Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	scripture_n	spirit_n	try_v	2,382	5	8.8588	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34182	The bishop of London's charge to the clergy of his diocese at his visitation begun Ann. 1693 and concluded Ann. 1694.	Compton, Henry, 1632-1713.	1696 (1696)	Wing C5663; ESTC R32775	23,015	41

off in Pomp and Noise For its Extent was confin'd within Europe all the Churches in Asia and Africa disowning it and there still remain'd in the heighth of their Triumph Bodies of Men that Opposed their Superstitions and many of them with their Blood Sealed to the Truth Besides its Reign is not near of that Length it pretends to The continual Attempts it made upon the Jurisdiction of other Churches and the aiming at Universality were long in agitation and never yet settled to their mind farther than in Italy and there next door it is rejected in Sicily It s Pernicious Errours have generally been Disowned by their soundest Members and by their greatest and ablest Writers and few Established by Authority till the Council of Trent after the Reformation was begun as you may see amongst others in our excellent Dr. Field of the Church Yet these and all other Considerations do not Captivate a good Christian so as to make him lay aside all his Reason but in the midst of Miracles and the Power of the Holy Ghost with the Noble Bereans search the Scripture whether Things be so or no. How suddenly would our Schisms Vanish away were some among us so Ingenuous as to go to the Fountain-Head to Search the Scriptures and not have Mens Persons so much in Admiration as to take all for Gospel that they say Ye see then the modest Cautiousness which ought to be used to confirm us in the Truth lest either by too much Implicitness we suffer Error to grow upon us or by Assuming too much to our selves we be Misled by our own Indiscretion I shall refer my self in this Point to what St. Augustine says in a Treatise against the Donatists Who knows not that the Holy Canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are contained within their certain Limits and are so far Preferr'd before all after-Writings of Bishops that the Truth or Justice of whatever appears to be Written in them is not to be doubted or call'd in question But what Episcopal Determinations have been or are made since the Canon of the Holy Scriptures has been confirm'd may if they appear Faulty be Corrected either by a Hand happily more Skilful or by the Authority and Prudence of more Bishops and Wiser Men or by Councils And Councils themselves which are held of particular Nations or Provinces are without more adoe to yield to the Authority of Plenary and General Councils and they likewise which have gone before to submit to the Correction of the later when any thing is discover'd which was not known before and that without the least swelling of Pride transport of Arrogance or spiteful Contention but with a Sanctify'd Humility in Catholick Peace and Christian Charity Wherefore St. Cyprian so much the Greater by being the more Humble and who was so in love with the Behaviour of St. Peter that he said setting it forth as an Instruction to us of Concord and Patience that we should not be too fond of our own ways but rather esteem those to be ours if True and Just which are now and then opportunely suggested to us by our Brethren and Colleagues He shews plainly enough how easily he would have alter'd his Opinion if any one had made it appear to him that Christian Baptism might be Administred to others by those who left the Church for the same Reason that they cannot lose their own by their Departure Of which though I have said much I should not have dar'd to have utter'd one Word unless I had been supported by the joynt Authority of the Universal Church to which I make no doubt he had likewise yielded if in his time the Question had been canvased and decided by a plenary Council But though the Rule of Discretion and common Prudence taken from the natural Course of things direct this way yet such is the headstrong Temper of corrupt Nature as will break through all For we see in the very Infancy of Christianity when Mens outward Senses were Gratified with continual Miracles their Minds taught by the Insallible Guides of the Church the Apostles Their Expectation and Dependance upon Things here below prevented by incessant Persecutions and powerful Oppositions yet would they not retain Sincerity and Innocence For we see even in those Days there was an Hymeneus and an Alexander and a Diotrephes and divers others complain'd of by the Apostles themselves there was the Heresie of the Nicolaitans and that of the Gnostics too if some have guess'd aright which provok'd St Peter to give this Warning There shall be false teachers among you who privily shall bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction And many shall follow their pernicious ways by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of c. And St. Iohn thus counsels Christians upon the same Account Beloved believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God because many false Prophets are gone out into the world No wonder then if the Scripture advertises us of the Mischiefs which should happen to the Church in after-Days Now the spirit speaks expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils speaking lies in hypocrisie But more emphatically have we it from the same hand in the Charge given at Miletus to the Clergy of Ephesus Take heed unto your selves and to all the flock over the which the holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood For I know this that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you not sparing the flock Also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them Which is confirmed by the Mouth of Truth it self Many false prophets shall rise and shall deceive many And that we may be apprised of the Reason why it has seemed good to the Divine Wisdom to expose the Church to these uneasie Tryals we are told I hear there are divisions among you There must be also heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest among you Being thus forewarned of those Unnatural Distractions wherewith our Holy Profession is to be Visited and that in all probability they will continue to the end of the World because the Reason for them does so Ye ought always to be upon a strict Guard against the Incroachment of so Dangerous an Evil. For the Honour of God the Support of Truth the Salvation of Mens Souls and the Peace of the Church are all concerned in it What is it preserves the Communion of so many Churches so widely distant in Place Discipline and Worship but the Harmony of Confession the Consent in that which is the Life and Soul of our Holy Religion the Articles of our Faith It is our Creed