Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	true_a	truth_n	word_n	7,456	5	4.2077	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A88993	A sermon preached to the Honorable House of Commons, at their late solemne fast, Wednesday, Feb. 26. 1644. / By John Maynard, minister of the Word of God at Mayfield in Sussex, and a member of the Assembly of Divines.	Maynard, John, 1600-1665.	1645 (1645)	Wing M1452; Thomason E277_2; ESTC R200000	34,511	39

Christ must reign there in righteousnesse and thou must have a soul subdued to his Scepter The Peace of God must rule in thy heart and that is peace in truth when sin reigneth the soul hath no peace with God it may be in a dead sleep Then hast thou this truth of peace with God when the Peace of God ruleth within thee suppresseth mutinous affections subdueth rebellious lusts when the winds and sea obey it and it hath power to calme all the turbulencies and disorders of thy spirit So concerning joy in the Holy Ghost Thou must have thy heart possest with this joy if thou wilt purchase this truth How many read and hear of joy in the Holy Ghost unspeakable full of glory but yet content themselves with such joyes and delights as are full of shame at least full of vanity and end in mourning and misery these are false joyes as one saith Voluptates animi febres earthly joyes are soul-feavers carnall sensuall sinfull delights are even the agues of the inner man For what is the condition of a soul given up to pleasures of this nature but to be in a continuall agitation between hot paroxysmes or burning fits of lust and cold shaking fits of shame and horrour Now as there is a great difference between that unnaturall inflammation of a feaverish body drinking up the radicall moisture wasting the spirits and that kindly wel-tempered heat of an healthy body so there is a vast distance between those vaine and earthly or impure and sinfull delights which waste the conscience and those soul-ravishing sweet serene and heavenly joyes which flow from the bosome of Christ into the breasts of beleevers I might adde many other instances but I forbear Lastly if ye will buy truth ye must improve it It is none of those commodities which a man may buy and then suffer it to lie dead by him no man buyeth the truth but he that buyeth it for use I rejoyced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth as we have received a commandment from the Father It is no arbitrary thing or matter of indifferency but one of the great commandments of God that we should walk in truth and Paul having told the Ephesians Ye are light in the Lord he inferreth walk as children of light Then a man hath bought the truth when he walketh in the light and power of Divine truth when he prayeth humbleth his soul heareth the word and performeth every act of Divine worship in spirit and truth out of such true principles in such a manner with such a frame of heart and such aimes as the truth of God his word requireth when in his place and calling he improveth the truth of God to all purposes Those things which men buy at high rates they desire to make the most of The truth of God being so exceeding precious and costly those that buy it should labour to improve it to the uttermost It is none of those things which are the worse for wearing 2. Let us be perswaded not to thinke any cost too much that we may buy truth And first consider I beseech you what we must cast away which otherwise might hinder us either in getting or keeping truth 2. What we must be content to resigne and yeeld up into the Lord his hands that wee may buy truth The former are such things as are better cast away then kept the very losse of them will be our gain 1. In generall our lusts and sinnes Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God an heart cleansed from the filthinesse of flesh and spirit is like a cleer glasse fittest to give a reflection of those beams of truth which shine from the face of God in Christ The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant They that will see cleerly must do away these scales from the eyes of the inner man 2. In speciall let us renounce our carnall and naturall wisdom 1. If any man among you seemeth to be wise let him become a fool that he may be wise for the wisdom of this world is foolishnesse with God A spirit emptied of all self-sufficiency and selfe-conceitednesse is best fitted to receive the wisdom of God and to purchase His truth 2. Lay aside all prejudices against the truth and first quit all prejudices against the dignitie of Truth Take heede of thinking any Truth of God to be below thee too meane for thee to stoope to Do not thinke thy selfe thy place or parts too high for the least of God his holy Truthes Preach the word be instant in season out of season is a Truth of God which once was given in Charge to Timothy but some I beleeve who pretended to be of Timothy his Ranke looked upon this truth as a thing below their places On the other side when a cause of Religion was brought before Galli● he cared for none of these things he had no leisure to spend time about words and names his place ingaged him in Realities State-matters such as were worthy of a Proconsuls Cognizance 2. Take heede of prejudices against the necessity of truth looke not upon it as a matter of indifferency Regard it as that one thing necessary 3. Renounce all prejudicate opinions of dangers or inconveniences which seeme to attend or follow truth such as divisions and commotions these though accidentall to truth doe ordinarily throng in after it Suppose yee that I am come to send peace on Earth I tell you Nay but rather division and that betweene those of neere relations as it followeth there Hereupon some seeme to be as much afraid of the truth as of a ball of wilde-fire they dare not buy it they would rather banish it out of their Coasts whereas truth is no way the cause though the corruptions of some men and their malignity against it and the weakenes and mistakes of others often make it an occasion of those ruptures That there are oppositions betweene the friends and enemies of truth is not strange but that there are dissentions among some of those who unfainedly love and seek truth and agree in the most and principall parts of it is sad yet let not this prejudice hinder us from buying and imbracing truth Amongst those who in the Apostles daies received the Gospell and with joynt consent acknowledged the Lord Jesus to be the Christ there were differences about the observation of Mosaicall Rites and Ceremonies this prejudice did not keepe the faithfull from imbracing and holding fast the truth of the Gospell In Luthers time there were controversies betweene those who were newly come out of Babylon this prejudice did not so far prevaile with the Godly as to make them preferre their slaverie under Anti-Christ above the sweete yoake of Christ Let the unanimous and full consent of the Godly in many and those the most substantiall parts of truth encourage

dependeth wholly upon the death of the Testatour To this end saith he was I borne and for this cause came I into the world that I should beare witnesse to the Truth How many thousands of God his Saints have drunk of the same Cup in severall Ages It is appointed to all men once to dye and that is a blessed improvement of death when a man dyeth not onely in the Lord but for the Lord and His Truth He that loseth his life shall find it He shall find mortality swallowed up of life His life is hid with Christ in God far above the reach of any weapons of warre and when Christ who is his life shall appear then shall he also appeare with him in Glory And now give me leave Much honoured Worthyes to bespeake your selves in the Name of the God of Truth whom I looke upon as precious Instruments of the Lord for the advancing and promoting of His Truth Truth of doctrine of worship of discipline truth and power of Godlinesse Ye are farre engaged in this Cause of truth already and it concerneth you to goe on both in Conscience and in point of Honour but chiefely for the Honour of your God who hath so highly dignifyed and so many wayes encouraged you by notable testimonies of His Presence Let it appeare that ye are so possessed with the truth so overpowered by the truth that ye may justly apply that of the Apostle to your selves We can do nothing against the truth but for the truth and then Christ will not fayle to make good that title which he hath assumed to himself The Amen the faithfull and true witnesse The People of God have reposed a great trust in you and they expect truth from you And blessed be God they have had their desires in great measure already answered and the Worke is yet in your hands these first-fruits seeme to be pledges of a full Harvest if our sinnes doe not blast our hopes One of the cleerest evidences I conceive which ye can give of the truth of your hearts to the Publick Cause is Selfe-denyall and quitting of Private Interests Of this ye have given reall demonstration in your readines to devest your selves of militarie and civill dignities that ye might reserve your selves for your proper worke Hereupon yee may with greater Authority exact truth from those whom yee shall imploy a true accompt of the publick service and for the future at least a true accompt of the publick treasure though perhaps for the time past it may be difficult if not impossible in regard of those many sudden exigents confusions unexpected occurrences which have happened yea inasmuch as ye have made your selves such eminent precedents of self-denyall how can others in modesty refuse if you require them not to seeke great things for themselves in making over much advantage of the publick miseries especially such whose service is attended with no hazard and very little labour some redresse in these things might encourage the well affected to more cheerefulnesse in assisting the common Cause and stop the mouthes of others More particularly let me beseech you in the first place to examine every man the truth and sincerity of his owne heart in managing the great businesse which yee have in hand To professe a mans selfe engaged in the Cause of truth and yet to be salfe-hearted toward it and to harbour treacherous aimes against it is not onely contrary to the duty of a Christian but a thing far below the spirit and ingenuity of a Gentleman it suiteth better with the basenes of common cheaters then with men of place and worth A man who by his corrupt principles is led out of the way and put into a posture of defiance and open hostility against the truth is lesse odious by many degrees then a false brother I am perswaded there was more of the Devill in one Judas then in all the High Priests Cavaliers and that Christ resented more hellish malignity in that one Traytours kisse than in all their swords and staves Wherefore Let every man prove his owne worke and then shall he have rejoycing in himselfe and not in another For every man shall bear his owne burden It is not enough to joyne with those who are sincere in the Worke of the Lord but every man must prove his own worke with what heart out of what inward principles to what end upon what grounds and motives in what manner he doth it that he may have rejoycing in himselfe and not in those with whom he joyneth in a good cause nor by comparing himselfe with those who either directly oppose or basely desert it For in the great day of account every man shall beare his owne burden men shall not be ranked on the right hand by whole Companies Corporations Regiments Brigades Armies Houses of Parliament but as in that search which was made in Achan his case they shall be singled out man by man and every mans worke shall be tried in particular 2. Be united among your selves in the great cause of Truth according to that of the Apostle Stand fast in one spirit with one minde striving together for the Faith of the Gospel The expressions are strong he speaketh to them as to Champions of the Truth as the originall word importeth and to whom may it bee applyed if not to such ●oble Champions as your selves stand fast keep your ground Servate gradum as Beza maintain your station and that in one spirit in the power and strength of that Holy Spirit of Truth with one minde or one soul wrestling or striving together as if ye were a combination of many bodies associated and concentred together by one soul as one man with joynt forces contending for the Truth of the Gospel and for the cause of Truth so should ye be able to strengthen your spirits with that encouragement following In nothing terrified by your adversaries which is to them an evident token of perdition but to you of salvation and that of God Your uniting would be a terrour to the adversaries a strengthening to your selves an encouragement to those who are friends to the truth and your friends and servants for the Truthes sake If a noble Heathen out of a morall bravery of spirit could privatas inimicitias reipublicae condonare passe by private quarrells for the Common-wealthes sake far be it from any Member of a Christian Parliament not to lay down all private grudges and crosse designes at the feet of this afflicted Church and State far be it from them not to quit them for the truthes sake lest the cause of truth should miscarry through their default If the greatest persons who will approve their hearts to God must throw down their Crownes at the footstoole of Christ how much more their corruptions But especially let every one take heed of raising or fomenting divisions out of a secret desire to hinder the carrying on of the great work

falling stars giving some glimpse of light and suddenly vanishing the Lord should now hearken to the cryes of His people and give us a fixed Parliament like the Sunne standing still in the midst of Heaven that so there might be time for the discovery and establishment of Truth and for the scattering of the enemies of Truth 3. And lastly consider what will be the value and price of truth at the last on the death-bed in the day of judgement How many thousands of gold and silver yea of worlds if they had them would the greatest enemies or contemners of truth give at that day if then it might be had if then they could purchase the saving knowledge of God of Christ of the Gospel the Truth of Faith repentance sanctification then a whole world for a lamp full of this precious oyl Certainly Truth is alwayes of the same value every whit as much worth now as it will be then But now men looke upon Truth as they do upon rich wares in a dark-shop and so undervalue it whereas they take a full view of the things of the world and look upon them in the open Sun But then the Truth shall be fully discovered men shall see such a light as they never saw a glorious irradiation and Divine brightnesse from the face of Christ and Truth shall be exhibited sub dio in the broad day-light in the cleer light of that Great Day to which the light which now we see by is but as a twilight or evening light Then the worth of Truth shall be fully known they that would not goe to the price of it shall know their losse Oh ye that prize your wealth above the Truth ye will be of another minde when the pillars of the earth are trembling the heavens gathering together as a scroll and passing away with a great or hideous noise the elements dropping or melting the earth and the works in it burnt up if yee will seeke for that wealth which now yee value above the Truth ye must seek it in that heap of ashes and ye that preferre your pleasures above it as they are but shadowes now when they are at best so then they will be torments and ye that esteeme your honours credit reputation and the praise of men above the Truth ye will then see that this was but a blast an empty breath when ye enjoyed it and then it will be nothing yea it will turn into shame and confusion of face for ever On the contrary the beauty and glory of truth will then shine forth in perfection they that bought it at the highest rate shall cleerly understand what a blessed advantage they have made Oh that now we could be wise for our souls Let us be content to begger our selves if need be that we may bee rich Give any thing to buy Truth The time is short as the Apostle saith it remaineth then that those which buy the things of this world be as if they possessed not as men ready to part with them at any time looking upon them as things that little concerne them carrying their hearts above them keeping their spirits weaned from them but that those who buy Truth bee as those that possesse and improve it to the best advantage For the fashion of this world passeth away but the Word and Truth of God and the fruit comfort and benefit of it endureth for ever FINIS 1 Cor. 13 12. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Pellican Mercerus Junius Jansenius {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Rev. 3. 18. Mat. 25. 9. Phil. 3. 20. 1. Veritas rei Psal. 1. 6. Mat. 25. 12 2. Veritas Scientiae 3. Veritas Signi 2. What it is to Buy Truth Pro. 14. 18. pro 30. 2 3 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Psa. 49. 12 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Revel. 3. 17 18. Acts 8. 10 Pro. 8. 11. Isai. 55. 1. 2 Iohn 2. 1 Ioh. 3. 19 Deus est summ maxima Veritas Snarez {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Hebr. 1. 3. Ioh. 14. 6. 17. Rev. 4. 6. Pro. 4. 13. 2 Cor. 3. 4. 2 3. Ioh. 12. 48. Reproofe Luke 11. 52. Ioh. 12. 19. Gen. 41. 56. Rev. 12. ● Mar. 8. 38. Mat. 15. 32 Mat. 13. 19. Mat. 13. 22. Luke 8. 14. Mat. 19. 16. 1 Cor. 13. 3 Exhortation 1. Generall 1. to make this purchase 1 Tim 3. 16. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Heb. 4. 2. Math. 4. Jun. in Parallel Res transit cum onere 2 Thes. 2. 10. 1 Kings 21. 20. Col. 3. 16. Eph. 5. 8 Caveat Emptor Luke 13. Suet in Calig Rom. 14. 17. Col. 3. 15. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 2 John 4. 2. Part of the generall Exhortation Mat. 5. 8. 1. Cor. 3. 18 c. Intus ●xiflens prohibet 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 4. 2 Luke 12. 51. Joh. 1. 45. Joh. 7. 49. 2 Chro. 25. 16. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Rom. 8. 32 Joh. 21. 21 22. Mat. 16. 26. Mat. 12. 42 43. Act. 26. 24 Aelian {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Josh. 22. 10. c. Psal. 119. 15. 2 Cor. 1. 20. Ioh. 18. 37 2. A more speciall exhortation 2 Cor. 13. 8. Rev. 3. 14. Gal. 6. 4 5. Phil. 1. 27. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} i●de Athleta {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Verse 28. Ve●itatem sub hasta vendere vel potius praedae et direptioni exponere Agelius Sisinnius {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Soz. lib. 7. cap. 12. Socr. lib. 3. cap 10. Soz. lib. 2. cap. 30. Tit. 3. 10. Rom. 14. 1 2. Comment. de statu reipub. et relig. sub 9. An 1561 Osiand Cent. 16 Joh. 3. 21. Rom. 3. 13. 1 Cor. 4 3. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Livy As they worshipped goddesses or female gods so they had female Priests Soz l. 5. 15 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Senec. Motives Dan. 2. Rev. 3. Exo. 12. 41 John 8. 31. 32. Triumphs of Nassau Motive Vocatus a rege Angliae Edvardo amplissimis promissionibus Mel Ad in vita Brontii Josh. 10. 12 Motive 2. Pet. 3. 10 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 1 Cor. 7. 30

such a poore and humble spirit as Agur was surely I am more brutish then any man so the translation but as ye see the word any is in a smaller Character not being in the originall neither doe I think it ought to be supplied but we are to read it thus I am more brutish then man according to that of the Psalmist man being in honour abideth not he is like the beasts that perish Man being honoured with the image of God in wisdome and Holinesse his spirit shining with the Beauty and glory of Divine truth did not abide in this condition but lost the truth yeelding himselfe to be seduced by the father of lies and so no longer had the wisedom of man in him but degraded himselfe from his created Dignity debased himselfe to the ranke of brute creatures enthralled his immortall Soul and intellectuall nature to his brutish senses and affections and the next words of Agur confirm this sense And have not the understanding of Adam in me that understanding and knowledge of Holy truth which was in Adam and was properly belonging to the nature of man He that knoweth not thus much of himselfe knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know and is no fit Merchant to Trade for truth Christ first informeth the Laodicean of his wants Thou art wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked and then counselleth him to buy vers. 18. Secondly He that buyeth giveth a considerable value But alas what have we to give that is considerable If we offer gold or silver what can we expect but such an answer as Simon Magus had Thy money perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money And Solomon telleth us This wisdom of Divine truth is better then rubies and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it which maketh good what I said before we cannot buy truth too dear all outward things that can be desired are not to be compared to it And therefore we may conclude This buying is not of the nature of common contracts in which there is a just proportion between the price and the purchase but rather such as hath some remote Analogy or resemblance to it such as that where the Lord by solemn Proclamation offereth a free and open market H● every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money Come ye buy and eat yea come buy Wine and milk without money and without price And indeed whosoever getteth possession of saving Truth he hath it by a free gift of meere grace yet so that we must give up whatsoever is necessary for the obtaining of Truth and cast away whatever may hinder us in the receiving or retaining of Truth or is inconsistent with it 1. We must give up our selves our hearts spirits souls bodies to the God of Truth We must bee content to part with any outward things for the procuring and promoting of Truth for the supporting and maintaining of Truth we must account our selves gainers by every losse which we can possibly suffer for Truth 2. On the other side we must renounce and cast away our lusts our own corrupt reason blind carnall notions and prejudices in a word we must out our selves of our selves and yeeld up our selves into the entire possession of the Truth and in all this we give nothing unto God for whatsoever we give up to him for Truth is his own already and cannot bee withheld from him without wrong and robbery what wee cast away is worse then nothing and if we leave it not we keep it to our losse and utter undoing It remaineth then that though we are said in some sort to buy yet Truth is a most free gift of God and conveyed to man by a meere Act of grace Thirdly If we will buy Truth we must get the propriety of it we must make it our own get it into our possession have a sure interest in it and title to it For the Truthes sake which dwelleth in us and shall be with us for ever Then hath a man bought the Truth when he hath so owned it and given it such possession of his heart that it is in him as in an everlasting Mansion so as to dwell in him and be in him for ever when he is so possessed of the Truth and the Truth hath such possession of him as to denominate and Characterize him according to that Hereby we know that we are of the Truth and shall assure our hearts before him As great Persons are denominated from their Seates Mannor-houses c. Such a Lord of such a place So he that will buy Truth must get such possession of it and propriety in it as that he may by good right take a title of honour from the truth his own conscience bearing him witnesse in the Holy Ghost that he is of the Truth Thirdly Of whom must we buy Truth This hath been intimated before even of him who is the God of Truth who is the first the Highest Truth the Fountain of all Truth who calleth himselfe I Am because he is in and of himselfe the onely infinite perfection of being and so the infinite perfection of Truth He seeth and knoweth his own essence infinitely perfect and glorious with a most exact knowledge of infinite perfection and some have conceived that this contemplation of God the Father reflecting upon His owne Majesty and glory is the eternall and unspeakable generation of the Son But we are to speak soberly of these mysteries so farre above us Howsoever when we use Scripture-language we are warranted by the highest Authority which calleth Christ the brightnes of his Fathers glory and the expresse image of his Person and the Son of God saith of himselfe I am the Truth And the Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son is called the Spirit of Truth To this fountain wee must bring our empty pitchers if we would be filled with these living waters and take in these pure streames of Truth John being in the Spirit saw before the throne of God in heaven a Sea of glasse like unto Crystall The Saints may have their Vials filled with Truth but here is veritatis plenitudo An Ocean and full Sea of Truth and that without mud or mixture cleere as crystall wherein the faithfull Soule may see the glory of God shining in the Face of Christ Here is the Springhead of Truth and they which come not to God and are not inwardly acquainted with him in Christ are strangers to the Truth they never looked into this Sea of crystall which is before the throne of God And so I come to the fourth and last particular to shew the necessity of making this purchase ye see it is absolutely commanded in the Text and because a threefold cord is not easily broken observe how Solomon strongly twisteth together a threefold