Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	peace_n	spirit_n	unity_n	1,812	5	8.9331	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47283	Ichabod: or, Five groans of the church: Prudently foreseeing, and passionately bewailing her second fall: Threatened by these five dangerous, though undiscerned, miscarriages that caused her first: Viz. [bracket] 1. Undue ordination, 2. Loose prophaness, 3. Unconscionable symony, 4. Careless non-residence, 5. Encroaching pluralities. Humbly presented to her supreme head and governour, the kings most excellent majesty, and his great council, the Parliament of England.; Ichabod.	Ken, Thomas, 1637-1711.	1663 (1663)	Wing K264A; ESTC R22531	49,473	66

needs justifie Malice it self Must you needs justifie what Uncharitableness it self durst not suggest against you Doe you hear what they say There there go your Ministers If you he●r not what they say see what you are You are the salt of the earth if the salt now loose its favour wherewith shall it be salted it is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and to be troden under foot of men You are the salt yet how unsavoury you are the light of the world and do you walk as children of light are you burning are you shining lights Oh your carelesnesse Oh your indifferency in matter of Religion Oh how negligently you doe the work of the Lord while you know God is serious in the Word he speaks in the Judgements he afflicts in the Mercies he bestows When you know Christ is serious in redeeming souls the holy Spirit is serious in sanctifying them the Devil is serious in undoing them the whole Creation is serious round about you How you Triflle with immortal souls how you play with the great and terrible work of the Ministrie how formallie you do pray how unconcernedlie you do preach how vainlie and unprofitablie do you discourse how unevenlie do you walk What do you speak for Eternitie doe you preach for Immortalitie Are you sent of God are you here to save souls and yet Gallio-like care for none of those things Wo is me to see you walk in the counsel of the ungodly stand in the way of sinners and sit in the seat of the s●o●nful whose delight should be in the L●w of the Lord in whose law you should meditate day and night What the same man laugh at Religion and preach it the same soul Droll upon serious Holinesse in company and yet urge it in the great Congregation What perswade men to vertue in the Pulpi● and laugh men out of it in the Parlour Where is that serious Holinesse that crowned that solemn Gravi●ie that adorned that severe Vertue that advanced my sober Ministers my Reverend Pastors and holie men Where is thy pious Spi●i● devo●t HALL where is thy gracious Temper excellent VSHER where is thy even and setled Frame serious HAMMOND where is thy vertuous 〈◊〉 Famous MORTON where is thy rationall well-weighed and sta●ed soul O venera●le SANDERSON In England as in Rama there is a voice heard lamenta●ion and weeping and great mourning I as Rachel weeping for my excellent children but they are 〈◊〉 Wo is me for your Covetousness O ye my sons than you in●●●uct men for another world yet lo●k not beyond this t●●e you who are sent to teach men to live by faith should ye● live by sense that you who teach faith the ●vidence of th●ngs not seen should yet eye onlie the things which are seen Oh shame self-denyal is the great dutie you enjoyne self-seeking is the great sin you are guiltie of Love not the world is one of the most rem●rkable Axiomes of our Religion Love the world is the considerablest rule of your lives I have coveted no mans silver or gold saith the Apostle Oh what ●y you I seek not yours but you saith he I se●k not you but yours say yo● Neither at any time used I a cloak for covetousnesse God is my witnesse saith the Apostle Oh what you have done God and men are witness Give me the souls saith Abraham take thou the goods Give us the goods say you take you the souls Is to live to Christ in this sense thy gain is to die to him thy advantage Alas Alas Oh your debauched courses you vile and sordid souls An holy Calling and an unholy Life Spirituall persons and yet live after the flesh a clean Garment and an unclean heart servants of God and yet servants of sin reverend in your Function and yet shameful in your Lives a Minister and yet given to Wine a Priest and yet wanton in holy Orders and yet in riotous Disorder walk circumspectly and yet reel a man devoted to the Study and the Closet in chambering and wantonnesse conversation in heaven and in Ale-houses and Taverns studie Eternity and yet trifle away time stand at the Communion of Saints yet sit down in the company of scorners Oh these things ought not to be Thus vile you are and yet you are proud thus dishonouring your selves and yet ambitious Learne of me said Christ for I am meek and lowly Look upon you you are proud and Lordly I made you Ministers for the service of souls you advance your selves to be Rulers I taught every soul of you to be subject you are impatient of subjection Humility and meeknesse was the glory of my Ministers haugh●ness and pride is your shame Were you raised by the favour of God and men lately to be high now God remembred and man pi●ied you in your low estate God will remember and man will punish you in your high estate You humbled your selves and you were exalted you exalt your selves and you may be made low Oh the pride that composeth your Sermons that contrives your designes that fills your thoughts that for meth your countenances that 〈◊〉 the Accents and Emphasis on your Words that o●dereth your Habit modelle●h your Gestures that makes you aim at your se●ves in all you do and forget God when you should aim at God and forget your selves Shall Ministers that bring men to Heaven live in pride that cast Angels to Hell You are proud poor souls and ye must be contentious too Ambass●dours of peace ye are yet in strife and envie you profess a Gospel of peace yet what emulation what wr●th Christ lest peace among you when he went to Heaven shall he find peace when he returns from Heaven Oh no though Religion obligeth you to peace although divisions have undone us although Truth be almost lost the power of Godliness be decayed good men be grieved I be endangered though enemies be enc●uraged and Atheism be promoted by your unhappy differences yet still you quarrel still you dispute Why doe you strive seeing ye are brethren Have you not one God have you not one Faith have you not one Baptism have you not one Hope Oh why do you not keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace why these jealousies these fears th●s● distances these bitternesses I mark them which cau●e divisions contrary to the truth and peace I always owned and shall avoid them Bishop Vsher proposed what was moderate you hearkned not Bishop Davenant writ peaceablie you read him not Bishop Sanderson offered modestly you regarded him not many sober men offered healing Principles agreeable to the Concessions on all hands yet they are neglected God himself united you in your miseries yet you disagree in your judgements he joined you in sufferings yet you divide your selves in his service O tell it not in G●th publish it not in Askelon that Ministers of the Gospell disagree among themselves and head and lead their people to disagreements What shall

ICHABOD OR FIVE Groans of the CHURCH Prudently Foreseeing and passionately Bewailing Her Second Fall Threatned by these five dangerous though undiscerned miscarriages that caused her First Viz. 1. Undue ORDINATION 2. Loose PROPHANESS 3. Unconscionable SYMONY 4. Careless NON-RESIDENCE 5. Encroaching PLVRALITIES Humbly presented to her supreme Head and Governour The Kings most excellent MAIESTY and His great Council the PARLIAMENT of ENGLAND The Church of England Be watchful and strengthen the things that remain and are ready to die Rev. 3. 2. Cambridge Printed for I. Greaves 1663. ICHABOD OR The Five Groans of the Church CHAP. 1. O All you that pass by me stand and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow if it hath been done to any Reformed or Protestant Church under Heaven as it is done unto me O now my wounds were ready to be closed my Ruines to be repaired my Desolations and Wastes to be finished when the Barbarous was checked the Licentious was restrained the usurpers were removed the professed Enemies of different Interests and Religion which persecuted me were subdued and I ready to settle upon the Eternal Foundations of sound Doctrine of Primitive Government of an holy and pure Worship of a decent and comely order to the amazement of the World to the honour of Religion to the glory of God to the peace of the whole Earth and for good will among men behold my children are discontent my Government is complained of my Ordinances are neglected my Ministers are despised my peace is disturbed and my safety endangered Hear O Heavens and give ear O Earth What could I have done that I have not done Have I not taught the truth of God sincerely giving Milk to babes and stronger meat to them that were able to bear it and the Oracles of God to all in a Language they best understood Have I concealed any part of Gods sacred Counsell from you Have I not set forth with all plainness and freedome the blessed fulness and excellencies of my Lord Jesus Christ in such a manner and measure as I received from the Word and Spirit Have I not administ●ed all the Ordinances of God faithfully Have I not enjoyned and taught all vertue and all grace carefull reconmending to my Children whatsoever things are good whatsoever things are true ●hatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are l●vely whatsoever things are of good report every holy Du●y every necessary Rule and every immitable Example with all the Advantages of sound Knowledge powerfull ●reaching which at once was able to inform the weak to reclaim the most erroneous to reform the most debauched to satissie the most curious and to silence the most refractory Have I not prepared with much study and industry with many prayers and tears with long education and di●igent care Reverend Bishops Orderly Presbyters able Ministers workmen that need not be ashamed duly ordained and called after an uninterrupted and Catholick succession through all Ages agreeable to that original institution which was from Jesus Christ the great High Priest the true Prophet the soveraign King of the Church the chief preacher of righteousnesse and Bishop of our souls Have I not I say taken an holy care of a succession of Ministers about holy things who might divide the Word aright by solid preaching mi●ht wait upon God solemnly by a devout and discreet Praying might convince Gain-sayers by acute Disputing might instruct the world by exact Writing might maintain peace and order by wise Governing might reform the world by holy living Hath it not been my care and endeavour to keep up the soundness power and life of Christian Religion Have not I laboured that my good people might every where have what is necessary and wholesome for their souls good in devout Prayers in holy Sacraments in powerful Sermons whereby I desired God knoweth to preserve wholesome and saving truth to promote true holiness to set up an holy decency to maintaine the wholesome form and power of godliness in truth peace order and unity Have not I held forth an holy Light Rule and Life in the plain parts of Scripture every where read in the Articles every where acknowledged in the Creeds and Catichism every year explained in the Liturgy constantly used whereby poor souls had a plain easie and sure way to Heaven through an un●eigned Faith sincere Repentance a Catholick Charity a devout humility a good conscience and an holy obedience to God and man according to the will of God unto all well pleasing Doe not I take care to instruct the ignorant diligentl● to comfort the weak hearted tenderly to raise up them that fall compassionately to visit those that are sick charitably to relieve those that want mercifully to bury my dead that sleep in Jesus solemnly to punish those that doe amisse severely to restore them that have gone astray pitifully to instruct them that oppose themselves meekly to frame a way of Peace Order and Communion in which Brethren might happily dwell together in unity prudently rationally and discreetly O what failings of mine then have occasioned these impatient murmers which I hear What faults of mine have raised those bitter reproaches which I bear What enormities of mine have provoked those imminent dangers which I fear O why is it that ye who own my Saviour who have submitted to my Doctrine as your Rule who have par●aked of my Sacrament as your refreshment and comfort O why is it that ye hate and dispise me that ye strip and wound me that ye tear and mangle me that ye impoverish and debase me that ye make me a scorn an abomination an hissing and astonishment to all that see me a derision and a mocking to my enemies round about me Alas all men of weight and worth for parts and piety for judgement and ingenuity for conscience and integrity for grace learning and renown know my innocency thus far that as to the foundation of Faith and Rule of holiness I have only adheared to Gods blessed Word as for the Circumstances and Ce●emonies of Religion I use in them prudently and charitably that liberty and power which I suppose is allowed here for peace order and decency by that blessed God who is not the Author of Confusion but of peace as in all the Churches of the Saints If we may believe the integrity of those Reformers that setled this Church whose learning worth and piety hath been confirmed by the testimony of so many wise and religious Princes by the approbation of so many learned and reverend Convocations by the applauses of so many other reformed Churches if we may believe the preaching living and dying of so many hundred excellent Bishops and Ministers or the Prayers and proficiencies of so many thousand of godly Christians or if we may believe the wonderfull blessings and special graces of a mercifull God attesting the verity integrity and sanctity of my Christian

Noblenesse of St. Basil and those who come neer●st the Apostolical pattern and resemble the most of any Christians or Ministers the Grace and Glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. I●en●eavour that my Bish●ps may be among Christians the most faithful among Men the most civil among Preachers the most painful among Orato● the most perswasive among Governours the most moderate among pious Men the most ●ervent among Professors the most forward among Severe Men the most exact among Sufferers the most p●tient among Perseverants the most constant the most compleat every way and perfect unto every good w●rk These I take care should be duely chosen should be esteemed with honour and reverenced with love My Rule to them is That they should over-rule with vigilance should rule with joynt counsel neither levelled with younger Preachers and Novices nor exalted too much above the Grave and Elder I allow these men an honourable competencie with eminencie wherewith they may exercise a large heart and liberal hand which may conciliare a general respect and deserve the common love My dir●ction to them is that their vertue and piety may preserve the Authority of their places and this in the order peace and digni●y of the Church that they may be the Tou●hst●ne of Truth the Loadstone of Love the Standard of Faith the Pattern of Holinesse the Pillars of Stability and the Centres of Vnity such as the Erroneous may hate the Factious envy good men may love and bad men may fear 2. Can ye blame my Doctrine approved by the Ref●rmed and agreeable with the Primitive Church a doctrine according to godliness teaching●a●l men that denying all ungodli●●ss and worldly ●ust they should live righteously soberly and godly in this present world 3. Doe you find fault with my Devotion in the Publick worship of God by Confession prayers praises Psalms and other holy Oblations of a Rational and Evangelical service offered up to our God by the joint piety of all my children the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Communi Oratio where nothing is expressed as my mind which I thought not agreeable with the mind of Gods spirit in the Scripture nor do I know any part of it to which a judicious Christian might not in Faith s●y Amen taking the expressions of it in that pious and benign sense which the Church intended and the words may well bear Indeed the whole composure of my Li●urgy is in my judgement so wholesome so holy so compleat so discreet so devout so useful so savoury so well-advised that I find nothing in the eighteen Li●urgies composed in the Eastern and Western Church that is excellent but is in this of mine and many things which are less clear or necessary in them are better expressed or wisely omitted here the whole being so ordered as might best inform all peoples understandings stir up their affections and quicken their devotions in a wholesome form of sound words such as Moses David the Prophets and the Lord Jesus left behind them solemnly recorded in the Scriptures So that according to the primitive care I first laid down Scripture grounds in the Creeds and Confessions and then I enlarged and fixed my Lyturgies and devotions as near as I could to the majesty 〈◊〉 and exactness unanimity and fulness of publick prayers upon all holy publick occasions so plainly that the devout soul knows well what it should desire of God and so affectionately that it earnestly desires in it what it knoweth God alloweth and so uniformly that it peaceably goeth along with the Congregation with one mind and one heart in the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace 4. Is it the Rites and Ceremonies I impose that displease you Alas I find the God of Heaven which we worship in England enjoyning more Ceremonies on his own people and forbidding no holy custome to any Christians in order to advance the decency and order of his service or Christ●stians mutual edification and joint devotion under the Gospel Our blessed Saviour hath by his spirt guiding the pens and practises of the Apostles sufficiently manifested the power and liberty given the Church and the Governours of it for the choice and use of such decent customes Rites and Ceremonies not as divine institutions upon the consciences but as humane injunctions upon the practises as agree with godly manners and the truth of the Gospel and may best serve for order de●ency peace solemnity and mutual edification of Christians agreed upon by publick consents in which every ones vote is personally or vertually included It 's true as the Lyturgy so the Ceremonies have something of Rome in them for to deal plainly I did freely and justly assert to my own use and Gods glory whatever upon due tryal I found to have the stamp of Gods truth and grace or the Churches wisdome and charity upon it I would not refuse any good I found amongst them because i● was mixed with some evil but trying all things I held fast that which was good beingintent upon the great ends of p●ety devotion and charity It 's true I enjoyn my people an inward worship of soul in sp●ri● and in truth before God but withal I enjoyn outward worship of the body which is but a reasonable service to God 〈…〉 the body exemplary and significan● before men in such habits an● gestures as ma● 〈◊〉 co●●uce by the advice of the whole Church for the private spirit of the prophets in th●●● things ought to be subject to the p●blick spirit of the Pr●●hets to reverence devotion and e●i●i●ation in knowing ●umble meek and q●iet spirits righ●●y discerning the innocent nature of such things not prohibited and so indifferent and the Christian liberty allowed to them to use those things indifferent when commanded and to la● them a side when not commanded However let the many Obligations to unity by the true Faith you jointl● professe give you more satisfaction then the occasions of dividing the Ceremonies in which you differ give you offence so that you may not upon so small occasions in such small m●tters sacrifice to your private passion and perswasion the publick peace and prosperity of the Church esp●cially since I never heard of any sober Christian or truely godly Minister who being in other things prudent unblameable and sincere did ever suffer any check of conscience meerly upon the account of having been conformable to and keeping communion with me nor did they ever complaine of Ce●emoni● Lyturgy and Episcopacy as any damps to their real graces or to their holy communion with Gods blessed Spirit but admired them as the united influence the joynt consent the combined devotion of all good Christians in this Nation who publickly agreed with one mind and in one manner to serve the Lord in a way allowed by the most pious of Princes practised by the best Nobility owned by the wisest Gentry maintained by the most learned Clergy and embraced by the

four hundreds pounds yearlie during a short life that you should appear in a Pulpit if yet you doe appear in a Pulpit for a little Maintenance that you should appear very solemnly every Sunday onely to put a trick upon God and men I hope better things of you and things that accompany salvation though thus I speak In the Primitive times every Church of so many souls as are of your Parishes had many Ministers whereof the ablest speakers did most in publick and the rest did the more of the less publick work which some mistake for ruling Elders but now one of you takes the care of many Churches The Popish times I mean years 632. could divide England into Parishes for the better discharging of the cure of souls our times unite those Parishes again for the better maintenance of pride and vanity Is it for this that we are reformed is it for this we are Protestants then each Parish had their Ministers to pray with them ferventlie to teach them faithfullie to comfort them seasonablie to converse with them usefullie to relieve them charitablie to direct them carefullie Ah! in quae nos reservamur tempora Now now my people are neglected my buildings are ruined my hospitalitie is lost my authoritie is shrunk and faln and the Church of England is thought to be nothing else but the interest of a few crafty Clergie-men ordering all things to their best advantage Though Envy may know and Prejudice it self may consider I am a Church made up of godly and religious men Princes Nobles Gentry Bishops Ministers and People maintaining an Orthodox Doctrine a Primitive Government a pure and orderly Worship a severe Discipline and a Christian Communion in Word and Sacrament who have forbid these extravagancies by wholsome Laws checked them by severe Canons and disallowed them by fair and just means imaginable In the darkest and most superstitious times I ordered That no Monks i.e. idle persons should take Livings of Bishops or appropriate the Revenues of them to themselves but that the Priests serving in those Cures and the Churches might be provided with necessaries Do you know why Monks were pulled down in H. 8. time Lay it to heart I beseech you for many look for your fall too 1. They were accused for engrossing Wealth and trade and do you hear what the world saith of you 2. They were accused for impoverishing Parish-Priests by decrying Preaching as ministring matter of Schisms and Disputes and magnifying their own performances of Prayer and Devotion by which and other Artifices they undermined the poor Priests and procured that many Churches presentative with their Glebes and Tythes were appropriated to their Covents leaving but a poor pittance for the Parish-Vicar This was the occasion of the first Impropriations I pray God your carelesness doth not occasion another Oh remember Robert Whigifts the Abbot of Wellow's speech who was wont to say That they and their Religion could not long continue because said he I have read the whole Scripture over and over and never found that Monasteries and I may adde Pluralities were founded by God for said the honest Abbot every planting which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up Do you remember that Lay-parliament in King H. 8. his time wherein the Nobles and Commons assembled signified to the King That the Temporal profession of Abbots Priors c. vainly spent would suffice to finde 150 Earls 1500 Knights 6200 Esquires 100 Hospitals Doe you remember those Mock-parliaments that often considered how many 1000 men your Tythes ill bestowed upon you as they thought would maintain You were once undone now are you made whole I beseech you my Sons sinne no more left a worse thing come unto you Bishop Iewel on 1 Thes. p 71. Forasmuch brethren as we were kept from you for a season concerning sight but not in heart we are enforced the more to s●e your face with great desire Therefore we would have come unto you I Paul at least once or twice but Satan hindred us Such a zeal and care had he over the people of God Oh in what case then are they that are careless and have no regard of the people of God! which hunt after 〈◊〉 and bend not themselves to do good which serve their own belly and seek to be rich and eat up the people of God as if they were bread They cannot say they have a desire to sée the face of their flock and that their heart is with them howsoevar they find time for other matters they can never take time to know their sheep and 〈◊〉 doe the work of the Ministry among them they care not for them they think not of them they plant not they water not they watch not they give no warning of the dangers at hand they teach them not to deny all ungodliness and worldly lust● and to live soverly righteously and godly in this present world It were happy if all such were removed out of the Church of God they destroy the souls and lead them to destruction by their negligence What account shall they give unto God for the souls of their Brethren Where shall they stand or what will they say when he shall bid them make a strait account This is the practise of Satan he useth all means to snare us and withdraw us from that blessed hope sometimes he letteth the encrease of the Gospel by raising up tumults and disquieting the Church of God 〈…〉 the heart of such as are in Authority to per●ecute by all means the teachers of the Gospel of Christ. Again when God gives peace and quietness to his Church he leadeth the Overséers of the people to a forgetfulness of their duty to séek the pleasures and delight of this life and to have no regard of the work of the Lord such occasion the Devil séeketh to hinder our salvation and to withstand the truth and glory of God CHAP. V. The Church of England's resentment of Non-residence OH my Sons I have no pleasure in exposing you yet have I no power to excuse you you know that I have charity for you that suffereth long that is kind that is not easily provoked thinketh no evil beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things Alas what shall I do now my people complain my adversaries reproach my Soveraign is displeased my Nobility and Gentry are incensed and where-ever I turn my self Complaints are made Petitions are drawn up Jealousies are whispered and Fears are murmured If I should hold my peace I should be thought altogether such a one as you are if I should speak my tongue fails me I am in a great strait yet you had better hear your miscarriages faithfully reproved by me to your reformation then mali●iously aggravated by others to your destruction My words may be smart yet they are wholsome severe they may be yet kind you hear me with sorrow but not with more then I speak to you with 1. It