Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	king_n	mercy_n	throne_n	1,927	5	9.8019	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A39570	The bishop busied beside the business, or, That eminent overseer, Dr. John Gauden, Bishop of Exeter, so eminently overseen as to wound his own cause well nigh to death with his own weapon in his late so super-eminently-applauded appearance for the [brace] liberty of tender consciences, legitimacy of solemn swearings, entituled, A discourse concerning publick oaths, and the lawfulness of swearing in judicial proceedings, in order to answer the scruples of the Quakers ... / by Samuel Fisher ...	Fisher, Samuel, 1605-1665.	1662 (1662)	Wing F1051; ESTC R37345	155,556	170

which the Scripture is a Testimony to as those who wrote it did testifie to it by word of mouth as well as by it and were sent to turn all men from Darkness to Ier. 6. Acts 22. 1 Iohn 1. Tthat way which was before Allwayes that say they are before it and stile it upstar●… of which each other Way that seems to it self to be elder than it and is now scuffling against the rest about its pedigree from Peter and other kind of Antiquity may say as truly in reference to it self as Iohn did Iohn 1. in reference to himself of Christ who is that true Light whose Light this is we speak of and from whom it comes This is it which though it cometh after me yet it is preferred before me for it was before me And as this of the Light and Spirit of God is that old Way in which all holy men ever walked and we are bid now to walk in Gal. 5. so whoever walk't in it and according to those truly Christian and Evangelical Principles Pathes and Practices it leads into which were those bowels of Love Pitty Meckness Mercy Tenderness and Compassion as could admit of no consent to the violent Persecution of any others either for not professing their Religion or for open professing from meer Principles of Conscience the very contrary were led as to do no injury to others which they would not have done to themselves and sure we are no men would willingly be f●…rc't against their Faith so whatever they would that others should do unto them to do even so unto others which saith Christ is i. e. as to the sum and substance thereof the Law and the Prophets Mat. 7. which golden Rule as Bishop Gauden himself calls it and also intimates of it is the best measure of all pollicy and this is it whereby all Persons of what sort soever even all Kings and their People that follow it are bound to such a good behaving of themselves according to it as in which they shall assuredly be secured and preserved when those Princes Priests and People that walk beside it in that Darkness that comprehends it not in those dark wayes and places of the earth which it condemns which are full of the habitations of Cruelty Psal. 74. 12. as Simeon and Levi did of old who Sl●…w Men in their anger and had the Instruments of Cruelty in their Habitations will at last be divided in their Counsels and scattered in the imaginations of their own Hearts however they may seek to secure themselves for a time by such outward wayes as seeking to divide and scatter God's truly tender-hearted Israel for keeping their Conscience pure and without Offence in the sight of God and Men. For Kings not when the Righteous but when the Wicked are taken away from before them their Thrones shall be established in Righteousness Prov. 25. 5 yea the King that faithfully judgeth the Poor his Throne shall be establisht for ever Prov. 29. 14. Yea this we dare determine for a truth which we find the Bish. himself not denying but confirming that as such Christians as by Gods Grace are taught to be truly honest need no Imposition of Oaths nor outward Sureties nor outward Securities nor outward Severities nor outward Penalties whereby to bind them to their good behaviour for such are bound by a strictèr tye then an humane Law to behave themselves as becometh the Gospel in all Righteousnesse Peaceableness Truth and Innocency towards all men so such as are not bound by that of God within themselves to that Peace Truth and Equity which it strictly calls to may Swear and swallow Oaths as fast as they can be imposed upon them yet will as occasion serves them to help themselves be of little the better good behaviour toward the King or any else for that Obligation and least of all then when they are not obliged also by that bond of love which is begotten among Subjects when without violence or being forc't to a violation of them they may enjoy the true Liberty of their Consciences but rather are touched in that most tender part which such as are free to Fight had rather resist and kill and such as are not free to resist had rather be killed and die than suffer Rape in So that as it's truth it self that tyes such as attend to it while it talks to them within themselves to their good behaviour to God the King and to one another so That alone whereby Kings and Kingdoms can be kept in safety without Subjection to change or shakings is that same truth which calls for Mercy taken heed to by Kings themselves as 't is said Prov. 20. 28. Mercy and Truth preserve the King and his Throne is upholden by Mercy which is indeed that truly Christian and Evangellical Principle and good old Way of God which was before any of that Cruelty which at the will of the Devil was ever acted by Cain Ishmael Esau and their Envious Malitious Wild and Wicked Rough and Rigid Race against the Righteous Race of Abel Isaac and Iacob had any Being at all in the World Neverthelesse though the Bishop is sometimes a very great Pretender to this Principle and seems in sundry places above spoken to to be for Respite Lenity and Mercy and to be a very pittifull Pleader for it yet contrarily not onely to Gods Wisdome but to his Own Pleadings for it in other Passages he is found Pag. 3 4. though Stiling his Adresses to the King in his Book His Charitable endeavours on behalf of the Quakers yet to go round again under a pretence of exposing himself and his Kingdomes to those great troubles and dangers which in his own words above cited he had said would accrue to both King and Kingdom through their sufferings if the Quakers should passe unpunished and permitted stirring up the King to those Severities against the Quakers which himself sayes are not Sutable to his Royal Clemency nor Native Gentlenesse in such like words Bish. The publick necessity will Require those severities of a Wise and Iust King whose Lenity to any Party of his Subjects contrary to Law will soon become an injury to the Community which cannot be fafe or happy but by an Uniform Obedience to the same Laws which must be the Rules and Measures to all mens Publick Actions the Tryers of their failings and Inflicters of their punishments Answ. We say we appeal to all honest men to judge whether the Bishop is not here found in oppossition to himself and to those many places of his Book before mentioned where he would be thought to advise to Lenity Forbearance and Indulgence to Dissenters For above he Intimates it to us a●… his Iudgement that flagellant Methods have nothing of Reason or Religion in them neither are the fittest means to Rectifie the Obliquities of inconforme but innocent actions also that to force Dissenters into Conformity by Impoverishing Imprisoning Banishing c. is a

left without Excuse before God and man while the Truth of the Law was justified against their Errors and the Severity of it only imputable to their own Obstinacy I further recommended this previous Method of Christian Charity or meekness of Wisdom as best becoming the Piety Humanity and Honour of that House Secondly As most agreeable to the wonted Clemency of his Majesty to all his good Subjects Thirdly As the aptest means to reclaim such as were gone astray from their Duty by the errour of their Fancy Fourthly to stop for the future the spreading of this and other dangerous Opinions which are usually known under the name of Quakerism c. Fifthly As very sutable to my Profession as a Minister of the Gospel as the special care of the Bishops and Fathers of the Church Relations which carry in them great Obligations to Humanity Charity Ministerial Duties Episcopal Vigilancy and Paternal Compassion to any men especially Christians who are weak or ignorant erroneous in their Iudgement or dangerous in their Actions Lastly I urged the Pattern of divine Justice whose usual fore-runn●…r is Mercy Vengeance rarely following but where Patience hath gone before instructing men of their Duty warning them of the danger of their Sins bearing with their manners for a time and calling them to Repentance before ●…he Decree come forth to Execution To this purpose I am sure I spake c. Answ. It is confest the Bishop uses here many good Arguments in which we cannot but agree with him that they are Cogent not only so far as he makes use of them viz. for the procuring of Respite for a time only but for the putting of a stop also for ever to such an altogether Unchristian and Antichristian Course as it is for Christians by outward Penalties to Persecute any men meerly for their Consciences about Religion specially Christians who how they can be dangerous in their Actions as he supposes they may and yet be truly Christians since he who is owned by Christ to be so indeed must depart from all Iniquity we are yet to learn Yea undoubtedly if we were in any dangerous Opinions which yet is more than all the Bishops were they as willing as they are averse to it will ever be able to make proof of to our faces it had been an apter means to reclaim us from them and to stop the growth of what he in his wonted Emphatical way scornes at under the name of Quakerism and more suitable to the Profession of Gospel Ministers Bishops and Fathers of the Church more answerable to Divine Iustice more becoming the professed Piety Humanity and Honour of that House and the other also more agreeable to the Kings wonted Clemency if not to have quitted those more riged Inflictions by Penalties altogether yet at least to have used first those Rational and Religious Courses which the Bishop calls softer Applications for our Information of the lawfulness by God's aswel as Man's Law of both those things which by the said Act on pain of Spoile and Banishment are strictly imposed on us which are not only that of Swearing which the Bishop would fain seem to have said something though hoc aliquid nihil est more then was ever said before in proof of the lawfulness of but also that Sin of forbearing to meet together to Worship God publickly according to our Consciences and his own Will concerning us Yea and lastly to add one thing more which whether the Bishop forgot to urge it or no I know not but sure I am had as great weight of a reason in it as any of the rest to have byassed and swa●…ed both Houses another way whereupon the King himself in his Wisdom saw fit as in reference to himself and them to urge it so often in his Speeches to them aswel as the Chancellor in one of his May the 8th 1661. more evidently and eminently consistent with that signal Credit and Affection that high repute and honourable esteem in the hearts of his truest Subjects which the first making of such Promises Crowned the King withal aswell as with his Truth and Faithfulness in the performance of all those Promises he hath so fully and freely made and so frequently reiterated concerning such a continued Liberty to the tender Consciences of such as should not disturb the Kingdoms Peace as on our parts we have not that no such should be disquieted or so much questioned for their differences of Opinions in matters of Religion and that he should be ready to consent to such an Act of Parliament as upon mature deliberation should be offered to him for the full granting of such Indulgence We say the urging of all these Promises had been an Argument of as much force in it self and as much likely to have prevailed with the House as any of the rest had it been in the mind of the Bishop to have made use of it as it seems it was not for this is enough to render the Word of the King less Creditable among all save such as are yet unwilling to believe any otherwise of him than that he once truly intended what was then by him so solemnly Avouched that instead of an Act for the full granting of the Liberty so often promised there is an Act now out for the final taking away of the same Nevertheless though the Bishop made no mention of these matters in his speech whether for fear least in so doing his intercession should take more effect then he truly desired it should or no God knows I will not say so but by some other passages of the Bishops book many a one may be apt to think so for all that yet his own Arguments might have moved if not the House yet at least himself not at all to have consented to so sudden a passing of that Bill the forbearance of which for a far longer time then was allotted to so great a work as our Information himself seemed so sincerely and seriously to plead for But behold how notwithstanding that favourable acceptance which he saith his motion had in the House from many Lords Temporal and some of his brethren the Bishops also yet contrarily thereunto the Decree is both passed and come forth against us even before any of the aforesaid rational or religious courses which he judges ought to have been used were at all used towards us for our Conviction of our Errour and mistake Insomuch that howbeit his Chartible Intercession and his Pittiful motion in the House who as he saith of himself pag. 3. is thought to be no barren nor diffident Speaker is rather to be accepted of and Commended than either Condemned or despised if it were indeed as he relates it and also made in the Integrity and sincerity of his heart albeit it hath not accomplisht its pretended End yet we appeal to his own Conscience whether he hath not manifested not only some Pittilesness and want of Charity saving all his fair pretences of

in this matter And further whereas the Bishop supposes such a sutableness to be between the Quakers Rude and confident way as he calls it and the humour of the meaner sort of people If by meaner sort he means such of the Ruder and Baser sort as made insurrection against Paul at Ephesus by the Instigation of the Silver-Smiths who by that craft of making Shrines for Diana's Temple got their Wealth he egregiously mistakes himself and it s not for want of Ignorance in the Bishop both of the Quakers and their Way that he is so jealous and suspitious of them for verily our way as confident as it is yea and more then confident for we are infallibly assured it is the Truth and are able in the Power of God as infallibly to make it good so to be to such as do not wink against the Light is so far from any real Rudeness and so from all agreeableness to the Humours of the Rude ones that however those who are meanly accounted of and dis●…ain'd by the supercilious Shool-men because they are Poor and Illiterate as to secular Sciences though of honest hearts embrace and own it yet such is the guise and humour of the rude and ignorant Rabble aforesaid of the baser Sort that if their mouths be not held with Bit and Bridle yea and though they are bridled by those Laws that are extant as a Curb to Routs and Riots they tumultuously fall upon us with Stones and Brick-bats Swords and Staves in so much that as there is no hast to hang true Men nor need to bid Mad-folks run so there 's little need by penal Laws to subject us more to their Wrath and Malice who could never yet with Patience wait for the Word of Command nor tarry for a Law whereby with leave to vent and execute it How much more may we now expect but that God is able to stop the Lions Mouths to be spoyled by them Seeing that as the Christians of old were cloathed with wild Beasts Skins and covered with Draff and then thrown to Doggs and Hoggs to be Baited and Devoured So we are now stigmatized with those as false as foul and ignominious Terms of a People defective in Reason Learning Education Religion Loyalty and Civillity in all which the Quakers will at last upon a serious reveiw and true account be found far beyond their Accusers and then also left by Law to the Lusts of lawlesse lewd liv'd Ones to be made a Prey of Bish. Nothing but truly Christian and Evangellical Principles which are in the good old Way do secure Kings or bind Subjects to their good behaviour Answ. As the Bishop hath commended the Quakers in some respects So we shall freely justifie him so far as he confesses to the Truth and that he doth plainly and sufficiently enough in this place but that as elsewhere where Tollite is his Tone af●…er Tolerate he starts aside again from his own Position and stands not stedfastly to it when he has done for if he did the Quakers should hear no more from him such Words concerning them as he uses in the same page a little before pag. 6. viz. Never trust the most innocent Smiles and harmless Simplicities of Innovators Dissenrers Novellizing Humourists though at first like Serpents in Winter they seem very tame and meek as to their Principles and Practices But whatever he means for the Truths sake we shall take him here however at his Word for in very deed no other but those truly Christian and Evangelical Principles which are in the good old Way can either secure Kings o●… bind Subjects to their good behaviour nevertheless that either that furious way which some Priests would perswade their Princes to drive on in Iehu-like or the practice of such Iustices as before the Quakers have any way mis-behaved themselves demand Sureties of them for their good behavour or else send them to Prison is that good old Way or the Principles of such as perswade or practise Persecution are these truly Christian and Evangelical Principles whereby either Kings are best secured or Subjects best bound to their good behaviour this we altogether do deny affirming first that good old Way which in worth and time was before all other wayes is that of the Spirit and Light of Christ within men which we in as much clearness and plainness bear our Testimony unto as its dark Opponents do in their ignorant plainness appear against it in one Taunting Term or other in which our more beloved than in this point believed friend Bishop Gauden himself is not found wanting who pag. 5. derides it as a presumed Spirit and Light within them new Powers new Lights pretended Inspirations or inward Lights of which they vapour As if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoever is to be known of God were not though Paul saith it is in the very Heathens Rom. 1. 19. manifest in them As if there were no Spirit of God in man that giveth Wisdom and no Inspiration of the Almighty though Iob sayes there is Job 32. 7 8 9. that giveth understanding As if God did not now speak to man himself at all though it 's said he doth once yea twice Job 33. 14 because man in whom he speaks perceiveth him not As if there were no such Light come into the whole World as Christ sayes there is John 3. which is in it self sufficient to save those that perish because the world mostly loves the Darkness more than that Light that Lusts against it in their Hearts and so resists it to their Condemnation And as if because every Individual takes not heed to the workings and shinings of it therefore there were no true Power nor true Light as it 's said there is that enlightens every man that comes into the World but only some certain fictitious new Power and new Light promoted by the Quakers some non-entity which is as the Bishop sancies it to be nothing else but some mee●… new nothing But this we say what ere he thinks is that goold old Way yea that truly Christian and Evangelical inward Principle from which all truly Christian Doctrine Gospel Principles and Practices do proceed This is that internal good Princiciple by which as by Ministers without to many ad extra so ad intra the Gospel of Love and Pitty Peace and Mercy Gentleness and Innocency Truth and Equity Purity and Piety is as Paul saith Col. 1. 23. Preached 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every Creature under Heaven This is that new and novel way as the Bishop counts it which if we prove it not to be of All wayes as well the Antientest as the Truest when ever called to it by the Bishops as we never yet were we shall be as ready to recant it as retain it This Light was that way from the beginning in which Ab●…l Enoch and Noah walked with God and were found perfect which was 2000. years before the Letter which came from it had its being