Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A85238
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Zealous beleevers are the best subjects to Cæser or An exhortation to all good Christians to pray for their princes : there being nothing wherein they can better shew their allegiance. Published invindication [sic] of the saints against the false imputations of such as count it rebellion to be religious. / by I.F.
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Ferret, John.
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1643
(1643)
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Wing F818; Thomason E1103_2; ESTC R208364
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54,637
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135
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Next to this as a second means for the suppressing of popery I vvould subjoyn the casting out from among us all appearance of popery every thing that looks like Rome every thing of vvhich the papists may say This you borrovved from us c. I condemne not every thing receaved from Rome as simply evill but certainly as long as the papists see any such things among us in our publike vvorsbip they vvill but scorn us and our religion as imperfect and unable to furnish us in the service of our God vvithout being beholding to them If ye knovv these things happy are ye if ye doe them Iohn 13 17. in all parts of the kingdome to demolish all Idolatrous reliques and superstitious monuments as they have already most worthily begun with that great Image of many faces in Cheapside to punish open Idolatrie blasphemie swearing cursing Sabbath-breaking and all such as are lawlesse disobedient traytors ungodly sinners unholy prophane murderers of fathers murderers of mothers manslayers whoremongers defylers of themselves with mankind men stealers lyers periured persons c. 1 Tim. 1 9. 10. but to uphold and maintaine those that walke godly righteously and Tit. 2 12. soberlie among them though it should not be just in that way and manner of publike worship which the Parliament shall set up For I can not but hold well of that which that faithfull and able minister of the gospel Mr. Henry Aynsworth hath long since written Counterpoy Pag. 232. concerning the Parliament of England saying Howsoever all subjects are and ought to submit to the good civill lawes there inacted and obedience may be inforced by the sword Rom. 13. if any resist yet in cases of conscience every man must live by his owne faith Hab. 2 4. Nen must gladly receave the word Act. 2 41. out of which all religion must be gathered all Kings and Kingdomes submitting unto the lawes and ordinances in Christs testament Psal 2 10. 11. 12. if they would have blessing and salvation by him With which agreeth well that excellent note of an antient writer and there are many that reverence antiquity in matter of religion and indeed it is the old way in walking wherein we find rest who teacheth us that Bern in Cant. fides suadenda est non imperanda For the Apostle plainly declareth that none can Rom. 10 14. 15. 17. call upon him in whom they have not beleeved neither can they believe in him of whom they have not heard and heare they can not without a preacher and none can preach except he be sent of God and furnished for that service So that faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God not by the commandements or traditions of men which are of no such power to perswade the conscience as the word of God is And if the heart conscience be not perswaded in feare of God to yeild obedience what will come of it but an inforced hypocrisie a drawing neare to God with the lip when the heart is farre from him which is a service abominable in his sight and wherein there can be no true inward comfort and assurance which is the life and marrow of religion and that which begetteth true loyaltie to the higher powers For surely it is a true saying that was once spoken unto this present Parliament in a publike sermon by one of their owne ministers Junij 20. 1641. viz That there are a great many ministers that are not resolved what to doe c. they will wait for what the Parliament will doe you may set up what religion you please they will be of your religion still So also may be said of others they wil be of what religion the king is of so long as he hath any power to support them and any boones or offices to give them Yea some think it high presumption to be of any other mynd that way than the king or Parliament is of If this be not a serving God after the will of man I know not what is Let us not therefore Rom. 14 13. judge one an other any more but judge this rather that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brothers way but let every man be fully perswaded in his mynd Vers 5 23. and doe no thing without faith in this kind for whatsoever is not of faith is sin and Heb. 11 6. without faith it is impossible to please God Now Ephes 2 8. faith is the gift of God wrought in the heart by his holy Spirit useing thereto as the outward meanes thereof the ministery of the word of reconciliation and be sure of this that so soone as the heart is truly moved by the work of the Spirit there cannot but be a most free and readie joyning to the Lord in faithfull submission to his will for saith the Spouse Draw me Cant. 1 4. and we will run after thee and the prophet David I will run the way Psal 119 32. of thy commandements when thou shalt inlarge myne heart And untill the heart of the people be moved all that the kings and parliaments of the earth can doe by their outward force and power shall not prevaile to establish the service of God in its due and right order yea though they should be as godly and zealous as Iehoshaphat the King of Judah of whom the scripture noteth that he walked in the way of Asa his father and departed not from it doeing that which was right in the sight of the Lord 2 Cron 20 32. 33. Howbeit the high places were not taken away for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers And if such a zealous and powerfull prince as K. Jehoshaphat could not prevaile in the reformation of externall and visible abuses in religious worship and that becaus the peoples hearts were not prepared c Much lesse shall anie earthly prince or potentate be able by his worldly power to make this people to Ioh. 4 23. worship the father in Spirit and truth and such he seeketh to worship him The reason is becaus the kingdom of Christ is not of this world neither can be planted or established by worldly power for so long as the vaile 2 Cor. 3 13. is over mens hearts they can not looke to the end of that which is abolished but when the Lord shall mollifie their hard and stony hearts and give unto them hearts of flesh when he shall enlighten their myndes and open their understandings and so turne them from Idols to serve the living and true God then the vaile shall be taken away Now the Lord is 2 Cor. 3 16. 17. that spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty to wit from the bondage of sin to serve God in righteousnes and holynes all the days of their life Gal. 5 1. Rom. 6 22. 7. 6. Luc. 1 74. 75. Wherefore that was a good decree of King Cyrus who being appointed to
same and are such as doe neither plot or countenance the plotting of any evill or sowe any seed of rebellion against the higher powers but doe owe and acknowledge them all due reverence as also the law requireth and their carriage doth witnes for them in the place where they dwell and performe all dutyes of honour and office without complaint I have therefore cumbered the presse herewith fearing least any should either be discouraged by these rumorâ— and slaunders which are and have biâ— hitherto cast upon us from imbracing the truth and walking in the right way or should through misse-reports condemne the righteous with the guilty and also to stop the mouthes of gainsayers who if notwithstanding theâ— shall see this defence they doe still persist in their opprobrious calumniations shal be left without excuse before the face of God f Rom. 2 â— whose judgment is according to truth against those that commit such things I have sought herein nothing but the glory of God and the vindication of the truth from unjust contempt which if it shall notwithstanding suffer I shall desire of God that I may be accounted worthy to suffer with it And for a conclusion it is myne heartie desire that all people whatsoever which doe make any profession of the truth may approve themselves such in their conversations as g Pro. 24 21. feare God and honour the King and meddle not with them that are given to change but h Heb. 12 14 follow peace with all men and holynes without which no man can see the Lord medling w th their own callings and be not busy bodies in other mens matters that those which i 1 Pet. 3 16. speak evill of them may be ashamed who falsly accuse their good conversation in Christ But if any of them doe under colour of religion or Conscience resist the lawfull commands of their prince or governour and doe suffer for it let them thanke themselves and confesse the justice of God upon them for k Rom. 13 4. they are his ministers appointed to execute vengeance on them that doe evill and they beare not the sword in vaine 2 Tim. 2 7. Consider what I say and the Lord givâ— thee understanding in all things 1 Thess 5 21. Prove all things hold fast that which iâ— good An exhortation to pray for Princes 1. Ep. to Timotheus Cap. 2. vers 1. 2. 3. I exhort therfore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thankes be made for all men for Kinges and for all that are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlines and honestie For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour c. THis exhortation as also the whole epistle was written and sent by Paul the blessed Apostle of Iesus Christ to l 1 Tim. 1 1. 3. Timothy the Euangelist whom he besought when he went to Macedonia to abide at Ephesus a renowned city of Asia wherein the Lord had planted a famous m Rev. 1. 11. and 2 1. Church of Saints and true worshippers of his name notwithstanding the heathenish service of that great goddesse Diana and the image which fell downe from Iupiter did there so greatly flourish Act. 19 24. 27. 28. 35. where the Lord wrought by the hands of Paul many miracles Acts 19 11. where the Apostle fought with beasts in the manner of men 1 Cor. 15 32. and wherein there was a great doore and effectuall opened to him though there were manie adversaries 1 Cor. 16 9. The end of the abiding of Timothy at Ephesus in the Apostle his absence was to supply that service which the Apostle himself should have done if he had bin present namely a 1 Tim. 1 3. to charge some that they should teach no other doctrine than that which the Apostle had taught them or than was agreable to b 2 Tim. 1 13. sound and wholsome wordes of faith and love which is in Christ Iesus Now as persons of greater place and authority leaving others more inferior in wisdome and power to discharge some duty for them in their necessary absence or to attend upon a service which they themselves are called from by occasions elswhere doe give them not only commission but also direction how the same should be done So the Apostle Paul the master builder of the Churches of the gentiles 1 Cor. 3 10. not onlie giveth Timothy commission to tarry in his stead but also counselleth and directeth him how to behave himselfe in the house of God which is the Church of the living God the pillar and ground of truth 1 Tim. 3 16. And amongst the many most excellent divine infallible rules of direction which he giveth him we are now called upon to consider and attend unto one of the chiefest and principallest thinges which he gave him in charge the which he doth not in commanding and lordly termes but with meeknesse and love saying I exhort therfore that first of all c. The Apostle's intent and purpose in this exhortation is not to Timothy alone that he should performe this but that he should teach it to the Church of God as the mynd of the Apostle which was the c 1 Cor. 7 40. mynd of God himselfe wherfore the Apostle saith I exhort therfore c. as if he should say If any man shall resist or refuse thy exhortation to or example in the performance of this duty let them know that it is the exhortation of me Paul the Apostle of Christ who have with power and demonstration of the Spirit approved my self among them by signes and wonders to be no fabler or leight fellowe to be no seducer and deceitfull worker but the minister legate and messenger of God himselfe who hath put his word in my mouth which if they obey not they may have cause to repent it As this exhortation was at the first intended and penned by the Apostle for the instruction of the church of God and the substance of this treatise thereupon delivered to a congregation of Believers as is noted in the preface So the intent now of publishing it is not to exhort wicked and worldly men to make prayers and supplications unto God or to assure them of any benefit by so doeing for the scripture saith that the sacrifices of the wicked are abomination to the Lord Prov. 15 8. and 21 27. and 28 9. and those that call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved but how shall they call upon him in whom they have not believed c. Rom. 10 13. 14. And if they say they doe believe then the scripture saith againe that faith without works is dead Jam. 2 17. 20. 26. and they that professe they know God and in d Tit. 1 16. workes deny him and are abominable and disobedient and unto every good worke reprobate they have the e 2 Tim. 3 5. forme of godlinesse but denie