Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
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A05689
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Cartain obseruations of that reuerend, religious and faithfull servant of God, and glorious martyr of Iesus Christ, Mr. Randal Bate, which were part of his daily meditations in the time of his sufferings, whilst he was prisoner in the gatehouse at Westminster
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Bate, Randal.
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1625
(1625)
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STC 1580; ESTC S117192
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109,500
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280
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but in circumstances agreeable to the will of the Lord therfore this manner of worship of God though it be sound in the substance 2 in the Ministers lawfull yet in circumstances it is unlawfull Ob. God had tyed his worship to IerusaleÌ„ so he hath not now to this or that manner Answ 1. His not commanding of the manner â—s a forbidding of the same 2 He hath as hath been and by Gods blessing shall be hereafter proved forbidden this manner 3 The very nature of the covenant now made with us shews it which is not obscure typicall adumbratory but all things are plain secondly here the Lord giues freedom from all Ceremonies Gal. 4 thirdly his children haue abundance of spirit in sted of Ceremonies 4 The faithfulnesse of Christ proues it who left all things as perfect as Moses Arg. 16. People forsaking the puâ—e worship of God can never stay as appears in Ieroboam all the Kings of Iudah that were evill grew worse and worse This Argument is plain against our Ceremonies which being â—etained will bring in other things of the same and like nature that may be justified by the like grounds The reason of this is men forsaking God wittingly and willingly in the least things the Lord forsakes them and giues them over into a reprobate sense 2 Men take not the Word to stay them now for they haue trangrest the bounds and limits of it 3 It is nature of will-worship Rom. 1 Isa 29 to destroy the wisedom of the wise and make men sottish Arg. 17 All uncleannesse and filthinesse ought to be carried out of the house of God before Gods worship be erected in it 2 Chron. 29. Hence these ought to be expelled for they are spotted by the flesh defiled by Antichrist and what superstition hath defiled if the Lord ordain it not cannot be cleansed againe 2 These were never clean nor holy for there is no word to warrant them which must sanctifie all Arg. 18 2 King 18.4 1 True zeal and hatred of Superstition abolisheth all monuments of Idolatry 2 Things though of good use at their first Institution yet being abused to Idolatry ought to be abolished as the Brazen serpent 3 Many things passe unreformed even through the hands of good men 4 Abuse of things to Idolatry doth abase them and should make them vile in our eyes if they be not perpetuall Ordinances of God It is not enough to take away the abuse of Idolatrous reliques but the very matter should be removed burst and burnt according to the nature of it This place is very firm against these Cemonies in question 1 Because these were never of good use in the Church 2 Though they had yet being now so grosly abused they ought to be quite abolished since they haue now no necessary use in the Church 3 They are too vile a filthy Surplus and Crosse to come into the presence of Lord who likes nothing but what he appoints himselfe 4 Men cannot prevent the abuse of Idolatrous reliques they being continued 5 Though they could yet â—t were not lawfull to surfâ—r them for civill uses This example binds us as is plain out of the text For first the Holy Ghost commends it in Hezekiah and such things are written for our learning 2 He did câ—eau to the Lords commandement and departed not from him 3 these Commandements were given Moses Arg. 19. Psal 137.3.4.5 1 There ought to be nothing in the worship of God but what is from the Lord. 2 Men are bound in circumstances to worship the Lord according to his commandement and will in the Place therfore also in Garments 3 Affirmatiue Commands in the service of God exclude all mens own inventions though they be not specified 4 Men forget Ierusalem and are carelesse of the Church that please Idolaters and worship God after their desire in any corrupt manner 5 It is better a man never preach then doe any evill in preaching This Psalm quite overthrows our Ceremonies now imposed 1 They are not from the Lord no more then the reading of Apocriphall scripture 2 Men are bound to administer Sacraments as the Lord hath commanded 〈◊〉 sâ—ch ordinary garments as our Saviour Christ and his Apostles used as they administâ—ed Baptism in they that would not sing the Lords song in a strange place would much more refuse to doe it in a strange garment 3 Though these particulars Crosse Surplus and Kneeling be not specified yet in that they are not mentioned in the Woâ—d it is enough to proue they should not be used for each strange manner of worshipping the true God is hatefull in Gods eyes 4 It is plain therfore that Ministers refusing to yeeld to these things imposed doe not sinne though they be hâ—ndred so as they cannot execute their Calling Ob. God had bound his worship to Ierusalem therfore it was unlawfull to worship in any other place But he hath not bound himself to be worshiped in this manner without Crosse and Surplus and kneeling Answ The Lord hath plainly bound men to worship him in spirit and in truth 2 The Lord in his new covenant hath aswell manifested his will as in the old there men might adde and annex nothing without speciall and imediate revelation from God therfore not now 3 As IerusaleÌ„ because it was chosen of the Lord appointed the place where he wold be worshiped was by this made holy and so it lawfull for to worship there and no where else So the Lord having chosen no peculiar garment nor appointed any crosse or kneeling they are not holy but to be accounted as strangers that may not come neare the house of the Lord. Arg. 20 Isa 30.22 Men inwardly taught by the Lord cannot endure the least cover of Idols 2 True turning to God maks men cast away the precious monuments of Idolatry 3 Gods children must be pure inwardly and outwardly casting away all tokens of spirituall adultery 4 Men taught by the Lord see filthines in garments abused to Idolatrie 5 Men that return to the Lord must goe as far as is possible from superstition 6 Things abused to Idolatry should be cast away with reproach and disgrace This place is firm against our Ceremonies in controversie 1 Because these were covers and ornaments of Idols the priest being an Idoll to offer up Christ and to forgiue sins which are priviledges of God 2 Vnder this all Idolatrous signes and garments are contayned 3 The best and sincerest Christians through the land abhorr these The second ground is also against these because they haue been ornaments of Idols for to that end doth the Masse-priest weare them 2 If precious ornaments should be cast away how much more these base Ceremonies 3 The children of God must not haue one taken from Idolaters nor one ceremony or sign of Idolatry past these are signs of Superstition past therfore to be cast away 4 Filthy menstruous clouts ought not to be brought near the Lord nor are decent garments
which is worship devised by man and arbitrary or free is abhorred by the Lord. The second commandement forbids making to our selues the least sign fying ceremony Numb 15.39 Col. 2 noth ng pleaseth God but what comes from heaven for outward service pleaseth no further then it is done in obedience to God and is an expressing of inward worship Therefore this wil-worship being done not in obedience to God but to our own and others will Isa 24.13 it is not accepted of God To this all agree for it was the Pharisies sinne that they took up of themselues many washings not commanded of God nor forbidden by him but indifferent in themselues 2 The Lord hath given a perfect Platform and absolute Rule how hee will be worshipped in the time of the new Testament For Christ that hath ever taught the Church and directed Moses and David much more comming in his own person hath fully manifested the will of his Father Else he should be lesse faithfull then the servant in him are hid all the treasures of wisedom and knowledge so as in him we are compleat and need not further to seek nor borrow any light from the greatest Angells in heaven for matters concerning God or his worship Therfore they are accursed Gal. 1 that preach any other doctrine besides that the Apostles haue preached and left unto us 2 Tim. 3 The Scripture makes the man of God perfect and absolute to every good work and it is a light unto our feet and to our pathes so as not a foot is set towards heaven but where and how it should be placed is evidently shewed The Scripture is so large that it meets with all doubts else the Lord should not be so provident as man who meet in their lawes with all they can conceiue Now the Lord foresees all doubts Further the Scripture g ues direction how to use things indifferent 1 Tim. 4 in our common use therfore much more in a religious This for the substance is held by all our sound Divines against the Papists 3 The Lord is very strict for observing every thing commanded in his service without any addition or detraction in the least things Deut. 4.2 Moses must doe all according to the pattern shewed in the mount The Lord punished Aarons sonnes for offering strange fire Vzzah for offering to stay the Ark hee forbids to be called Baali Hes 2. The Lord is a jealous God 2 Com. and his authority is weakned when men presume to doe any thing in his worship and serv ce God will be the same in punishing that he is in forbidding Math. 5 the least jo e or title shall not passe but all must see fulfilled 4 The least sin may not be committed to injoy all the Ordinances of God Rom. 3. For 1 The Lord may take men away in the act of doing evill afore they come to any good 2 It is is a great dishonour to God to doe any sinne to a good end as though the Lord could not provide for thy soule without sinning against him and sâ—rving Satan first 3 It opens a gap to all superstitâ—on upon a good meaning and a gap to injustâ—ce in mens dealings 4 The least sinne done especâ—ally wittâ—ngly and willingly brings judgement upon the doer 5 God in such times when without sinning against him wee cannot enjoy them calls us for the while to humiliation or removing his glory from that place calls otherwhere to ab de Matth. 15 Men Men may not deny duety to these parents in rele ving them to offer unto God it makes the commandement of God of none effect which for to doe for any man whatsoever is a most hoâ—r bâ—e sinne 5 A little leaven leavens the whole lumpe 1 Cor. 5 men dote ever upon their own dev sâ—s and hav ng oâ—c◠〈◊〉 the bounds God hath set them run fuâ—tâ—er further Besides the Lord so knâ—tâ—a hâ—s worship and oâ—dinances togethâ—r that â—orruption of one coâ—rupts the â—est and without curing and restoring in time expells all Gods institutions and leaues men nothing but their own stuffe For men withholding the truth in injustice are forsaken of God and become fooles because they worship not God as God that is as he reveales himselfe in his workes and word Leaven is a Gangreen 2 Tim. 3. 6 The offence of the weak in the abuse of things indifferent much more superstitious which none in earth can command this may bring damnation unto thy brother Therfore that is most uncharitable and none can command against charity The Magâ—strate is keeper of this Law and ought not to see it broken This is a sin against Christ Woe be to him that offends the least of these little ones Math. 18. In this the Scripture is so large 1 Cor. 10 Rom. 14 because men are witty having no sense nor tendernesse of conscience in themselues nor true loue towards the sincere servants of God and therfore no care of their growth in grace and prosperity of their soules onely puft up with knowledge and a forme of Religion that they haue devised I say they are so cunning to offend their weak brethren for which Christ dyed under colourable pretences Math. 12.23 ad 8. Divine order it selfe giues way to charity towards mens bodies much more a humane to mens soules All power is to edification not destruct on 7 All men are bound to protest and stand out against all superstitious will-worship especially that of the Church of Rome so as they may leaue the pure truth to posterity now in this light of the Gospell 2 Cor. 6 Apoc 14.4 Saints are redeemed and bought from among men and virgins which are not defiled with women that is w th whorish and idolatrous service Else how doe wee answer the great mercy and goodnesse of the Lord if we deny not all ungodlâ—nesse Tit. 2. 2 They are guilty of former superst tions if they cast not away all idols 2 Command 3 They wrong their posterity making them e ther to drink troubled waters or suffer persecution for standing against that wh ch they yeelded unto 4 This is a part of that victory which Christ hath gotten for all his over the world that will lay claime unto it 8 To doe a th ng doubtingly by the example of others may bring damnat on to the party so sinn ng Rom. 14.23 Men may sinne aga nst the r conscience and so stumble and fall 2 Men may be given over in other things to the like to follow men And this holds in following any one though never so learned For not many nor prudent haue the truth revealed unto them in every age there being some misteries in Religion which learning or study cannot attain to without a speciall assistance and working of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 2. 9 It is a great sinne to obserue pleasing Traditions because they are commanded by men and haue a shew of wisedom Col. 2 Esa 29. It argues men are led onely by an humane