Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	jesus_n	lord_n	spirit_n	7,577	5	4.8812	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A87123	The harmonious consent of the ministers of the province within the county palatine of Lancaster, with their reverend brethren the ministers of the province of London, in their late testimonie to the trueth of Jesus Christ, and to our Solemn League and Covenant : as also against the errours, heresies, and blasphemies of these times, and the toleration of them.	Heyrick, Richard, 1600-1667.	1648 (1648)	Wing H800A; Thomason E434_7; ESTC R7597	26,660	31

the same Heresies and Blasphemies when they published their Ordinance ' to that purpose As also for to seek Gods assidance for the suppressing and preventing the same and which put us in hopes that there would have been long before now an application of some effectual means of remedy And although we cannot but from the bottom of our hearts lament and pity all those that are intangled in the dangerous and deadly snares fo the Errours of these times yet considering that unsound and heretical doctrine Wil eat as doth a canker b 2. Tim 2.7 or gangrene and therefore doth manifestly tend to the razing down to the ground the true Christian Faith the extirpating of all true Religion and the power of godliness the poysoning and undoing of precions souls is the pest of a Church the weed that wil over-grow Gods garden and so choak the plants of the Lords own planting doth highly provoke God to anger and that the fuligmous vapors thereof which have of late risen up out of the bottomless pit as they have greatly eclipsed so are they in danger to grow into thick clouds to the utter datkening of the heavens over our heads that we should not behold any more the light of the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ we do therefore hereby testifie with our brethren c Teslimony to the Touth of Jesus Christ page 33. to all our flocks to all the reformed Churches as our great dislike of Prelacy Erastianism ' Brownism and Independency so our utter abhorrency of Antiscripturism Popery Arianism Socinianism Arminianism Antinomianism Anabaptism Libertinism and Familism with all such like now toorife amongst us and more particularly all those Errours witnesses against by our brethren and recited by them in their Catalogue of infamous and pernicious Errours in their late Testimony And we do hereby as the Watchmen of God and Ministers of Jesus Christ give warning to our several flocks d Mat 7 5. That they take heed of the wolves in sheeps clothing of all e 2 Pet 2 1. false Teachers that do privily bring in dumnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction and that therefore they follow not their pernicious ways that the way of truth may not be evil spoken of that f 2 Ioh. v 10 11 if any man come unto them and bring not the doctrine of Christ they receive him not into their house neither hid him God speed that so they be not partakers of their evil deeds that g Rom. 16 17 they mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which the they have learned and avoyd them And do earnestly exhort them in the bowels of Jesus Christ That they labour to get sound knowledg and to be wel grounded in the principles of the oracles of h Heb. 5.12 God the want whereof is the cause why so many are seduced and turned aside and being i Eph. 4.14 but children in understanding are tossed to and fro and carryed about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cuning craftiness of those that lie in wait to deceive k Acts 17.11 That they search the Scriptures with those good Bereans whether those things they hear be so or no l 1 Iohn 4.1 that they beleeve not every spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God because many false Prophets are gone out into the world m I Thes 5.20 21 that they dispise not prophecying but yet prove all things and hold fast that which is good n Eph 4.15 and that speaking the trueth in love they grow up into Christ in all things which is the head Most humbly beseeching o Eph. 1.17 the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory that he would give unto all his people the Spirit of wisdoms and revelation in the knowledg of him p Eph. 3.16 That he Would grant unto them according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man that they may be kept from every evil way of errour and sin and may always have something to say for the trueth and nothing against it that all those that go astray may be brought into the Way of trueth and that we our selves our several flocks and the whole Church of God every where may be found blameless at the day of Christ And however we cannot but for the present deplore the sad condition of the Church of God in this Kingdom in respect of the poysonful Errours it is infected with yet we hope that that God which often works by contraries making scandals the tryal and triumph of his chosen is for the present doing his people good by the means of Errours growth thereby ●tying their sincerity and love to trueth stiring them up to prize it the more and more to search after it There must be Heresies saith the Apostle that they that are appoved may be made manifest q C●s 11 19 Open enemies and false brethren by the wise ordering of God who can make soveraign mithridate of the flesh of vipers do always advantage the r Non 〈◊〉 do ●●slo q●od nes●unt s●d ad ●●●un qu●●readum ca●●●les ad 〈◊〉 ap●●●idu● scin●●tua●●●●●●●●cos exci●a●do An●u●●● de vera ●●li●● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 8. Church And we do further trust that when God by his thus suffering the growth of abominable and pernicious Errours for a time hath thereby fully accomplished the work he hath to do upon the hearts of his people he that knows how to bring light out of darkness order out of confusion good out of evil as he made the pride and tyranny of the Prelates the means to cast them forth so also in much mercy to England wil at length by this most unlikely and contraty means in it self make the Reformation of these Kingdoms much more thorough and glorious III. But before we pass on any further we are here led to express with what astonishment and horrour we are struck when we seriously weigh what endeavours are used for the establishing of an universal Toleration of all the pernicious Errours blasphemous and heretical doctrines broached in these times as if men would not sin fast enough they were biden or as if God were not already enough dishonored except the throne of iniquity were set up framing mischief by a Law ſ Psa 94.20 or as if men were afraid that Errour a goodly plant to be cherished would not grow fast enough except it were made much of or as if it might as justly lay claim to the priviledg of being defended as truth it self or as if there were danger that Satan would not destroy souls enough except he might do the same without all restraint For our own parts as we can never sufficiently admire and wonder that any that have taken the Sole●● League and Covenant should either have so quickly forgo●●nit or else

THE Harmonious Consent OF THE MINISTERS OF THE Province within the County Palatine OF LANCASTER With their Reverend Brethren the Ministers of the Province of London in their late Testimonie to the Trueth of Jesus Christ and to our Solemn League and Covenant As also against the Errours Heresies and Blasphemies of these times and the Toleration of them LONDON Printed by J. Macock for Luke Fawne at the sign of the Parrot in Pauls Church-yard MDCXLVIII THE Harmonious Consent OF THE Ministers of the Province WITHIN THE County Palatine of Lancaster c. IT is a saying of Solomon worthy to be writen in letters of gold That a friend loveth at all times and a brother is born for adversity a Prov. 17 17 And therefore though God need not the witness of men nor truth our testimony yet when his name is blasphemed the truth contradicted and opposed the faithful friends of God and the sincere lovers of the truth will as in all ages they have done stand up in his cause which they then see in such apparant hazard In the Scriptures we read of a cloud of witnesses b Heb. 12. 1. that appeared for God and bare witness to his truth though for so doing some of them had tryal of cruel mockings and scourgings yea moreover of bonds and imprisonments c Heb. 11 36 37 38. c. In the Apostasie of the ten tribes Elijah and Elesha were zealous for God against the false Prophets of Baal Jeremy at Jerusalem and Ezekiel in Captivity bore witness against the whoredoms of the house of Judah as is most evident throughout their whole Prophesies Peter and the other Apostles though commanded not to teach any more in the name of Christ yet did not therefore forbear resolving rather to obey God then men d Acts 5.28 The two witnesses prophesied one thousand two hundred threescore days all the while the Gentiles did tread under-foot the holy City e Rov 11.2 3. Arrius met with great Athanasius and when the whole world wondered at it self that it was become Arrian the general Councel Of Nice f Concentrate a●tem pratie in un●●lles d●●●llus de p●●lyi●●ose phupt united li●e●●ll it 〈◊〉 di●●n ●in●●●i●sani●●●ale miru●●● it ●●vi●a●●●um ●●npin●●●l●m s●●tntiaplane admyab●les c. Binius vol. 1. Pay 262 met and laid an anatheme on that pernicious Heresie In latter times God had many in this Land who loved not their lives unto the death g Rev. 12 11. and gave testimony to the truth not in ink but in blood and who though they be dead yet speak h Heb. 11.4 as their names wil live for ever When the Complices of Arminius grew many some from the several reformed Churches convened in the general Synod of Dort and accursed his pestilentious Errours And yet more lately The i See the Pre. face to the Protestation May 5.1641 designs of Priests and Jesuites and other adherents to the Sea of Rome against the true reforuted Protestant Religion in his Majesties Dominions established the introducing of divers innovations and superstitions into the Church together with the driving out of multitudes out of his Majesties Dominions amongst other reasons brought forth the Protestation for the defence as of other things so also of the true reformed Protestant Religion expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England against all Popery and Popish innovations within this Realm wherein not only the Parliament it self was engaged but according to the k See the Order of the House of Commons May 5.1641 concerning the printing of the Preamble the Protestar'en and sending down the Copies printed by the Knights and Burgesses who were to intimate with what willingness all the Members of the House made the Protestation and further to sign fie that as they jutisie the taking of it in themselves so they cannot but approve it in all such as shal take it Order and l See the Voce of the House July 30.1641 wherein they declare that what person soever shal n●●t●ke the Protestation is unsit to hear Other in the Chuch or Common wealth Vote of the House of Commons the generality of the Kingdom were engaged too The m The Preface of the solenm League and Covenant published Sept. 27.1643 calling to mind the treacherous and bloody plots conspiracies attempts and practises of the enemies of God against the true Religion and professors therof in all places especially in these Kingdoms ever since the Reformation of Religion and how much their rage power and presumption had been of late and were at that time increased and exercised did in a great tryal of affliction n Cor. 8.2 induce these Kingdoms to enter into asolemn League and Covenant as for other thing so also for the defence and Reformation of Religion and Extirpation of Popery Prelacy Superstition Heresie Schism and Profaness c. by which so the Protestation and Covenant as there was care taken for the better defence of the truth so there was also a glorious confession of it made before God Angels and men And now when men of perverse spirits and corrupt minds reprobate concerning the faith had resisted the truth o 2 Tim. 3.8 this stirred up the zeal of our reverend and godly brethren the Ministers of the Province of London to give testimony to the truth of Jesus Christ And therefore that we the Ministers of Christ within the Province of the testimony of them that have gone before us considering that we cannot but be sensible of the strange and woful Apostasie of sundry from the Faith the great opposition made against the Government and Discipline of Jesus Christ the sad Divisions and Rents in this tattered and torn Church that an universal Toleration of all even the most execrable doctrines that ever were hatcht in hel or broached in the world is earnestly labored after by many and that the solemn League and Covenant sworn with hands lifted up to the most high God is with many buried in oblivion as it is not only neglected and slighted but also contemned scorned derided and most palpably voilated and trampled on by not a few and that its manifest that God is hereby shamefully dishonored most highly provoked neighbor Churches justly scandalized all fundamental and saving truths in danger to be plucked up by the roots and our several slocks to be poysoned with the spreading Errors of the times The claim that is laid to truth by the three glorious persons in the blessed Trinity p The Father is called The God of truth Deut. 32.4 the Son the truth Jo 14 6 the holy Ghost the Spirit of truth Jo. 14.17 the high price and account that is worthy to be set upon it being to be bought q Prov. 23 23 though at never so dear a rate how ever now a days esteemed of with many as a refuse commodity the high thankfulness we ow to God for keeping trueth so chaste and pure so long

imagine that the establising a Toleration of Heresie and Schism by a Law should be the way to extirpate them so also here we shal take occasion to declare what our apprehensions are concerning such a Toleration We have searched the Scriptures looked as impartially as we could into those authentick records and yet we cannot find that ever such a thing was practised with approbation from God from the time that Adam was created upon the earth unto the fealing up of the sacred volume the ceasing of visions and all new divine revelations But on the contrary that those were blamed reprehended and checked that did but connive and wink at the practise of those things that were displeasing unto God t Rev. 2 14 15 20. that the not taking away the high places is mentioned to be a defect in their Reformation of whom yet God himself gives testimony that their hearts were upright u 1 King 15.14.2 Chro. 33.17 and that those that quite took all away what ever was distasteful to him were by God himself highly honored and much commended w 2 Chro 17.6 31.1 343 4. And therefore we cannot see how such a kind of Toleration as is endeavoured after in these times can any ways consist with a thorough Reformation according to the Word of God there being nothing more contrary to Reformation then Toleration Besides what else would this be but a seting up the image of jealousie that provokes to jeadousie x Ezek. 8.3 and a puting upon God who knows how many corrivals It would be a giving Satan free liberty to set up his thresholds by Gods thresholds and his posts by Gods posts y Ezeck 43.3 his Dagon by Gods Ark which how dishonorable it would be to God and Jesus Christ his only Son we leave all men to judg They that search diligently cannot find in it love to God or love to his Trueth or love to mens precious souls Nay it strongly savours of leaving of first love z Rev. 26. which Christ hates of lukewarmness and want of zeal for which Christ threatens to spue out of his month a Rev. 3 16. of love to Errour and an apprehension of some amiableness and worth therein for which it were to be desired or else why should there be a pleading to have it tenderly dealt with and indulged even as it argued a love to Baal in them that pleaded for him against Gideon because he hand cast down his altar and cut down the grove that was by it b judy 6.30 31 It would be no part of Englands thankfulness unto God after so many deliverances and mercies received from him to grant men open liberty to blaspheme God at their pleasure wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction c Pet. 3.16 trample upon his holy ordinances sleight and contemn all ministry despise his messengers commit all maner of abomination and for every one to go a whoring after his own inventions which yet would be the effects of a lawless Toleration Add yet further that a Toleration would be the puting of a sword into a mad mans hand d li there were a company of mad men tuning up and down the streets with knives and swords in their hands endeavouring to mischieve and kil must we do nothing to restrain them Burroughs heat-divisions pag. 24. See more in him there to this purpose at large a cup of poyson into the hand of a child a leting loose of mad men with fire-brands in their hands an appointing a City of refuge in mens consciences for the devil to fly to e The devil must not be lot alone though he get into mens consciences God hath appointed no City of refuge for him if he flee to mens consciences as Joab to the horns of the altar he must be fe●cht from thence or faln upon there something may be done to men to keep them from evil and to reduce them notwithstanding the plea of their consciences Burroughs heart-divisions pag. 19 30. See him there also more at large a laying of the stumbling block before the blind a proclaiming liberty to the wolves to come into Christs fold to prey upon his lambs a Toleration of soul-murther the greatest murther of all other and for the establishing whereof damned souls in hel would accurse men on earth Neither would it be to provide for tender consciences but to take away all conscience if evil be suffered it wil not suffer good if Errour be not forcibly kept under it wil be superiour which we here the rather speak of to undeceive those weak ones who under the specious pretext of liberty of conscience though falsly so called and being indeed as is wel observed by the general Assembly of the Church of Scotland f See the Declaration and Exhortation of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland to their brethren in England pag. 4. Liberty of Errour Scandal Schism Heresie God opposing the Trueth hindering Reformation and seducing others are charmed by Satan into a better liking of an unconscientious Toleration We also dread to think what horrid blasphemies would be belched out against God what vile abominations would be commited how the duries of neerest relations would be violated what differences and divisions there would be in Families and Congregations what heart-burnings would be caused what disobedience to the civil Magistrate that might be palliated over with a pretence of conscience as wel as other opinions and practises what disturbance of the civil peace and dissolution of all humane society g Pertinax ●…i● in doctrina sidei dissensio et diffractio totius societatis humanae perturbationem secum trahit ejusque tranquillitatem subvertit Synopsis purior theolog disp 50. thes 61. and of all Government in the Church and Common wealth if once Liberty were given by a Law which God forbid for men to profess and practice what opinions they pleased yea sin would be then commited without any restraint or shame although the more liberty to sin the greater bondage The establishing of a Toleration would make us become the abhoring and loathing of all Nations and being so palpable a breach of our Covenant would be the high road-way to lay Englands glory for ever in the dust and awaken against us the Lord of hoasts to bring a sword upon us to avenge the quarrel of his Covenant h Lev. 26.25 A Toleration added to our sins would make us to God an intolerable burthen he would doubtless think of easing himself he would be weary of repenting And when Jesus Christ should come to judg both quick and dead the very lukewarm Prelates whom Christ hath spued out of his mouth who in their times would never have consented to such a Toleration asis now desired would rise up in judgment against us and condemn us And therefore however there are some i And from brethren in things of the mind we look for no compulsion but that

and keep it not expecting the blessing of God any longer on these Kingdoms then in the remembrance of it and adherence to it And as with the Reverend Alsembly of Divines ſ See the humble Advice of the Assembly of Divines concerning a Confession of Faith Chap. 22. Sect. 4. page 40. we are assured that an oath is to be taken in the plain and common sence of the words without equivocation or mental reservation adjudging the contrary opinion to lay a certain foundation for the cluding all or the as such a salve as this that the Covenant may be taken in mens own sence hath given occasion to some to except against the taking of it t See the Reasons of the present judgment in the University of Oxford concerning the Covenant c. page 22.23 so what ever any others may conceive to the contrary with our Reverend Brethren then Ministers of the Province of London u See a Testimony to the Tinen of Jesus Christ page 28. we do firmly beleeve That neither this nor any other oath is otherwise to be interpreted then according to the common plain and true grammatical sence of it accounting it a most absurd and wicked perverting of it when it is so interpreted as to engage to defend and maintain any kind of Religion whatsoever without any inquiry at all how orthodox it is if established by them who have all the authority that is visible to choose for themselves which is the construction that is put upon it by some that profess to have taken w Secondly what would it do were it renewed and made perpetuall thus much it saith in my opinion and no more whensoever you shall be violently hindred in the execution of that Religion you had amongst you at the time of the engagoment and shal require out assistance we must afford it you for the removall of that violence In like manner when we shal be hindred in the excreise of that Religion which we according to the Covenant shall establish here upon request to you made for that effect you are tyed to assist us and so throughtout all the other clauses respectively and equally carrying this along with you we are hereby obliged to the reciprocall defenco of one another according to the declaration of the party wronged in any of the particulars there comprised without being cavilled at or scrupled by the party involied whather your Religion be the same it was or ours the same it should be whether the bounds of your liberties or ours be not enlarged beyond their then line whether your delinquents or ours be justly so or no for the native Rights of both people being the principal it not the only thing we looked on when we swore we do not keep our oath in preserving those rights if we do not allow 〈◊〉 master-right to each several people 〈◊〉 by to be sole judges within themselves what ●●●●gion they will set up what kind of laws they will have what size what number of Magistrates they hold fit to execute those laws and what offendors to be tryed by them Hereupon you know we did not enquire at all how orthodox your religion was before we towed to maintain you in it that is in the quiet possession of it not in the theological trueth of it a business for an University perhaps not for a Kingdom being well assured it was established by them who had all the authority that is visible to chase for themselves and could not without apparent breach of order and in jury to fundamentals be disturbed in the exercise of what they had to chosen See the Independen●y of England edeavoured to be maintained by Henry Marten a Member of the Parliament there c. page 11 12. it God having never given such an absolute power to any men on earth to establish what religion they please and to require from any sort of persons in any Kingdom whatsoever who are all to render an account to God for themselves that they should maintain and defend it upon such establishment without any inquiry at all whether it be according to the Word of God or no as also because the Covenant according to this interperation might be made the bond of iniquity to maintain defend such Religions as are flat contrary to the Word of God as Judaism Turcism and even Paganism yea Popery it self although by Covenant we be expresly bound to endeavour to extirpate it if established by them who have all the authority that is visible choose for themselves And therefore we are sure this can be none of those native rights of the people of any of these Kingdoms which we looked on when we sware and which by this Oath or Covenant we are obliged to preserve Thus fearing lest if we had altogether held our peace at this time x Esther 4.14 God might have sufficiently vindicated his truth by other instruments but for our baseness judged us unworthy to be intrusted any longer with so precious a treasure as trueth is we have therefore chosen rather to approve our selves faithful to God by joyning hands with our brethren who have witnessed such a good confession in giving such a publike and open Testimony to the trueth of Jesus Christ to our Solemn League and Covenant and against the Errours Heresies and Blasphemies of these times and the Toleration of them though for so doing we should be never so much persecuted by men then by our sinful silence seem to be ashamed either of Christ his Trueth or faithful servants boldly standing up in the cause of our great master although thereby we might be assured to gain the whole world And now having discharged our consciences how ever our actions may be misconstrued by some yet we knowing our witness is in heaven and that God is the righteous judg we do not doubt but the testimony of our consciences that herein we have aimed at nothing but the glory of God the defence of his Trueth the health and recovery of this bleeding Church the casting some discountenance upon the raging Errours of these times and testifie our adherence to our Solemn League and Covenant wil abundantly support us against the worst of evils that can befal us for witness-bearing to the Trueth Subscribed the 3d of March 1647. by us Richard Heyrick Warden of Christ-Colledg in Manchester Richard Hollinworth Fellow of Christ-Colledg in Manchester Alexander Horrocks Minister of the Gospel at Deane John Tilsley Pastor of Dean John Harper Pastor of Bolton Richard Goodwin Minister of the Gospel at Bolton Richard Benson Minister of Chollerton William Alt Min of Bury Robert Bath Pastor of Rachdal William Assheton Pastor of Midleton John Harrison Pastor of Asshton-underline Thomas Pyke Pastor of Radcliff John Angier Pastor of Denton William Walker Minister of the Gospel at Newton-heath Chappel Toby Furnesse Min. of the Gospel John Joanes Min. of Eccles. Edward Woolmer Min. of Flixton Robert Gilbody Preacher at Holcome Jonathan Scholefield Min. at Heywood Thomas Holland Min. of Ringley Thomas Clayton Min. of Diasbury Robert Constantine Min. of Ouldham Peter Bradshaw Min. of Cockey John Brierley Preacher at Salford Thomas Johnson Min. of the Gospel at Halsal William Bell Pastor of Hyton William Dun Min. of the Gospel at Ormeskirk James Worrall Pastor of Aughton William Aspinwal Preacher of Gods Word at Mayhall John Mallinson Min. of Gods Word at Melling Robert Seddon Min. of Gods Word at Alker Will Norcot Minister of West-Derby Will. Ward Min. of the Gospel at Walton Nevil Kay Pastor at VValton Henry Boulton Preacher at Hale John Fogge Pastor of Liverpoole Joseph Tompson Min. of Sephton Jo. Kyd Min. of Much-Crosby James Bradshaw Pastor of the Church at Wigan James Starkey Pastor of North meoles James Wood Preacher of the VVord at Assheton in Makersield Robert Yates Pastor of the Church at Warrington Bradbey Hayhurst Preacher of the VVord at Leigh Thomas Norman pastor of Newton Timothy Smith preacher of the VVord at Rainforth John Wright pastor of Billinge Henry Shaw pastor at Holland Thomas Crompton Min. of the Gospel at Aslley William Bagaley Min. of the Gospel at Burtonwood William Leight Preacher of the Word at Newchurch Richard Mawdesley pastor of Ellins James Hyet pastor of Croston Thomas Cranage pastor of Brindle Edward Gee Minister of the Gospel at Eccleston Paul Latham pastor of Standish Samuel Joanes pastor of Hoole Henry Welch Min. at Chorley Wil Brownsword preacher at Dugglas James Crichley preacher at Penwortham Edward Fleetwood pastor at Kirkham Isaac Ambrose pastor of Preston William Addison Lecturer at Preston William ●ngham Minist at Goosenarghe Matthew Moore minister at Broughton Christopher Edmundson pastor at Garstang Thomas Smith preacher at Garstang Chappel John Breres minister at Padiam Richard Jackson pastor at Whittington Nicolas Smith pastor of Tatham Robert Shaw pastor at Cokeram James Scholecroft minister at Caton Thomas Whitehead pastor at Halton Peter Atkinson minister of Ellel John Jaques minister of Bolton Richard VValker minister of VVarton Phillip Bennet minister of Vlverston VVilliam Smith minister of over-Kellet Brian VVillan Minister of Coulton Peter Smith minister of Shireshead Edward Aston minister of Claughton Thomas Demy minister of VViresdalle Thomas Fawcet minister at Overton VVill. Garner Preacher of the Gospel John Smith Minister of Melling Errata Page 4. line 10. for accursed read condemned FINIS