Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	according_a	church_n	word_n	2,678	5	4.0797	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52601	Two speeches delivered before the subscribing of the Covenant, the 25. of September, at St. Margarets in Westminster the one by Mr. Philip Nye, the other by Mr. Alexander Henderson.	Nye, Philip, 1596?-1672.; Henderson, Alexander, 1583?-1646.	1643 (1643)	Wing N1501; ESTC R4609	13,718	26

〈◊〉 SPEECHES delivered before the Subscribing of the Covenant the 25. of September at St. MARGARETS in WESTMINSTER THE ONE By Mr. PHILIP NYE THE OTHER By Mr. ALEXANDER HENDERSON Published by speciall order of the House of Commons Edinburgh Printed by Robert Bryson Anno Dom. 1643. An exhortation made to the Honourable House of Commons and Reverend Divines of the Assembly By Mr. NYE before hee read the COVENANT A Great and solemn work honourable and Reverend this day is put into our hands let us stir up and awaken our hearts unto it Wee deal with God as well as with men and with God in his greatnesse and excellency for by him wee swear and at the same time we have to do with God and his goodnesse who now reacheth out unto us a strong and seasonable arme of assistance The goodnesse of God procuring succour and help to a sinfull and afflicted people such are we ought to bee matter of fear and trembling even to all that hear of it Ier. 33. 9. We are to exalt and acknowledge him this day who is fearfull in praises sweare by that Name which is Holy and Reverent enter into a Covenant and League that is never to be forgotten by us nor our posterity and the fruit I hope of it shall be so great as both we and they shall have cause to remember it with joy and such in Oath as for matter persons and other circumstances the like hath not been in any age or Oath we read of in sacred or humane Stories yet sufficiently warranted in both The parties ingaging in this league are three Kingdomes famous for the knowledge acknowledgment of Christ above all the kingdomes in the world to swear before such a presence should mould the spirit of man into a great deal of reverence what then to be engaged to be incorporated and that by sacred Oath with such an high and honourable Fraternity An Oath is to be esteemed so much the more solemne by how much greater the persons are that sweare each to other as in heaven when God sweares to his Son on earth when Kings swear each to other so in this businesse where Kingdomes sweare mutually And as the solemnity of an Oath is to bee measured by the persons swearing so by the matter also that is to be sworn to God would not swear to the Covenant of works hee intended not to honour it so much it was not to continue it was not worthy of an Oath of his but to the Covenant of grace which is the Gospell he swears and repents not of it God swears for the salvation of men and of Kingdomes And if Kingdomes swear what Subject of an Oath becommeth them better then the preservation and salvation of Kingdomes by establishing the kingdome of a Saviour amongst them even our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who is a Mediator and Saviour for Nations as well as particular persons The end also is great and honourable as either of the former two is better then one saith he who best knoweth what is best and from whom alone every thing hath the goodnesse it hath Association is of divine Off-spring not only the beginning of Creatures but the putting of them together the cluster as well as the grape is the work of God consort and harmony amongst men especially amongst saints is very pleasing unto the Lord If when but two or three agree assent upon any thing on earth It shall be confirmed in heaven and for this because they gather together in his name much more when two or three Kingdomes shall meet and consent together in his name and for his name that God may bee one and his name one amongst them and his presence amidst them That prayer of Christ seemeth to proceed from a feeling sense of his own blessednesse Father that they may be one as thou in me c. Unity amongst his Churches and children must needs therefore be very acceptable unto him For out of the more deep sense desires are fetcht from within us the more pleasing will be the answer of them unto us Churches and Kingdomes are dear to God his patience towards them his compassion over them more then particular persons sheweth it plainly But Kingdomes willingly engaging themselves for his Kingdome his Christ his Saints the purity of religion his worship and Government in all particulars and in all humility sitting down at his feet to receive the law and the rule from his mouth what a price doth hee set upon such Especially when as we this day sensible of our infirmity of an unfaithfull heart not steddy with our God but apt to start from the cause if we feel the knife or the fire who binde our selves with cords as a sacrifice to the hornes of the Altar We invocate the name of the great God that his vowes yea his curse may bee upon us if we do not this yea though we suffer for so doing that is if we endeavour not so farre as the Lord shall assist us by his grace to advance the Kingdome of the Lord Jesus Christ here upon earth and make Jerusalem once more the praise of the whole world not withstanding all the contradictions of men What is this but the contents and matter of our Oath What doe we covenant What do we vow Is it not the preservation of Religion where it is reformed and the Reformation of Religion where it needs Is it not the Reformation of three Kingdomes and a Reformation universall Doctrine Discipline and Worship in whatsoever the Word shall discover unto us To practise is a fruit of love to reforme a fruit of zeale but so to reforme will bee a taken of great prudence and circumspection in each of these Churches And all this to be done according to Gods Word the best rule and according to the best reformed Churches the best interpreters of this Rule If England hath obtained to any greater perfection in so handling the word of righteousnesse and truths that are according to godlinesse as to make men more godly more righteous And if in the Churches of Scotland any more light and beauty in matters of Order and Discipline by which their Assemblies are more orderly or if to any other Church or person it hath been given better to have learned Christ in any of his wayes then any of us wee shall humbly bow and kisse their lips that can speak right words unto us in this matter and help us into the nearest uniformity with the word and minde of Christ in this great work of Reformation Honourable and Reverend Brethren there cannot be a more direct effectuall way to exhort and perswade the wise and men of sad and serious spirits and such are you to whom I am commanded to speak this day then to let into their understandings the weight and worth and great importance of the work they are perswaded unto This oath is such and in the matter and consequence of it of such

amongst us Come therefore I speak in the words of the Prophet let us joyne our selves to the Lord and one to another and each to all in a perpetual Covenant that shall not be forgotten We are now entring upon a work of the greatest moment and concernement to us and to our posterity after us that ever was undertaken by any of us or any of our Forefathers before us or neighbouring Nations about us if the Lord shall blesse this our beginning it will bee a happie day and we shall be a happy people An Oath is a duty of the first commandment and therfore of the highest and noblest order and rank of duties therefore must come foorth attended with choycest graces especially with these two humility and fear Fear not onely of God which ought to bee in an eminent measure Gen. 31. 53. Iacob swear by the feare of his father Isaac as if hee coveted to inherit his fathers grace as well as his fathers God But also feare of an Oath it being a dreadfull duty and hath this peculiar it is established by the Oath of God I have sworne that unto mee every tongue shall sweare Isa 45. 23. It is made the very Character of a Saint hee feares an Oath Eccles. 9. 2. Humility is another grace requisite set your hearts before God in an humble obedient frame Deut. 6. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him and sweare by his Name The Apostle Paul was sensible of this engagement even in the very act of this duetie Rom 1. 9 I call God to witnesse whom I serve in my spirit Although it be a work of the lips yet the heart and the whole man must be interessed if we expect this worship to be acceptable Psal. 119 108. Accept the free will offering of my mouth and teach me thy judgements Also it must bee done in the greatest simplicity and plainnesse of spirit in respect of those with whom wee Covenant We call God as a witnesse betwixt us who searcheth the heart With him is wisedome and strength the deceived deceiver is his Iob 12. 19. He hath wisedome to discover and strength to punish if our hearts be not upright to our Brethren in this matter Let us be contented with this that the words of our Covenant be bands it may not be so much as in the desire of our harts that they should become snares no not to the weakest and simplest person that joyneth with us In the whole work make your addresse unto God as Iacob did to his 〈…〉 there bee the like fear and jealousie over your spirits Gen. 27. 12. My Father peradventure will feel me and I shall seem to him as a deceiver and I shall bring a curse upon me and not a blessing I take liberty with more earnestnesse to presse this care upon you because I have observed Oaths and Covenants have been undertaken by us formerly and by the command of authority the fruit whereof though great yet not answered our expectation the Lord surely hath been displeased with the slightnesse of our hearts in the work I beseech you bee more watchfull and stirre up your hearts with more industry this day then ever before As it is the last Oath you are likely to take in this kinde so it is our last refuge tabula post naufragium If this help not wee are likely to remaine to our dying day an unhappy people but if otherwise You will indeed sweare with all your hearts and seek the Lord with your whole desire God will bee found and give you rest round about 2 Chor. 15 15. And having sworn and entred into this solemne engagement to God and man make conscience to doe accordingly otherwise it is better thou shouldest not vow Ecclesiast 5. As it is said of fasting it is not the bowing down of the head for a day so of this solemne swearing it is not the lifting up of the hand for a day but an honest and faithfull endeavouring after the contents of this Covenant all our dayes A truce breaker is reckoned up amongst the vilest of Christians 2. Tim. 3. 3. so a Covenant-breaker is listed amongst the worst of Heathens Rom. 1. 31 But hee that sweareth and changeth not though he swear to his hurt that is he that wil keep his Covenant and Oath though the contents of it prove not for him nay possibly against him yet hee will keep it for his Oaths sake such a one shall have his habitation with the most High and dwell in his Tabernacle Psal. 15. And as for you Reverend Brethren that are Ministers of the Gospel there is yet another obligation will lie upon you let us look to our selves and make provision to walk answerable to this our Covenant for the Gospels sake it will reflect a great aspertion upon the truth of the Gospel if wee should bee false or unconstant in any word or purpose though in a matter of lesse consequence as you can easily collect from that apology of Paul 2 Cor. 1 17 18. how much more in such a case as this is if we should bee found to purpose nay more to vow and covenant and swear and all this according unto the flesh and with us there should be notwithstanding all these obligations yea yea and nay nay That we may all who take the Covenant this day he constant immoveable and abound in this work of the Lord that we may not start aside or give back or goe on uncomfortably there is a twofold grace or qualification to bee laboured after 1 Wee must get courage spirits that are bold and resolute It is said in Haggai that the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel Governour of Iudah and the spirit of Ioshua the High Priest and the spirit of all the remnant of the people and they came and did work in the house of the Lord the vvork of Gods house Reformation-work especially is a stirring work read Stories you finde not anywhere Reformation made in any age either in Doctrine or Discipline without great stirre and opposition This was foretold by the same Prophet Chap. 2. vers. 7. the promise is Hee will fill his house with glory but what goeth before vers 6 Yet once it is a little while and I will shake the Heavens and the Earth and the Sea and the dry land that is all Nations as in the words following This place is applyed Heb 12 to the removing Jewish Rites the moveables of Gods house The like you 〈◊〉 in the Apostles times Acts 17 the truth bei●● preached some beleeved others did not here beginnet● the stirre vers. 6. those that beleeved not tooke unt● themselves certaine lewd fellows of the baser sort and gathered a company and set all the City in an uproare and vvhen they had done so complained of the brethren to the Rulers as men that turn the world upside down ver. 6 Read also Acts 21. 27 30. 31. In such a work therefore men had need bee of