Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
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B07159
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A most humble supplication of many the Kings Maiesties loyall subiects, ready to testifie all civill obedience, by the oath, as the law of this realme requireth, and that of conscience; who are persecuted, onely for differing in religion, contrary to divine and humane testimonies as followeth..
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Murton, John.
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1621
(1621)
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STC 563.7; ESTC S95969
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22,236
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39
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as freely have permitted the Trâ—th as the Truth could have suffered falshood leaâ—â—â—â— it to God to punish there should not have bene 〈◊〉 trouble at all in the State and Common wealth Againe who is not well acquainted with the flourishing estates of the neighbour Nations and that divers who tollerate Religion their Weales States and Cities are well and peaceably governed Many sorts of Religions are in their Provinces yet no trouble of State no treason no hinderance at all of any good they have all one harmonie in matters of State giving unto Caesar his due and for Religion they suffer one another patiently doing one unto another as they would be done unto And if any object the troubles of France or of the Low Countries it is easily answered the fountaine of them is that those that hold persecution lawfull take up armes or raise tumults for which cause it is just in the Princes and States to punish such severely for the breach of the Civill peace not medling with them for matter of conscience None that we know but Papists and Protestants doe persecute and therefore are onely lettered but altogether without the Spirit of God to perswade that persecution is profitable for a State it being so wicked and unprofitable as hath beene proved CHAP. X. Kings are deprived of no power that God hath given them when they maintaine freedome of Religion in their Dominions VVE are not ignorant that the learned doe perswade Kings and Princes that they have power from God to maintaine Gods worship and service as well as civill peace and so are mainteyners of both Tables and to punish false worshippers with imprisonment death or otherwise as other malefactors of the second Table Now concerning the latter we freely acknowledge they have all of them power from God to make humane Lawes that be just for the government of their Kingdomes and compell their subjects to observe them and to punish the transgressors of them and we all are to be obedient of conscience for the Lords sake But here lyeth the difficultie where God hath given to all Kings charge over his worship and spirituall service For God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth Ioh. 4. If all Kings have this charge and power then doe all Kings sinne in this save one if one for many doe not at all thinke it is their charge and so doe altogether neglect it and some doe thinke it is their charge and doe maintaine it one in one manner and another in another so that there can be but one that doe well in it if one for there is but one Truth all the rest doe sinne some for not maintaining it at all and some for maintaining it after a false manner for a false worship is worse then none And this one may verie well be doubtfull because he is as subject to erre as the others And if he doe erre and constraine his subjects amisse they shall perish for their sinne and their bloud shall be required at his hands The learned say that Christian Kings have the same power that the kings of Israel had to maintaine Mose Law in which observe no other kings had power oâ— charge to maintaine that Religion but onely the Kings of Israel and yet the Common weales did continue long and flourish to them and their seed afteâ— them to many generation but in these daies diver Kings say they are in the place of the Kings of Israel and say they maintaine the Religion of Christs Gospell yet differ so much as they count one another Idolaters and Heretiques for maintaining his way May it please your Majestie to give us leave to ask of your learned in what place of the word of Go your charge standeth Wee often reade of your charg in civill things and that your power is from God an hee hath given you a sword to punish evill doers and defend the innocent but not to support any Religion nor suppresse any Religion by your earthly sword now in the time of Christ But we reade that Kings have given their power and authoritie to the Beast Revel 17. to uphold an Antichristian Religion and their be ten or many of them that doe it Therefore it behooveth all Kings that doe by power and force uphold any Religion to suspect themselves lest they be of those ten that uphold the Beast and fight against the Lambe And also let them feare lest seeming to uphold true Religion they sit in the consciences of men where Christ should sit For Christ is the alone King of Israel without a fellow or substitute as your Majestie well observeth in your Highnesse Apologie Christ is the Churches Monarch and the Holy Ghost his Deputie But we know that they will answer us your Charge is in the Law of Moses for in the Gospell they have no colour for Rom. 13. maketh nothing for this purpose Caesar being a Heathen King to whom God gave no authoritie nor sword for matter of Religion They say the children of Israel were commanded to destroy all the inhabitants of the Land Deut. 7. lest they intice them to serve their gods Exod. 23. And false Prophets to be slaine Deut. 13. These are their strong holds For answer unto which First the sinns of these people were full and the Lord would destroy them and give their possessions to Israel but the sinns of the refusers of Christ are not full untill the end Secondly the children of Israel had a speciall command from the Lord to destroy them but the kings of Nations have no command at all to destroy the bodies of the contrarie minded they are forbidden to plucke up the tares Mat. 13. Thirdly the Canaanites would have rebelled against Israel and have destroyed them but the contrarie minded will not rebell against their Kings all that doe let them be cut off Fourthly the Heads and Rulers of Israel could command and compel the people to observe those carnall Rites Ordinances of the Law but the Heads of the Nations cannot compell their Subjects to beleeve the Gospel for faith is the gift of God which faith if they want all that they doe in Gods worship is sinne Rom. 14.23 Heb. 11.6 therefore they cannot compell any to worship because they cannot give them faith for which cause the Lord in wisedome see it not meet to charge Kings with a dutie which they cannot performe For to acceptance with God there must be a willing mind 1. Cor. 9. and faith but seeing it is not in their power to work either of these but the worke of God alone as your Majestie saith in Parl. 1609. God will never require it at their hands The bloud of the faithlesse and misbeleeving shall be upon their own heads for he that will not beleeve shall be damned Againe seeing they grant the law of Adulterie Theft and the like to be changed and is not now to be exacted according to that Law for the Iudicials were but for that time place and person as your Majestie observeth in Parl. 1609. why should not this Deut. 13. be changed also for the causes aforesaid as also because Christ and his Apostles hath expresly forbidden it as hath beene proved reserving for such a sorer punishment Heb. 10. For if that Law should now be exacted all Kings would be deprived of many their faithfull subjects and the Cities of their habitation with all their substance that is therein must be burned with fire and made a heape of stones for ever vvhich God forbid This wee hope your Majestie and the rest in Authoritie may see there is no comparison between the Kings of Israel under the Law and the Kings of Nations in the time of the Gospell in matters of Religion Many things might be writ to prove that Kings are not deprived of that power which God hath given them by suffering the Freedome in Religion as also the high impietie of all such as force the conscience by persecution But this may suffice the Almightie blessing it which with your Kingly and Honourable Consultations wee commend unto the King of Kings with our uncessant prayers for such successe as may tend most to his glorie and the prosperous estate of this Kingdome The Kings Majestie loyall subjects in all lawfull obedience unjustly called Anabaptists
Ghost in whomsoever THe next in order as the immediate question from this former is who must interpret this Rule because as is objected there are many darke places in it hard to be understood Vnto vvhich we answer The two Witnesses shall be the onely interpreter thereof which are the vvord of God contained in the same Scriptures and the Spirit of God so are they called Ioh. 15.26.27 Act. 5.32 First for the Scriptures themselves although some doctrine in some places be darke and obscure as Peter speaketh 2. Pet. 3.16 yet the selfe same doctrines in other places are plaine and manifest For all the words of the Lord are plaine to them that will understand and straight to them that would finde knowledge Prov. 8.9 And knowledge is easie to him that will understand Prov. 14.6 Secondly the Spirit of God so saith the Apostle 1. Ioh. 5.6 It is the Spirit that beareth witnesse for the Spirit is truth and Ioh. 14.26 But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name hee shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance which I have told you And Ioh. 16.13 Howbeit when hee is come which is the Spirit of Truth hee will leade you into all truth for hee shall not speake of himselfe but whatsoever hee shall heare hee shall speake and he will teach you of the things to come And 1. Cor. 2.10 For the Spirit searcheth all things even the deepe things of God and vers 11. For the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God And 1 Ioh. 2.27 But the annointing that ye have received of him dwelleth in you and yee need not that any man teach you but as the same annointing teacheth you of all things and it is true and is not lying and as it taught you you shall abide in him And 1 Ioh. 3.24 Hereby we know that hee abideth in us even by the Spirit that hee hath given us And 1. Cor. 12.8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisedome and to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit The Scriptures be so plaine in this that the greatest adversaries thereof doe acknowledge the truth hereof Onely in this lyeth the difficultie who it is that hath the Spirit of God to interprete the Scriptures which is that sure Rule which in the next place is to be handled CHAP. III. That the Spirit of God to understand and interpret is given to all and every particular person that feare and obey God of what degree soever they be and not to the wicked DEut. 4.5.6 Behold J have taught you Ordinances and Lawes as the Lord my God commanded me that you doe even so c. Keep them therefore and doe them for that is your wisedome and understanding in the sight of the people c. who shall say onely this people is wise and of understanding c. Psal 25.12 What man is he that feareth the Lord him will he teach the way that he shall chuse and vers 14. The secret of the Lord is revealed to them that feare him and his covenant to give them understanding And Psal 107.43 Who is wise that he may observe these things for they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord. Dan. 12.10 None of the wicked shall have understanding but the wise shall understand for God will doe nothing but he revealed his secrets to his servants Amos 3.7 And he that keepeth the Law is a child of understanding Prov. 28.7 Luk. 21.15 For I will give you my Disciples that obey me and suffer for my sake a mouth and wisedome And Luk. 12.12 And the Holy Ghost shall teach you what yee shall say For Mat. 10.20 it is not you that speake but the Spirit of my father that speaketh in you And Mark 4.11 to you my followers is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdome of God but to them that are without all things are in parables And Ioh. 14.15 Jf ye love me keep my commandements and I will pray the Father and hee shall give you the Spirit of Truth And Ioh. 7.17 Jf any man will doe his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or no. And Act. 5.32 Yea and the Holy Ghost whom God hath given to all that obey him And Psal 119.99 c. David had more understanding then all his Teachers and then all the Ancients because he kept Gods precepts Hence is plaine to whom the Spirit of God is given Even to everie particular Saint of God and it is no Private spirit but even the Publique Spirit of God which is in him which enableth him to understanding and so to declare the things given him of God For that is a private spirit that is not of God though it be in multitudes but the Spirit of God though but in one Saint is not Private Gods Spirit is not private for it is not comprehended onely within one place person or time but is universall and eternall so is not mans Spirit Therefore mens is private though in many persons Gods is publique though but in one person CHAP. IV. Those that feare and obey God and so have the Spirit of God to search out the mind of God in the Scriptures are commonly and for the most part simple ones poore despised c. OVr Saviour saith Mat. 11.5 The poore receive the Gospell and vers 25. J thank thee Father Lord of heaven earth because thou hast opened these things to Babes It is so Father because thy good pleasure was such And the Apostle James 2.5 Hearken my beloved brethren Hath not God chosen the poore of this world that they should be rich in faith and Heyres of the Kingdome c. And the Apostle Paul 1. Cor. 1.26 c. Brethren you see your Calling that God hath chosen the foolish of this world the weake of this world the vile of this world and despised and which are not For Gods dealing is to give unto the simple sharpnesse of wit and to the child knowledge and discretion Prov. 1.4 The Spirit bloweth where it listeth Ioh. 3.8 and is not tied either to learning or multitudes Poore persecuted Michaih had the truth against 400. of King Ahabs Prophets 1. King 22. so had Ieremy Ier. 37. against all the Priests and Prophets of Israel The Lord of life himselfe in his fleshly being what was hee but a man full of sorowes In his birth laid in a cratch because there was no roome for him in the Inne Luke 2.7 A Carpenter by trade Mark 6. having not a hole to rest his head in Mat. 8. and in his death contemned and despised His Apostles in like manner what were they but meane men Fishermen Tent-makers and such like having no certain dwelling place in so much as the worldly wise Scribes and Pharises took notice of it and reproachfully said Ioh. 7.48 Doth any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees beleeve