Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	aaron_n	balaam_n	idolatry_n	20	3	9.3538	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34165	A Compleat collection of farewel sermons preached by Mr. Calamy, Dr. Manton, Mr. Caryl ... [et al.] ; together with Mr. Ash his funeral sermon, Mr. Nalton's funeral sermon, Mr. Lye's rehearsal ... with their several prayers.	Calamy, Edmund, 1600-1666.; Manton, Thomas, 1620-1677.; Caryl, Joseph, 1602-1673.; Nalton, James, 1600-1662.; Lye, Thomas, 1621-1684.; Ashe, Simeon, d. 1662.	1663 (1663)	Wing C5638; ESTC R8646	623,694	660

to things that are to be believed and duties that are to be practised But why is it said The faith that was once delivered that is invariably irrevocably once for all To the Saints respects the priviledge the Saints of God had in the faith that God had left 't is the faith of the Gospel committed as a Treasure And the Church is called a Candlestick not only to hold out the light but to hold the light whence the Church is called the Pillar or the ground of truth not that they are to make Doctrines but to hold forth the Doctrines of Christ even as Tables and Pillars upon which Proclamations are hung and held forth to be made publick so is the Church of Christ 't is that in which the Truths of the Lord Jesus are kept and will be kept from one age to another But what 's the import of the word Earnestly contend It 's a word used only once in the New Testament in the Composition The word in the root is frequently used and imports a struggling with might and main as those that use to run at games It is used for Jesus Christ in his sufferings He was in an Agony the same word from whence this word is compounded The Apostle would imply such a contention such a strugling to keep the faith of the Gospel as one word in the English is not able to express it and Interpreters very much differ what 's the import The best do centre in this that we should contend for the Faith as men that would contend to keep their very lives The Proposition is this That it is the duty of the Saints of God to maintain an earnest contention to struggle for and to keep the Faith that was betrusted with them Wherein doth this contention consist 1. It is not a carnal contention the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but spiritual the Saints are not called to contend for the Faith with carnal weapons with carnal power and force not by might and power but by the Spirit of God force and power and a fleshly Arm Prison Pillors and Chains and taking away of mens comforts and Estates upon the account of the Faith of the Gospel hath been the usual way of Error 's detending it self Prayers and Tears are the Churches Weapons 2. 'T is not a contention of uncharitableness This Contention allows no murthering either of the bodies or souls of men Christians are so to contend against Error and sinful Practices as to love their persons and pitty those they contend with There are some opinions that there is no way to shew a holy way of zeal against nor to be able to destroy them but by a holy separating from the persons there were such to whom it was not lawlul to say God speed or receive them into their houses but yet this in order to the saving their souls Saving some plucking them as brands out of the fire But positively this holy contention it consists in these four things 1. In managing the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God against Errors and sinful Practices to be able to confute them mightily as Apollos did out of the Scriptures shewing the Jews that Jesus is the Christ 2. By Prayer for to pray down sinful opinions and practises That we mean when we pray Thy Kingdom come that the Gospel may run on and be glorified that these nights of darkness may be dispelled that Truth may shine to the perfect day 3. By holy practising against them by holding forth the Word o● Life in your Conversations by striving together by a mutual provocation for the Faith of the Gospel in respect of holy walking 4. By being able to suffer for them The reasons of the Point I gave you I shall now sum up all in a word of Exhortation to press every one that bears the name of a Saint to take up this Exhortation of the Apostle Earnestly to contend for the faith that was once delivered to the Saints The sum of all is to beg that you would be valiant for the Truth of Christ that whatever hath been delivered to you consonant to the truth agreeable to the faith delivered to us that you would struggle might and main by all Christian courage by argument practice prayer by suffering rather than let go those truths that God hath taught you by his faithful Ministers that Christ hath been preached to you those Scriptures you have in your hands those Doctrines you have learned by experience by prayer by searching the Word those ways of Worship God hath taught you those patterns of his house and out-goings and returnings there that he hath taught you be exhorted to hold them fast and not let them go Contend earnestly for the faith c. It is to be lamented that there is so sad a spirit of indifferency among Christians as we find at this day Many do so carry it as if there were nothing in the Gospel of Christ that were worthy the owning by practising or worthy owning by suffering This luke-warm indifferent temper hath done the Church of God a great deal of mischief formerly and if admitted now will do you as much mischief again It hath been one of the sins which the Lord at this day is judging and punishing his poor people for that our zeal hath been so hot against one another for meer circumstances and so cold when we are like to lose the substance that our contentions rise so high in matters hardly of any moment and our spirits work so low when they are to gain the great things for which Christ suffered which he delivered to us It is my work therefore to beg you that you would put on a holy resolution that there may be no contention among us for we are Brethren but only that contention who may most retain evidently witness the Faith that is delivered to us It is the trust God hath committed and he doth expect and look how we will manage it with courage and confidence to keep the Faith of the Gospel There are very great oppositions against you and there ought to be great resolutions of Christians to maintain themselves against such oppositions It is a very sad thing that Christians should see the Faith and the ways of the Gospel of God as it were taken from them at any time and they have not one word to speak nor any thing at all for to venture in suffering for the wayes and truths of Jesus Christ Moses had such a holy zeal that when Aaron was an example to the people to lead them to Idolatry he contended with him earnestly to his face The zeal of Gods servants is so small now that though Balaam be about the work we have not a word to speak Though the small Prophets of Antichrist be about the business yet no Christian hath courage to speak The holy Apostle Paul when Peter walked with an uneven foot and began to Judaise he tells us he did

resist him to his face Shall Paul resist Simon Peter and shall not the Saints of God resist Simon-Magus shall they resist Hymenaeus and Philetus and shall not we contend with Alexander the Copper-smith 't is but suitable to what God expects and the Exhortation here given us That we should maintain with might and main as that which is our treasure which we will not let go the Faith once delivered to the Saints To put you upon this I might encourage you with several things All the Reasons mentioned are as so many Motives to this holy spiritual contention Shall I tell you of three words further 1. The mercy of God delivering the truth to you should engage you to this holy contention 't is such a mercy as is a Non-such mercy Psal 147. the two last verses He hath given his Judgments to Jacob and his Statutes to Israel He hath not dealt so with any Nation How many of the greatest part of those that we call Christians in the world are put like Sampson to grind among the Philistinis Superstition Popery Idolatry Will-worship such things as Jesus Christ never delivered to his Saints having both their eyes out the Scripture light that should have shewed them the truth taken from them and their Consciences that should teach them carried in the pocket of some base Priest that dare not think any other than what he will tell them How many are there even of the very reformed of the world who only get upon some broken plank of Ship-wrack'd truth whereby they swim to the Lord Jesus But God does not deal thus with us you have had the whole Counsel of God revealed to you a glorious light set up in the Nation for a hundred of years past which hath been like the light of seven dayes For these twenty years past the running to and fro of men hath increased knowledge you have learned the truth from Gods faithful Ministers you have received it with much affliction with many temptations it hath cost Jesus Christ dear to send it it hath cost you dear to receive it and will you let it go Your sin above all others will be most provoking to the Lord Jesus 2. I might tell you that 't is a time wherein many let go the faith and methinks the Lord Jesus does by his poor and unworthy messenger speak to this great Congregation as sometimes he did to his Apostles Will ye also go away There are many that have been forward and eminent Professors of the Faith delivered to the Saints that have made Ship-wrack of Faith and a good Conscience will you split upon the same rock God hath kept the truth for you and kept you in the truth hitherto and is coming to see whether you will cleave to it and keep it or no. We have been sucking at the breasts of the Ordinances and dandled upon the knees of Providences and gone on in a smooth way of Profession but what will you do now when you must come possibly to suffer persecution for it to keep the faith you may lose your Liberty Life Estate And there 's a great deal of hazard upon this account because it hath pleased God so to dispose it as that those that should be your guides into truth the Lord is removing them into corners Possibly while they have been with you you have kept the faith but what will you do when they are gone While Moses was with the people they cleaved to the Lord when once he was gone into the Mount they fell into their Idolatry and worshipped a Calf While Paul was at Ephesus the flock kept pure but saith he I know after my departure grievous Wolves shall break in not sparing the flock c. So while you have heard of God who sends voices and warnings to scare away the Wolves and Foxes from you possibly you may keep the Faith but what will you do when God removes them 3. God hath ever had in all ages of his Church a word of his Patience to be kept to try his Saints and therefore it does concern you for to be valiant for the truth In all the series of Gods dispensations with his Church there hath been something or other of the faith of Christ that hath cost them resisting to bloud to sacrifice their lives to lay down all that they have for it by suffering Now even as they so we if not in the same thing yet in the same faith we have still some word or other of Gods patience to keep therefore we need to have on the Armour of Light you must wrestle with the fiery Tryal for there is some Jewel that Jesus Christ puts upon you to wear that Persecutors and Persecutions Heresies and Hereticks will scratch at which you must hold out with loss of life to keep and this must be till the latter part of the rage and reign of Antichrist is out and even as you keep that so will God keep you Rev. 3.10 As you honour the word of Gods patience so God will honour you As you are faithful to him so will he give you the Crown and no otherwise Hence therefore it concerns us all to be armed with a holy confidence and resolution as to this spiritual Warfare in contending for the faith delivered to us But the great thing I shall speak to is Wherein may Christians be helped in this holy strugling and contention I shall only mention five or six things some to fit you for it others to help you in the mannagement of it I shall name them mixtly and not distinct Rule 1. First Bring all Doctrines that are offered you to believe and all practises that are put upon you to practise to the Scriptures the Word of God try them there whether they be to be retained or to be rejected You will have this double advantage by it 1. To discover what is right and what is wrong 2. To have on the best part of your armor whereby to contend against it 1. To discover what is right and what is wrong for the Scripture alone is the Touch-stone of Doctrines and the Trial of Spirits The Scripture does discover it self and doth discover all things that are contrary to it when you are bidden to try all things 't is not by practising all things as some poor giddy-headed Christians of late days have done who have made the practising every opinion to be their trying of it till they have run themselves into all Opinions but 't is the Scripture you are first to trie and then to practise who are like the noble Bereans that were more noble than those of Thessalonipa because they searched the Scripture To bring the Truths that have or shall be taught you or the Doctrines that shall be imposed upon you to the Word of God to see whether they be according to the Truth or no for false Doctrines and false Worship of all things they hate the Scripture most they are alike false coyn or

cannot serve God in one way let me not be discouraged but be more earnest in another You may also now think it is a time for you to exercise what you have learned God is calling you to see if you have not lost all the advantages he hath allowed you ye have been a long time learning as if God should say unto you Let me now see if you can do or endure and if you have forgot all yet Christ hath made a promise the Spirit shal bring again to remembrance when there is occasion for it Consider also Christ is touched with the feeling of the infirmities of a people in such a condition Let none of you be troubled in your hearts you believe in God believe also in Christ Jesus He saith In my Fathers House there are many Mansions and in them many wayes of dispensing of his Grace Read the 14 15 and 16. Chapters of John Christ hath promised to give Pastors according to his own heart that shall feed his Flock with Truth and Understanding He can finde one or frame one that shal fulfil his Ministry better than a weak Instrument He is the great Bishop of our Souls and is never non-resident He hath alwayes a care of his Flock Think therefore of his care who hath promised not only to be but to give unto you Pastors The 34. Chap. of Ezekiel is but a Comment on that promise Let not your hearts be troubled but let us commend you yea each other to God and let him do what is good in his own eyes Mr. WATSON's Sermon against POPERY 1 Cor. 10.14 Wherefore my dearly Beloved flee from Idolatry WHen I consider that saying of the blessed Apostle St. Paul I am pure from the Blood of all men Acts. 20.26 And that which made him say so was because he had not shun'd to declare unto his hearers then committed to his charge the whole Council of God Paul had been faithful to the Souls of people he had preached up Truth and preached down Error The consideration of which hath put me at this time upon this Scripture Wherefore my dearly beloved flee from Idolatry From whence I shall by Divine permission and assistance assert the truth of the Protestant Religion against popish Innovation and amongst all the Errors that are levelled against the Gospel none are more gross dishonourable nor dangerous than those broach'd and set a running in the Popish Conclave and therefore there was good reason why the Apostle should say VVherefore my dearly beloved flee from Idolatry Idolatry doth bud and blossome in the Popish Religion It should be the earnest prayer and endeavour of every good Christian that none of those poisonous streams that flow from the See of Rome may ever infest this British Isle My main and principal designe at this time is to shew unto you some few of those many grand Errors that are in popery or in the popish Religion and likewise to fortifie you against them Among many others there are these thirteen grand Errors in popery that every good Christian must take off and flee from The first Error is this The papists do hold That the Pope is the Head of the Church This is diametrically and point-blank opposite to the Scripture Col. 2.9 Christ is there called The Head of the Church Now to make the Pope the Head of the Church is to make the Church monstrous by having two Heads This is to make the Spouse of Christ●an Harlot I read Rev. 13 1 of a Beast rising out of the sea By the Beast their Interpreters understand the mystical Antichrist i. e. the Pope Now if the Pope be the Beast there and elsewhere spoken of how rediculous yea how impious is it to make a Beast the Head of Christs Church That is the first A second Error which I shall but name is this The Papists hold That the Pope is above Scripture and that his Laws Decrees and Canons bind more than the Scriptures than the Word of God Well may he have that name written upon his Miter that 's mentioned Rev. 13 1. And upon his head was written the Names of blasphemy But I add Their third Error is the Mass which indeed is gross Idolatry there is in it these two Errors 1. Transubstantiation Bellarmine with other Popish Writers say that the Bread the Host after consecration is turned into the very body of Christ Now this is against Philosophy as well as Scripture and Divinitie 'T is against Philosophy for this is clear if Christs Body be in Heaven then it cannot possibly be in the bread But Christs Body is in Heaven Act. 3 22. Whom the Heavens must contain speaking of Christ until the restitution of all things Moreover that the bread in the Sacrament is not turned into the Body of Christ I prove thus the wicked they do not receive Christ 1 Cor. 2.14 But if the bread be the very body of Christ then the wicked when they eat of the bread do eat the very body of Christ This is so gross an Opinion that most of the antient Fathers wrote against it as Cyprian Origen Tertullian Austin Ambrose with many others But 2ly The second Error in the Mass is they do daily offer up Christ in the Mass I grant there are Priests in Gospel times and Sacrifices too but they are as such are spiritual as the sacifice of Prayer of Praise of a broken and contrite heart But that there should be any external offering of Christ by way of Sacrifice is a blasphemy against Christs Priestly Office for it supposeth that Christs Offering on the Cross was not perfect That is notoriously contrary to the very letter of Scripture See Heb. 10.12 That man i. e. Christ God-man after he had once offered a Sacrifice for sin sat down at the right hand of God and vers 14. he saith That by this one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified This Scripture sheweth the compleatness of Christs Sufferings and Sacrifice and that now there needs no offring up any more Sacrifices That is the third But Fourthly A fourth Error is the Doctrine of Popish Satisfaction they hold that we do in our own persons satisfie Gods justice by our Penance VVhippig Fasting Alms-deeds Thus the Council of Trent and the Popish Rhemes But where is any thing of this in Scripture alas what is our confession of sin that is no satisfaction for sin If a Traytor confess his guilt this is no satisfaction for but rather an agravation of his Treason Alas our Repentance Fasting Humiliation the best of our actions are be-leopard and mixt with very much sin our Humiliation is mixt with very much pride our Repentance and Confession with much Hyporrisie and Dissimulation Ther 's much of sin in the cream of our services and sin cannot satisfie for sin This is a sure rule and I pray you mark it that what ever offering we bring to God for acceptation we must lay it upon the Altar Jesus