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	oracle_n	rod_n	12	3	9.3177	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69777	The intercourses of divine love betwixt Christ and his Church, or, The particular believing soul metaphorically expressed by Solomon in the first chapter of the Canticles, or song of songs : opened and applied in several sermons, upon that whole chapter : in which the excellencies of Christ, the yernings of his gospels towards believers, under various circumstances, the workings of their hearts towards, and in, communion with him, with many other gospel propositions of great import to souls, are handles / by John Collinges ...	Collinges, John, 1623-1690.	1683 (1683)	Wing C5324; ESTC R16693	839,627	984

Churches or particular Christians negligence in keeping of their own Vineyard is one main cause of their appearing blackness This includeth the other I shall therefore discourse them together I shall handle this by inquiring 1. What is the Spouses own Vineyard 2. Wherein the keeping of this Vineyard doth lye 3. I shall shew you That even the Spouse of Christ is a●t to neglect her own Vineyard 4. I shall shew you what the Ordinary causes of this negligence are 5. Then I shall shew you how this doth cause her to appear black After which I shall make some application of the discourse 1. There is no man that liveth be he believer or unbeliever but were he sensible of it hath a Vineyard committed to him by God to keep It is his Soul Nor is this interpretation of the Metaphor without some foundation in holy Writ The Lord expressing the sinful works of the Jews saith Deut. 32. 32. Their Vine is of Sodom and of the fields of Gomorrah Their grapes are grapes of g●ll their clusters are bitter Their Wine is the poison of Dragons and the cruel venom of Asps Works you know are the fruit of the Soul as Wine and Grapes are the fruits of the Vine As God when he first created man trusted him with a garden to keep so he never breaths into man the breath of life so as he becomes a living Soul but he gives him a Soul to till cultivate and take care of The Soul of man is a Soil naturally prone to bring forth weeds briars and thorns yet capable also to admit plantations of grace and vertue for grace grows not naturally in the Soul more then the Vine doth in the Vineyard I might shew you many other particulars by which this sense of the Metaphor might be justifyed but I forbear that discourse 2. Secondly You may here by Vineyard understand whatsoever God hath committed to a mans trust to be kept maintained and looked after by him Now all this considering man singly personally is summed up in two things The profession of faith and the Profession of holiness 1. A profession of faith both of the Doctrine of faith and of the grace or habit of saith It lyeth upon a Christian to keep both 2. The profession of holiness which is indeed but the practice of faith for that worketh by Love and the fruits of holiness must proceed from the root of faith This is every Christians Vineyard and indeed the Vineyard of his Soul is not kept without the keeping of these Hence David glorieth that he kept the ways of the Lord Psal 18. 21. Paul kept the faith 2 Tim. 4. 7. David kept the Lords testimonies his Law his Precepts his Word Psal 11. 9. 22 55 56 67. The Church of Philadelphia is commended for keeping the Lords Word Revel 3. 8. The word of his patience v. 20. This is the Vineyard of every Christian according to the more publick or private station which he hath in the Church of God 2. The Church of Christ hath a Vineyard also Indeed the Church is her self compared to a Vineyard Isa 5. and in the parable of him who let out his Vineyards to husbandmen but in that sense Christ is himself the Keeper of it Onely he lets it out to husbandmen intrusting certain Officers of his own appointment with the managery of the affairs of it but himself hath such a Superintendency upon it and so keepeth it that the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it The Church hath a Vineyard to keep what is this Vineyard but the Doctrine of faith The Ordinances of our great Lord for worship and for discipline These are the Churches Vineyard Paul speaking of the Church of the Jews saith that unto them were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3. 2. Paul saith the dispensation of the Gospel was committed unto him 1 Cor. 9 17. The word of reconciliation is said to be committed to the Ministers of the Gospel 2 Cor. 1. 19. The Gospel was committed to Pauls trust 1 Tim. 1. 11. Hence Timothy is spoken to to keep that which was committed to his trust 1 Tim. 6. 20. The Church is therefore called The pillar and ground of truth and is fitly compared to the Ark in which was laid up the Pot of Manna signifying the word and truths of God The two Tables containing the Laws for Worship and our more ordinary conversation and the rod of Aaron signifying the Government and discipline of the Church The rules for these are laid up in the Church being part of those Oracles of God which are committed to it It is a task which God hath layed upon his Church to keep this Vineyard What it is to keep it we may easily gather from an understanding what it is to keep a Vineyard or nursery or garden c. It signifies the keeping it clean from Weeds which would hinder the growth and flourishing of the plants and return the place into its former incultivated state and condition To keep it with digging planting manuring dressing and cultivating that it may yield that fruit and profit to the Owner which he expects from it and for which he at first planted it Hence then may easily be concluded what it is both for a particular Christian and for a Church to keep its own Vineyard The whole business lyeth in these 2 things 1. It signifieth a Christians keeping of his Soul from Errors and from lusts and corruptions All motions and inclinations to sin are the Souls Weeds and what the Souls of the best of men are too prone to its natural fruit and Quod Sponte prodit laeti●● prodit naturally Weeds grow faster then induced plants A particular Christians care in keeping the Vineyard of his Soul lies in keeping his understanding and judgment untainted with Errour as to Doctrine in keeping his will from closing with motions to sin whether from within or without and his conscience sprinkled from Evil works So for the Church of Christ her keeping her Vineyard lies in preserving in all her members a purity of Doctrine in opposition to the impurity of corrupt opinions and errors A purity of Worship in opposition to all Superstition and Will-Worship and a purity of discipline 2. Secondly it implieth the Souls filling and furnishing it self with knowledge and Spiritual habits the plants which the Lord would have to stand and to grow in all parts of his inheritance and in every Soul that pretendeth any relation unto him As the Gardiner who is intrusted with the keeping of any of your Gardens doth not keep them as he ought unless beside the weeding of them and purging them of Weeds and nettles he also furnisheth them with useful plants and herbs and keeps them duly cut and pruned c. So neither doth that man or woman keep the Vineyard of his own Soul that doth not take care to grow in Grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and in all other