Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	john_n	speak_v	spirit_n	4,082	5	5.6200	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13299	A Christian reprofe against contention Wherin is declared and manifested a just defence of the Church against such slanderes and reproches which Sabine Staresmore hath layd vpon vs in his two bookes, the first being 16 questions, called a louing tender. The second is his preface and postscript befor and behind Mr. Answorths last sermon, and making a pretence by that to sett it out as a loue token, hee breetheth out his malice against vs: and lastly her is an answer to a letter written by Mr. Robinson, and sent to vs with the consent of his Church, which now Mr. Staresmore hath published to the world. To these things an answer is giuen by A.T.	A. T., fl. 1631.; Thatcher, Anthony, attributed name.	1631 (1631)	STC 23605; ESTC S103240	40,101	48

A CHRISTIAN REPROFE AGAINST CONTENTION Wherin is declared and manifested a just defence of the Church against such slanderes and reproches which Sabine Staresmore hath layd vpon vs in his two bookes the first being 16. Questions called A louing tender The second is his Preface and Postscript befor and behind Mr. Answorths last Sermon and making a pretence by that to sett it out as a loue token hee breatheth out his malice against vs and lastly her is an Answer to a Letter written by Mr. Robinson and sent to vs with the consent of his Church which now Mr. Staresmore hath published to the world To these things an Answer is giuen by A. T. 〈◊〉 us the foxes the little foxes which destroy the vines for our vines haue smale grapes Songes 2. 15. How long halt yee betweene two opinions if the Lord bee God follow him but if Baals bee hee then go after him 1. Kings 18. 21. He that is first in his owne cause is just then commeth his neighbor and maketh inquirie of him Prou. 18. 17. Imprinted in the yeare M. DC XXXI To the Christian Reader CHristian Reader I giue thee to vnderstand Wee haue not been forward to publish to the world these our co●…trouersies and this thou maist take knowledge of because the first of these our opposites books hath been in print so many yeares being printed in the yeare 1623 being 16. Questions of their owne forming in the which wee haue great wronge done vnto vs yet haue wee patiently borne both that and also that which they have printed the last yeare against vs vntell such time wee heard by many witnesses that our long silence hath turned to the hinderance of the trueth and also our owne discredit for diners haue been perswaded through our long silence that wee are most in fault or else wee would haue answered before this time therfore for the trueth sake our owne defence we though it need full to sett o●… this Christian Reprofe vnto these our opposites in the which thou maist see the great injury they doe vnto the trueth and also vnto vs by their vnjust imputations and slanderes which they haue layd vpon vs and althought for our selues wee could haue born these injuries in silence yet for the trueth sake and that none that haue a loue vnto the trueth should be hindered or stomble thereat therefore needfull it is that they should bee informed of the trueth of things as they are in these our troubles which by this short Answer thou mayst take knowledge of And although it consisteth of cōtrouersy which it not so profitable as some more heauenly meditations are yet not withstanding the Lord doth suffer such things to arise for the approuing of such as are faithfull 1. Cor. 11. 18. 19 that the people of God should not ly vpon the b●…d of security Songes the 5. 5. but keepe their Christian watch knowing that Satan seeketh too surprise vs by many meanes wayes 1. Peter 5. 8. Act. 20. 31. for when he can not retaine vs in the broad wayes of the world then will he send out the s●…oods of his persecutions to see if hee can swallow vs vp in it Reu. 12. 15. but when hee is restrained frō his purpose by the Lord then will hee seek to ouerthrow vs by his ministers whom hee seduceth euen in the Church of God so turne thē into shape as if they were the ministers of righteousnesse 2. Cor. 15. Act. 20. 29. 30. And of these things gentle Reader haue wee had our portion diuers of vs hauing been persecuted by inprisonment and many till death did insue others banneshed some loosing their right inheiritāce and must leaue it and be exsiled yet these troubles are not so dangerous nor yet so greuious vnto a sincere conscience as seducers which a●…se in the true Church and many that haue gone through persecutions yet haue been ouertaken by seducers drawne away frō the true way of God yet this is no new thing as thou mayst see by those Scripturs before alledged and as it was with the Churches of God of old so is it at this present time with vs for wee hauing gone through many persecutions so haue wee had our part of trialls by decliners seducers and these our opposites hath greatly troubled vs with their errour some they hath corrupted their with others they haue so incumbered their mindes that they dayly trouble vs with Contention and to bring their porposes about they came most Lords dayes diuers years troubled vs with great desturbance many haue been the prouocations which they haue vsed towards vs to prouoke vs so that wee may truely say that as Paule had fought with beast at Ephesus so haue wee at Amsterdam fought with men of a beast-like conditiō 1. Cor. 15. 32. although I could say mor in these things yet for the present I spare to see if the Lord will worke vpō their hearts by this Christian Reprofe which if it take not effect but that they goe on to striue against the trueth the Lord can giue a fit opportunity that their deedes may be fully layd open cōcerning these things in question And now Christian Reader take thou heed that thou stomble not at these things to forsake the trueth for these things ought not to bee strange vnto thee seeing the Apostells of Christ hath fortolde of these things Act. 20. 29. 30. 2. Pet. 2. 1. 2. 3. yea themselues were troubled with such trialles whilles they were with the Churches Actes 15. 2. Gal. 2. 4. 5. and som preaching Christ through enuie strife supposing to adde more affliction too the Apostells bandes Phil. 1. 16. And hath not the Apostell told vs that in these last dayes shall come perillous times and that all sortes of sinnes shall abound 2. Tim. 3. 1. 2. 3. which should teach vs to bee more watchfull and to judge wisly of things and not too bee offended at the trueth or any part thereof for it is the trueth that maketh vs free Iohn 8. 31. 32. yet when the Lord of glory was vpon the earth which taught the trueth more excellent then euer did any yet his owne Disciples went backe walked no more with him stombling at his heauenly doctrine seeing it is thus that our corrupt nature is so soone caried a syde how should wee desier of God to haue the spirit of discerning of sincerity to walke in the trueth wheras wee haue been euill spoken of too be cōtentious and of fierry spirits with many such like reproches But what is the cause that wee are thus reproched is it not because wee withstand errour and sinne and suerly although wee are weake men yet hearin wee follow the examples of the Prophetes of God Was not Moyses the meekest man vpon the earth yet was hee stored vp many times to great anger because of the sinnes of the people and who is more redy to carpe

vnto you and yee shall be my sones and daughters saith the Lord almighty If the Lord hath made this condition as it is cleare hee hath who should not feare to plead the contrary or so to practise moreouer did not they that were baptized confesse their sinnes Matth. 3. 6. And vvas not baptisme to them in the true Church are newing of their Couenant in Christ then come and they that were not in the true Church before did they not enter into a Couenant with God in Christ vvhen they were baptized and was it not don vnto all vpon the confession of their sinnes how comes it to passe then that these men before named beeing vnseparated and vvalking in their publique sinnes should be pleaded for to be sufficient Couenant makers that they haue made a true Couenant with God let not any thinke that this distinction will helpe them in this cause to say that they walke in the trueth so far as they see or vnderstand suerly this is a very crooked and a vneuen measur to measure our obedience vnto our creatour But should the commandements of the blessed God bee limited and bounded vnto the blind vnderstanding of sinfull man or as if the spirit of God had not lefte sufficient derection vnto vs either hovv far or with whome to walke in such publique matters of religion in the which these antichristian idolaters haue lesse to say for themselues then those their predecessors which were before them Exodus 32. which when they made the calfe they had not the Lords order or direction for the Lords ●…ublique worship as yet giuen vnto them and therefor they ran into that greuious sin Moyses staying long away as verse the 1. showeth But the Lord hath not only giuen plaine order and rulles in his vvord to these men but also hath raised many faithfull witnesses both by voice and also by bookes to shovv the wayes of God and to declare their sinne vvhich they neglect also reject but to come too this man vvho prepareth this pathe way in the maintaining of this Couenant hovv easie is it for Sattan to preuaile with any being possessed vvith this errour whether they be in the false Church then their to vvalke in this way of dessemblation and thinke to blesse themselues as Naaman did 2. Kings 5. 17. with two mules load of earth thinking to serue the Lord in the land of Sirian and that hee needed not to trouble himselfe to go to Ierusalem but this being contrary to the commandemēt of God Deut. 12. 13. 14. and the Prophet seeing it and also his soddan and confused motions vvhich allthough hee professed not to sacrifices to any other God saue only to the Lord. But yet hee proposed and professed to bow down in the house of Rimmon his masters God and for that hee vvould aske pardon befor hee did it now I say the Prophet seeing his sodden and confused motion bid him go in peace that is so much as say far yee well as if the Prophet saw it not fit to resolue his doubtes nor to direct him to go to Ierusalem where the true place of vvorship vvas and are not these Couenantmakers much like vnto him who in their confused motions or considerations thinke they need not to leaue or forsake their antichristian estat But their to remaine thinke to blesse themselues by a sequestered meeting from their brethren the antichristians on part of the day and to communicat with them the other part of the day but do these men thinke that by sequestering themselues from their brethren to change their cōdition Oh no for as the Prophet showeth Haggi 2. 14. that if a polluted person touch any hollowed thing he is so far from making himselfe cleane therby that hee maketh the holy thing vncleane and so not acceptable whervpon it vvill follovv that their priuat gathering together and taking to themselues the ordinances of God is so far from sanctifying of them that they polut the holy things of God whilles they stād in 〈◊〉 antichristian estat or doe they thinke they are the nearer to the Lord by vsing of vvords to make a Couenant they remaining in their antichristian estat no allthough they do it with great zeale and oath yet it helpeth them not as the Prophet saith Hosea 10. 4. They haue spoken vvords swering falsly in making a Couenant neither lett them thinke that it is a lowable for them to sett vp a ministery in that estat for as it was sayd vnto their predecessor Esra 4. 3. it is not for you but for vs to build the house vnto our God and if the Lord did so detest the old Babylon vvhich was but the tipe of this antichristian Babylon that their should not be a ston taken Ierem. 51. 26. neither for corner nor for foundation vvho should not be afeard to mannag the stones of this spirituall Babylone to bee ●…it matter for the Lords house But hovv doe these men blesse themselues some thing like vnto Michah Iudges 17. 13. who being in his idolatry sayd I knovv that the Lord will be good vnto mee seeing I haue a Leuit to my preist So these men standing in their antichristian estat thinke themselues vvell now seeing they haue imitated the order of the church of God in their priuat meetings But that it may the better appeare that these are the right successors of the Samaritanes I vvil compare them together First the Samaritanes they toke it one them to serue the Lord 2. Kings 17. 33. But they serued their idoles also So these Couenantmakers they toke it on or pretended to serue the Lord in their sequestered priuat meetings from their brethren the antichristians and so pretended to set vp the Lords ordinances but with all they would not forsake the antichristian estat but walk in both together and so continue as the Samaritanes did 2. The Samaritanes thus abiding in their confusion or mixed religion yet when the people of God retourned out of captiuitie they presented themselues vnto them to be in vnion and communion and profered to build with them testifying that they did seeke the Lord their God as they did saying also that they had Esra 4. 2. sacrificed vnto him from their first planting in Samaria So likewise these men although abiding in their mixed religion and confusion yet esteeme it to be the true way of God and would be esteemed of those that are separated to be their brethren and professe their way and course to be the building vp of the house of God taking vpon them the name of a true Church 3. Although these Samaritanes were not accepted but refused yet did som of them indirectly creept into communion with the people of God So some of these creept into communion indirectly pretending that vvhich they were not in the which this man was the chiefe first as I haue before showed when hee creept into Mr. Lees people into their communion and after that cam ouer heare and vvould

haue had communion with vs but hee seeing himselfe to haue resistance heare after this hee vvent to Leyden and creept into that Church and so made of them a bridge to git in vnto vs. 4. The Samaritanes in their corrupt estat fathered themselues vpon the ancient Patriarches of the Church Iohn 4. 12. 20. and contended with the true Church as hauing the trueth with them So likewise these account their mixed estat to be the true vvay of God and condemne vs for vvholly separating from the false Church and contend vvith vs for it 5. Although these Samaritanes vvere thus corrupt in their estat yet had they attained vnto the chiefe pointes of faith concerning the Messias as may appeare by the speech of the Woman Iohn 4. 25. vvhich vvas one not stricke in life vers 18. conuersation I say if shee vvhich vvas but a Woman could say so much what may wee thinke was amongst the other Samaritanes and also wee may see how redily they receiued Christ as vers 39. 42. showeth and yet for all those points of Doctrine which they had receiued notwithstanding they were condemned by our Sauiour Christ Iohn 4. 22. as worshipping they knew not what which teacheth vs how to judge and esteeme of such mixed religions And now these Couenantmakers allthough they agree with vs in the chiefe pointes of faith yet seeing they continue in their corrupt estat being vnseparated from the false Church wee are taught of Christ how to esteeme of them and so leaue them to be the successors of the Samaritanes and their right heires Now this is the Couenant which Mr. S. maintaineth and for the which hee so bestored himselfe when it was condemned and doth not hee lay afar ground to keepe men in the way of desemblation and so to remaine in the false Church by the maintaining of this Couenant yee to be a snare to such as haue left them if once they be possessed with this errour and let vs take himselfe for an example for although hee had left the Church of England both as it was a nationall Church and also the Parishes holding both to be false and being come so far reason should haue taught him neuer to haue to doe with such a Samaritanesh people againe in Church communion seeing they remain●… as they did vnseparated yet since hee was cast out from vs hee went and had communion with them and baptized his child with them also and vvhy went hee not rather to the assemblies seeing that that is their most proper Church estat they being yet vnseparated and for that their priuat meetings it is but a schisme in Babell in that their doing they make a breach in both estats both in their antichristian estat and in their pretended seruing of the Lord 2. Kings 17. 33. 34. as the Holy Ghost testifieth of their predecessor And further I say to him concerning ●…is clamours who of our Church hath tourned their backe vpon vs excepte those which hee is the cause of about these troubles in question vvhich hee through much labouring and others with him hath inticed but if hee meaneth those of the Church of Leyden which hath declined or apostated is it not more probabell or rather to plane that they haue taken their ground from Mr. Ro. their Pastour which hath opened so many pathe wayes for them first in setting out a book for priuat communion vvith the members of the false Church 2. in the maintining of hearing in the assemblies to be no communion 3. in the maintaining of this Samaritanesh Couenant 4. in that booke called Apologie hee doth not only vvith smoth vvords darken the trueth vvhich formarly hee maintained But also hee saith plainly speaking of the Church of England in the 58. page and hee speaketh it in the name of the Church of whom hee is Pastor that their faith doth not consist in the cōdemning of others wiping their names out of the bead roull of Churches And a little after hee saith neither requier vvee of any ours in the confession of their faith that they either renounce or in one vvord contest vvith the Church of England in this it appeareth that hee is ashamed and runeth from separation and of this his alteration hath the aduersaries of the trueth taken nottise of long before this last book came out so as I. P. saith speaking of his book called the justification of separation Which hee sett out in the defence of the trueth it being a good vvorke yet thus hee speaketh of Mr. Rob. concerning it that hee openly pluckes out some of the bowells therof vvith his owne hands and now seeing this is so why doth this man indeuour to lay the fault vpon vs which withstand these errours and therfore wee are of him and them euill spoken of but as it is vsually seen that such as run from their masters do speake euill of them so such as decline do speake euill of them that oppose them therfore lett none merueill that wee are euill spoken of by Mr. S. and by those that assist him for it hath bin thus allwayes with the Lords people in former times yea euen the Apostells of our Lord Jesus hath thus bin dealth withall and now to these opposites I speak wheras one of them twoo hertofor hath spoken to this effect that if the Couenant could be desproued that then they ought to acknowledge their euill in the things for the vvhich they were cast out and although but one of them speake it yet seing hee speak the trueth and as it ought to be therfor I wish them both to consider it and for vs if the Lord giue repentances vnto them wee shall be glad and hould our armes open to receiue them but alas vvhat hope is their of it seeing this man hath so many times imitated the practise of Absolom vvhich vvent in to his fathers concubins that so all should haue no hope of reconciliation between them so the third time hath hee printed his contention to the world as if hee did meane to continue an adversary and therfore by these hee bideth battell but if his cause were better then it is yet great is the euill hee doth therin in causing the name of the Lord to be scandelled Another pathe way which hee maketh for libertines is in the maintaining of his refusing to answer which is before spoken of by vvhich president of his wee see the euill effect that hath followed for suerly by his example the lo●…se ones of the Church and such as are corrupted begin to oppose that diligent watch as ought to be keept in the Lords house and with his example and his bussie writing and printing and priuate corrupting of mens minds labouring to corrupt all that hee thinketh hee can worke vpon as by experiance wee haue seene and in deed not keeping to the things as they are as I haue showed before Therefore that his sin in this point may the better appeare I