Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
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A60329
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Plain and peaceable advice to those called Presbyterians in Scotland by Alexander Skene.
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Skene, Alexander.
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1681
(1681)
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Wing S3936; ESTC R10254
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8,699
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17
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Plain and Peaceable ADVICE To those called Presbyterians IN SCOTLAND By Alexander Skene Longè diversa sunt carnificina pietas nec potest aut veritas cum vi aut justitia cum crudelitate conjungi There is a vast difference betwixt Butchery and Godliness neither has Truth any concord with Violence of Cruelty with Righteousness Lactan. Milit. lib. 5. cap. 20. Truth is not propagated by Swords or Spears nor by Souldiers but by Perswasion and Counsel Athan. Epict. ad Vit. Sel. ag lib. 1. Rom. 12.18 If it be possible as much as lyeth in you live peaceably with all men c. 2 Cor. 10.4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds LONDON Printed for Benjamin Clark in George-yard in Lombard-street 1681. TO THE READER THe serious sense I have of that necessary Duty by which all Christians are obliged not only to love one another but even their Enemies Mat. 5.44 and the great Abhorrence they should have against that Spirit of Cain who slew his Brother hath not only engaged me and those of my Perswasion to forsake that principle and practice of Fighting and to prefer the peaceable way of Christ even under greatest sufferings Isa 53.7 but also moved me to write this ensuing Disswasive to them whose principle and practice hath drawn on themselves much Sufferings and occasioned greater Severities to be enacted against the Dissenting Worshippers of God from the National way then probably would otherwise have been whereby not only they have met with sad Afflictions but even others whose chiefest desire was only to have liberty to Worship the Lord in Spirit and in Truth according to their Consciences have been made to suffer these three years and a half by gone by frequent and long Imprisonments c. Though we conceive the Narratives of all these Penal Statutes against Meetings might sufficiently have guarded those who never were Seditious in practice nor principle But if they to whom this is directed would once at last be induced to that behaviour that is most suitable to the Gospel of Peace and to the Spirit of true Christianity it is my hope in the Lord that he would incline the hearts of our Rulers both Supreme and Subordinate to make their Moderation so far known as to allow a just liberty of Worship to all whose differences are no ways inconsistent with the Peace and Prosperitys of the Nation Waiting for this Mercy from the Lord in his appointed time I commend this small Endeavour to his Blessing The 5th of the 6th mon. 1679. A. S. TO THE PRESBYTERIANS IN SCOTLAND KNowing that ye look on it as a duty to fight by military weapons in defence of your principle yea to promote your Cause and your pretended Reformation by the power of the Sword in which ye are confirmed by some of your Preachers who are always labouring to perswade you to this as one evidence of your Zeal for God and not to spare to hazard your Lives Liberties and Estates in such a glorious Cause as they call it In reference to which I have found freedom out of that love I bear to the welfare of your Souls the peace of our native Country and that duty of obedience and subjection we owe to all that are set up in lawful Authority over us as we are men and Christians whether active or passive wherein we cannot with a good conscience give active obedience to lay before you these following Considerations 1. Consider how short ye are of that promise and Prophecy of Gospel-times when Christians shall be recovered out of the Apostacy and come to the primitive Simplicity which is mentioned Micah 4.2 3 4. and Isa 2.2 3 4. When many Nations shall say Come and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord and to the House of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his ways and we will walk in his paths c. And he will judge among many people and rebuke strong Nations afar off and they shall beat their Swords into Plow-shares and their Spears into Pruning-hooks Nation shall not lift up Sword against Nation neither shall they learn War any more but they shall sit every man under his own Vine and under his own Fig-tree and none shall make them afraid for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Where first this is observable that this promise is to be accomplished when many Nations shall come to own the true God which was not so under the Mosaical dispensation till the Gospel of Jesus Christ was preached amongst the Nations and the Gentile World converted to Christianity But it may be objected That Wars were never more amongst the Nations then since the Nations became by outward profession to own Christianity and so it continues unto this day To which my second Consideration shall serve for Answer thus Before the defection from the Simplicity of the Gospel in the first and purest times of Christianity it was not so as is witnessed by Doctor Cave's Primitive Christianity citing Testimonies out of Origens and Tertullians Apology pag. 326. chap. 2. pag. 55. chap. 1. where he brings in Celsus objecting to Origen that Christians refused to help the Emperours in their Wars Origen answers That they did really assist and help him and that rather with Divine than humane weapons according to the command of the Apostle I exhort that first of all supplication prayers intercessions c. be made for all men for Kings and for all that are in Authority And tells him the more eminent any man is for Piety and Religion he will be able to afford greater assistance to his Prince then a great many Armed Souldiers that stand ready to fight for him and to destroy his enemies But to clear this further see that famous Letter of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus the Roman Emperour to the Senate of Rome which is recorded in the Works of Justin Martyr in Latine Also in John Fox his Acts and Monuments commonly called the Book of Martyrs his first Tome pag. 46. who though he reports according to Eusebius the Christians to have been a Legion of the Emperours Army yet the Letter it self shews the contrary where the Emperour says I caused to be sent for these men who were called Christians who did their endeavour but without either Weapons Munition Armour or Trumpet as men abhorring such preparation and furniture but only satisfied in trust of their God whom they carry about with them in their Consciences And for your sakes I shall set down the Letter at length Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Emperour to the Senate and People of Rome I Give you to understand what success I have had in my Wars in Germany as also what I intend and with how much difficulty I have victualled my Camp being compassed about with seventy and four fierce Dragons whom my Scouts descried to be within nine miles of us and Pompeianus our Lieutenant hath viewed
caused the Lord of glory to be Crucified But then their defence had forsaken them So long then as the Lords people keeps his way and abides in his truth and trusts alone in the living God they need fear no enemy whatsoever Such as return to the Primitive simplicity of the Gospel in faith and practice will find all these promises fulfilled though others that are not come to that state think fit to use Arms. 4. Consider if these Truths had been believed and received in this Island there had much bloud been spared that hath been spilt these 30 or 40 years by gone and the desired Reformation carried on in a more peaceable and prosperous way then it hath been as may be seen matters standing as they do at this day It is wonderful that your eyes are so blinded that ye reflect not nor look back upon your disappointments and fruitless labour by your Wars and Fighting in pretence to set up Presbyterian Government in pursuance of Reformation by Arms. I do not question but there have been many of several ranks that were engaged so in a mistaken zeal for truly the way and manner was not approved by the Lord compelling all by force and violence to comply with you though contrary to their Judgment and Light If you pretend a good intention that will not justifie a bad Action witness Vzziah his putting forth his hand to the Ark of the Lord when the Oxen shook it the Lords anger was kindled against him and smote him till he died 2 Sam. 6.7 5 It were worth your serious Consideration that if these Preachers continue to stir you up to rise in Arms they have not much of self-interest in their eye they being now secluded from their places and that Power and Authority they and their Brethren had during our late sad troubles and Wars in this Kingdom taken from them whether therefore they seek not to imbroil the Nations in new Wars rather then still to be thus deprived But I conceive it were more suitable for them to evidence as much care and zeal in exciting all persons and people whom they could influence to search and try their ways and to turn unto the Lord God with their whole hearts and seek more after a personal Reformation and after a new Creation in their inward man then to delude people by stirring up a carnal zeal for outward Reformation when there is no true zeal for real conformity to the Spirit of Jesus in the heart 6. Consider if the way of Fighting and Arms was a means to spread the Gospel at first among the Nations Christ sent forth his Disciples as Lambs and Sheep among Wolves and they by pains and labour and sufferings did propagate the Gospel and will ye imagine to carry on any true Gospel-work another way They suffered imprisonments beatings scourgings stonings and all manner of evil and will ye by resisting evil with force and violence apprehend to promote the Kingdom of Christ in these Lands The best Arms the Primitive Christians used were preces lachrymae prayers and tears and so long as ye make use of Swords and Guns can ye upon any just ground lay claim to be their Successors Remember that the Lords House after the Captivity which our Babylonish Captivity under Popery resembled was not built by might nor by power but by the Spirit of the Lord Zach. 4.6 Even so our Reformation from Antichristian Idolatry and Superstition whether Root or Branch is not to be by Sword or Spear but the Lord is to consume it by the Spirit of his Mouth and shall destroy him by the brightness of his coming 2 Thes 2.8 O that ye knew the vertue and power of the Spirit of life and truth ye would soon perceive the folly and vanity of your carnal weapons and of the Arm of flesh wherefore let Christ who is the head of the true Church be the sole defender of his Faith which he hath wrought in all the true members thereof else acknowledge your Faith and work of Reformation ye pretend too to be none of Christs but meerly humane and therefore must be upholden by the Arm of man 7. Consider this your way is liker the Children of Antichrist then the Disciples of Holy Jesus who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously 1 Pet. 2.23 So his Disciples behaved themselves 1 Cor. 4.12 13. Being reviled says Paul we bless being persecuted we suffer it being defamed we entreat we are made as the filth of the World and are counted as the off-scouring of all things unto this day Thus we may see the frame of that Spirit that was in the Christians of old They were far from rendring evil for evil or repelling force with force the weapons of their warfare were not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds 2 Cor. 10.4 Whereas it is the Spirit of Antichrist to make use of carnal weapons in defence of false worship it was given to him to make war with the Saints yea to overcome them Rev. 13.7 yet nevertheless vers 19. He that killeth with the Sword must be kill'd with the Sword This is a retribution threatned and promised to come upon Antichrist and all that walk in his steps see his lording way in his forcible impositions vers 16 17. He causeth all ranks to bow to him and receive marks of conformity to him yea not to have the liberty to buy or sell or the common priviledge of Subjects except they be such Now if ye be so dealt with in any degree at such a time as this ye should reflect upon your selves how much this was your own way when power was in your hands and had the Authority of the Civil Magistrate upon your side But I wish ye and all others that imploy'd your power to stir up the Magistrate to persecute others for matters purely conscientious to consider how far ye are from any just right to lay claim to the Holy Mountain of the Lord which is his Church in Gospel-times as is Prophesied Isai 11.9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my Holy Mountain Consider how far this excludes force and Arms from being instruments to defend the Faith of the Gospel or to promote it as now the most part of these called Christians use to do these weapons and means never having been used till the simplicity of Christianity began to be lost and the Apostacy began to creep in It was the pride and ambition of the Bishop of Rome and his Clergy and Arrians and Nestorians that would needs have all men to bow to them and to conform to their impositions that first stirred up the Kings and Princes of the Earth to persecute all whose Consciences could not comply with them And shall ye who think your selves a part of the Reformed Churches tread their steps 8. Wherefore consider that place of the Apostle