the things that are Gods and to render to Cesar the things that are Cesars

Mat. 22.21 Therefore for all known incendiaries in Church or state such as are the Jesuites Munsterian Anabaptists Wolves in Sheeps-cloathing Devils in humane shape who ever pleaded for their exemption from penal Laws but those that are or would if they might be like unto them Likewise all such as expose the religion professed by the countenance of publick Authority to vulgar contempt may justly fall under the same condemnation concerning these as well as the former I may say to the civil Rulers of the Country as David said to Solomon in another case Thou art a wise man and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto them 1 King 2.9 4. For simple Heresie or misbelieving any truth in Religion though fundamental if not seditiously or Blasphemously held forth there seems neither rule from the word of God nor reason from the nature of the thing why any should undergoe capital punishment Nor doth it appear to be the judgment of the best Protestant Writers that they should be so proceeded against They that desire to understand more of this Subject may peruse the Writings of the most judicious Professors of Divinity in the famous Universityes of Protestant Nations whither Lutheran or Calvinist as may be seen in the Common places Disputations of Gerrard Vostius Amesius and others The Law in Deut. 13. will not reach the case which seems to respect Apostacy or Blasphemy rather then heresy simply considered Yet as one saith men cannot be too cautelous and wary how they make others in that damnable Series seriously and solemnly professing the contrary yea by experience it hath commonly been found that such proceedings have in the issue tended more to the advantage of errour and prejudice of truth then otherwise .. The Magdeburgenses and Osiander tell us in their centuryes what was the success of capital punishment infl●cted upon the Priscillianites hac ratione haerisis haec magis confirmata quam extincta fuit As they speak out of Sulpitius Severus sc that Heresie in it self abominable odious enough was rather confirmed then extinguished thereby some have thought there hath been no better effect of the same course in following times ad judicium sanguinis said Luther territus sum etiam ubi meritum abundat Luther wanted no fervour against false doctrine yet was slow to consent to sanguinary punishment left occasion be taken thereby in following times to slaughter the innocent sheep of Christ as came to pass amongst the Jewes of old and since among the Papists Yet notwithstanding there is no doubt but the civill power may and ought to non-licentiate him that shall take upon him as a Physitian to prescribe to the people poysonous Drugs instead of wholsome food or physick although they may not punish him that shall declare that to be his opinion unless he offend the Lawes by his irregular manner of so doing Doubtless they that are nursing Fathers of their people ought as well to prevent poyson as to provide bread for them which seems to be all that was intended by the authority of the Countrey in the Laws formerly made against Hereticks If the owner or keeper of the Vineyard shall make a thorn hedge about it if any man by violence breaking in shall wound or destroy himself where will the blame be found in them that made the hedg so sharp and strong or in them that attempted without leave violently to break in Those hereticks saith Voetius that shall deny the fundamentals of the Christian Religion Arrians and Socinians Conventus corum nec publici nec privato-publici sunt ferendi if with publick safety they may be forbidden Their religion as he speaks being little better then refined Mehumitanisme directly tending to the destruction of souls It was a notable Stratagem Amphilochius used to convince Theodosius th● Emperour of his duty in suppressing the Conventieles or meetings of the Ar●ians The good Bishop refused to salute the Emperours son newly also created Emperour which Theodosius his father taking ill as if he had forgotten his duty whereupon the said Amphilochius returned upon him with these words vides O Imperator quam aegrè ignominiam filii tui patiare imo vero illis qui in illum insultant vehementer sucoenses credere igitur mihi ve●im hujus Vniversitatis Rectorem Deum eos qui contra filium suum unigenitum loquuntur Blasphemias itidem detestari et tanquam ingratos erga Servatorem et Patronem suum odio prosequi i. e. Thou seest O Emperour how hardly thou art able to bear the reproach done to thy son yea thou art vehemently offended with them that insult over him I would have you believe me that God the Ruler of this Universe doth in like manner detest them that speak Blasphemies against his only begotten son and doth hate them as very ungratefull to their Saviour and Deliverer Whereupon the Emperour forthwith enacted a Law that forbad any assemblyes should be held by the hereticks 5. In the last place for those Opinions which are inconsistent with the truth of Religion and power of godliness and where those that profess them may in charity be supposed to have in them aliquid Dei as Calvin or aeliquid Christi as Bucer was wont to say the case is far otherwise For though I would not be understood to plead for a Toleration of the least evil for all error is in it self a fruit of the first sin and part of the curse any further then necessity requires there should be an allowance made for humane infirmityes in this state of imperfection That which is wanting sayes Solomon cannot be numbred as that which is crooked cannot be made straight Yet why there may not be an indulgence or connivance at them that in some things not fundamental may not be so far perswaded of the truth of every thing professed or practised in the Religion established as to joyn with others in all outward acts of worship being in other respects orderly and peaceable but desire to worshsp God according to their owne perswasion I understand not Paul was permitted to dwell quietly in his owne hired house no doubt but that he worshipped God according to the Institution of the Gospel Act. 28 30. For as Magistrates and civill Rulers should not Gallio like let truth and errour run together in a race catch it who can so neither should they Gyant-like strain up all under their power to their owne measure or bringing them down to their owne size as was said of Procrustes that used so to deal with his Guests It seems not equal to force all others to keep our Pace Besides they may be thought to dispute under too much disadvantage when they know all the Arguments of their adversaries will conclude in Ferio whatsoever the medium may be Or to what end should men be put to produce either Scripture or reason to confirm the Religion they profess if as Jacobus Acontius sayes out of Tertullian they can expect no other Answer