Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
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A81577
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A short essay of modern divinity, by Robert Dixon. D.D.
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Dixon, Robert, d. 1688.
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1681
(1681)
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Wing D1748A; ESTC R231408
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33,711
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62
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They have better Principles than so where ever they are they are the Truâ—st Church say the Papists and Sectaries what they please Theirs is the only safe way to Salvation Sit anima mea cum talibus Christianis SECT VIII Therefore the Modern Divinity of the Reformation is according to the Pattern of Christ on Mount Sion not of Moses on Mount Sinai Right Preaching agreeable to the Sense Language and Stâ—le of the New Testament agreeable to Sense and Reason drawn from the New Testament explaining the great Points of Grace Faith Repentance Justification Regeneration Adoption Election c. for edification of Souls without the tincture of Legends of Saints Miracles and Reliques Penances Prayers to Saints or Angels Devotion to Images or the Cross or to the Host without School Subtilties or Flourishes of Eloquence falsly so called without Enterludes or Masquerades upon the Passion Resurrection or Ascension c. which things have a shew of Holiness but nothing of the Power of Godliness at all in them to please God at all Therefore the Modern Doctrine Discipline and Worship of the Reformation is agreeable to the pure Antient and Spiritual Doctrine Discipline and Worship of God in that true evangelical Dispensation after the Abolishment of Mose's Law without Carnal Pomp and Ceremonies directed to God above through Jesus Christ without any Applications to Saints or Angels or Images without Prayers in an unknown Tongue Half Communion Penances Pilgrimages Vows Offerings at Shrines Prayers to or for the dead which things have a shew and form of Godliness pleasing to the Flesh but nothing of the power or substance of Religion to please God This honest preaching of God's word and plain form of Publick Worship by solid Prayers Intercessions Praises Thanksgivings and Benedictions fitting for all conditions at all times is the true Modern Christian Service for Uniformity in Knowledge and Devotion in Spirit and Truth in the publick Congregation leaving every man to liberty of Conscience in Reading and Praying in his Family or in his Closet that all may be done for Edification Decently and in Order And if all Protestants would submit as they are commanded to the publick hearing of God's word and to the publick Worship as it is by Law established in the freedom of the Spirit and Faith though they scruple at some few indifferent Rites to which they are not in Bondage reserving their liberty of opening to themselves they should do no more then what all Jews did and what all Heathens did and what all Papists did and do and what all other Protestants and Christians over all the World do keeping peace though they are not all agreed in other things Why should our Dissenters be strangers to all Christendom besides And this the Poor People would quickly do if their private Teachers would conform and teach them to do the like which is the thing so greatly desired and to which they have been so long woo'd with all kindness and encouragement imaginable O when will they once look upon their dear Mother the Church of England whom they have pierced for she is ready to look upon them as God is with the eye of tender pity and compassion Her Bowels yearn upon her Children who that they may be undâ—ceived let them know that the bottom of the business is this The Politick Great ones pretending to the Title aim strongly at these two things 1. At the Power Regal Policy Thrones are brave things 2. At Crown Lands Church Lands and Nobilities and Gentries Lands These are fat morsels Nobles shall embrace Dunghills and Slaves shine in purple and Scarlet These great Dogs shall swallow the rich prey the little Curs bark aloud and starve You fat Citizens and Countrey Farmers shall spend your Bloods and Estates and be turn'd off with Debentures to the publick Faith till you be as poor as Job and as very Slaves as the African Negroes I le promise you Gospellers shall get Sequestrations of your Brethrens Livings but the Classes and Assemblies shall never be able to set up the Stool of Repentance nor tyrannize over the Gentry of every Parish by the Assistance of Weavers and Taylors and your Lay Elders You may remember when you were uppermost your Patrons never trusted you with Power nor with the Kings Nobilities or Gentries or Churches Revenues Stand off But the Independants Anabaptists Quakers having the longest Sword would not stand off but took the Power and Estate too and the least Dog of yours durst not open his mouth against your dear Brethren Then were you fairly wip't of all Then you whin'd and cryed to bring in the King and upon his knees too if you could for your own ends And now you are not pleased what does infatuation presage They say Quos Jupiter vult perdere hos dementat But you may do a great deal of mischief before that time But you may repent also and then that time shall never come And as a Motive to your Repentance I 'le be a Prophet for once that never was a Prophet before Your own Lay-Masters and Protectors will engage you to do their work for them and when they have done they will fill their own Bellies and turn you off to live upon the Bridle For Treason is liked but the Traytor loathed And if you will not believe me Look over into Scotland in Knocks his time Look beyond the Seas into Holland Germany Hungary Sweden Denmark Norway c. Observe their Clergy Superintenders and Lay-Administrators where the Name of Bishop will not down but their Estates are gone down glib into Lay-mens Stomacks and are very well digested But the new-named Clergy are put off with a Bit and a Knock pitiful dependent Pensioners and Trencher-Chaplains easily blown away by the Blast of their Great Dons or the Puff of a Lurdy Burger Lastly for I am tired in this Odious Subject Beside the most deplorable Atheism daily increasing and the Distractions in the Religion that is left Rebellion multiplying upon us by reason of the Spirit of Rebellion not only the Prince is affronted by his Subjects the Magistrate by his Citizens the Pastor by his Flock but every Parent by his Children and every Master of a Family by his Servants So that if there were no other end but the benefit of enjoying our Temporal Rights we had need to pray for Kings and for all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life here in common honesty which can never be expected in such a state of Rebellion as we are now in From which Good Lord deliver us Amen Do but consider If you should break out into Rebellion the Second time how many young poor Creatures would you draw away in the simplicity of their Souls as if it were Gods cause but especially what multitudes of forlorn hungry Desperados Banditi and angry Fellows would follow you for prey and plunder of Churches and Palaces to the Ruin of the King Nobility
enought Why then should we not believe those that did work Miracles and were honest too Christ worked Miracles and so did his Apostles and therefore Christ and his Apostles were Teachers that came from God for no man could ever work such Miracles as they did unless they were sent of God Doctrine or matter of Law Beside their Teaching and Doctrine we believe to be true because we find it to be true by natural Reason in matter of Law Why should we not believe their Relations to be true also for matter of Fact For such men as preached such Doctrines and did such Miracles must needs make as true Relations of what they had taught and done for matter of Fact Why should this be the chief Scruple Miracles or matter of Fact Was it impossible for God to work Miracles We cannot say it And did he not work Miracles How can we but say it What did he not therefore work them because we saw them not Others did and they tell us of them and they that did them tell us what they did and others that saw them tell us what they did Shall we believe no Body nor Thing unless we see them How do we believe God whom we never saw 'T is by the Relation of his works they tell us of him Monstrat Quaelibet herba Deum The Heavens declare the Glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy work Would not we that are honest be believed that have seen and heard and tell it to others Conveyance Why should not Christ's Witnesses be believed when they tell the World what they have seen and heard Even the wonderfull works of God The Apostle could not but speak presently after Christ's Resurrection with great boldness what they had both seen and heard And though it be now long since to us that are now alive yet they told it to them that were hard by them and they told it to them that were next and so one Generation continued telling it one to another and so down to our time and we shall tell it to them that come after us to the Worlds end there will never be an end of telling it As the Jews did to their Childrens Children c. Is not this a possible and fair Conveyance What can be desired more Vbique Semper ab Omnibus Ob. Some make false Reports Sol. Therefore true Reports are the more Believeable Some speak as true as others speak false or else none speaks true which no Body can say Ob. How shall I be sure who speaks true or false Sol. By the Credit of the Witnesses We that are honest know that we speak true and they that are honest do speak true and therefore all men are not false but some are true And by their works you shall know them whether their words be true Now Christ and his Disciples went about doing all the good they could Preaching Repentance to all and healing every one that was diseased of all manner of Infirmities therefore they were true And besides God was in them and with them to enable them to preach and do Miracles For never men spake as they spake or did as they did therefore both their words and works were all true and therefore worthy of all acceptation and belief Quod erat Demonstrandum We should take it very ill of others if we knowing the Truth to be in our hearts the World should abuse us for Lyars and Dissemblers and that we speak not a word of Truth when God knows and our own hearts do know that we speak the Truth and nothing but the Truth and that we do call God to witness for what we say or do to deal with us no otherwise than as we mean honestly and justly in all that we say or do We believe our selves when we speak truth Why should we not believe others that are as true men as our selves But especially such as had power from God the God of Truth to confirm all their Doctrines and Miracles which power we have not and yet are true men But they had therefore these extraordinary gifts confirmed upon them not for their own sakes but for the sakes of others that they might believe by their Words and Deeds to the Glory of God and to the Comfort and Salvation of their own Souls in the day of the Lord Jesus when the Secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed and we shall understand all truths without all Scruples and when Faith and Hope shall cease because we enjoy the things which we believed and hoped for We cannot therefore say that nothing is true for God is true and God's People are true and therefore something must be true and this which is the word of God if any thing must be true But put the Case that men should be so unreasonable as not to believe as some are for all men have not Faith because they will not have it though they might have it and especially to believe that which is most reasonably and worthy and necessary and most profitable to believe That Jesus Christ came in the Flesh to save Sinners I say suppose men should be thus far unbelieving as to matter of Fact concerning Christ's coming in the Flesh to dy and rise again to save Sinners Doctrine Yet why will they not believe this plain Doctrine of so great a truth as is acknowledged by all that God is to be worshipped that they should work Righteousnes and do to all men as they would be done by which is matter of Right in all and to all Whether Christ came in the Flesh or no to save Sinners yet to be sure all men ought to be honest why then are so many quite contrary in their practice though in their mind they do agree as to common Honesty Though all men are so stubborn that they have not Faith why should they be so perverse as to have no honesty Now what they can say to this or the other I know not except they shall say as they may truly it is their own fault if they do not believe nor live honestly Why Because they will be high they will be rich because they know there is no God or wish so at least They will venture it Certainly every man as he would willingly be believed when he says truth so he would as willing be loved when he does truth that is he would be honestly dealt withal every way by every man with all his heart as he is willing to deal honestly every way to every man with all his heart And withall if there be Salvation they would be glad to be saved Who would not wish to dy the Death of the Righteous and that his last end may be like unto his The most wicked men after all would be glad to be happy The wise tells them they must use the right way that leads to happiness and that calls no other than Holiness Well they that do live honestly are approved tho