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	faith_n	word_n	2,346	5	3.9902	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A87178	Trodden dovvn strength, by the God of strength, or, Mrs Drake revived. Shewing her strange and rare case, great and many uncouth afflictions, for tenne yeares together : together, with the strange and wonderfull manner how the Lord revealed himselfe unto her, a few dayes before her death. / Related by her somtime unworthy friend, Hart On-Hi.	Hart, John, D.D.	1647 (1647)	Wing H960; Thomason E1156_1; ESTC R204874	52,707	199

to tender his service unto her to try if any thing were within the compasse of his power wherein hee were able to serve here Shee curteously gave him thanks but withall told him that her Case and doome was already determined and past and therefore there was no good to bee done by any one unto her Yet seeing him so an acute sharp quick witty man shee was pleased to have a strong bout of discourse with him alone walking at her house in Esher Gallery where having toughly disputed with her a long time and no good to be done but thwarted with many strong uncouth objections and Scriptures sophistically applyed by her beyond the skill or strength of her own spirit or wit as hee judged he confessed she was too hard now on a sudden for him So at one bout having the better of her in a discourse of Faith he broke off laughing with a jest called her Husband near by an said Sir now I can stay no longer but I will study how to answer you Wives Arguments and will now leave her in a good estate In faith professing infidelity who having taken his leave and departed The Relator enquired what his judgement was of her and her Case Who made this answer That it was the strangest that ever hee had seen heard or read of A strange presaging Censure That the Lord had some strange work to doe by her but whether in mercy or judgement hee could not determine no more hee would come to visite her nor could be drawn unto it Upon this her late distemper and untowardnesse the good old man Mr Dod being againe sent for and come was notwithstanding entertained by her in shew lovingly yet with a sad louring countenance by and by accompanied therewith as though hee had not been welcome which he in his usuall chearfull manner not regarding using her with all meeknesse and love which he found gained much upon her spirit after which having discoursed two or three dayes prayed with her and for her shee began to mend but yet could not be perswaded to read pray by her selfe or goe to Chruch wherefore hee thought it expedient to leave urging thereof untill her judgement were convinced therein which was the next work to be done a tough taske to effect and which shee strongly opposed and withstood by one maine Argument being beaten off from all her other shifts which was this out of Rom. 14. ult Object Whatsoever is not of Faith is sinne but shee did not believe nor could doe any thing in faith therefore all her actions must needs be sinfull so aggravating her condemnation shee having sinnes therefore enough to condemne her would no more this way encrease their number already too many Answ 1 This Argument hee judged to be Sophisticall subtile and a strong fetch of the Devill for his ultimum vale and last refuge whereunto hee after a little pause thus Replyed That he denyed the assumption that she could not doe anything in faith for the degrees of faith must be considered There was a degree of initiation of babes in Christ and of strong men in Christ That she must now be considered of in the lower from of the schoole amongst the babes in Christ needing milk not strong meat as the Apostle speaks and therefore though things were not done in a strong yet they might bee done in a weak and true faith which might have a true and sutable reward So that there being in the World many and large promises made unto the reading and hearing of the Word some whereof wee then repeated now for brevity omitted That duties done in obedience unto the command of God were then so done in faith because according to and with a respect unto the commandement and must needs because of the truth of God who cannot lie nor deny himselfe be rewarded And put the case which he then denyed that shee must eternally perish yet God hath many outward mercies and blessings in store wherewith to reward such outward obedience many times farre beyond our slight performances freedome from many temporall judgements lessening delay and mitigation of them in number weight measure and continuance remove-all of them and the like in his best time So that all things considered the best for her were to submit her selfe unto the will of God lie down Saint-like at his feet use the meanes trust waite upon him and then to let the Lord as Ioab said to Abner doe that which seemeth best in his eyes Answ 2 And for that other cavill of the encrease of her sins in the matter of her endeavours for this he told her That all her good actions done should be upon record all her sins should be forgiven and done away so that this should not hinder her obedient walking Object Unto this shee objected her inability to performe any holy duty and therefore seeing God in the up-shot of all his free promises declares himselfe thus Yet for all these things will I be sought unto of the House of Israel she not being able to aske or make obedient endeavour to wrap her selfe up within the promise so as to have interest or challenge the same that therefore it were in vaine for her to use any meanes Ans Reply hereunto was made That true it was that this was the ordinary roade of Providence in despensing of salvation to sue and challenge the promises for our owne comfort and to dispence salvation in the use of meanes Yet that God being a free agent to give and work at his good pleasure had not so tyed himselfe unto any methode so in his working but that at his pleasure he might despence therewith And that therefore for her inability and weaknesse God could at his good time strengthen her to his work so in the meane time that shee did her best endeavor according unto her ability not being this way wanting for where much weaknesse was yet God many times helpt and took in good part our weak performances and that weaknesse with truth and doing to our power went farre in Gods acceptance he loving us not for any thing in us but freely for what he works in us as that Hos 14.4 I will heale their back-slidings I will love them freely c. And that Revel 3.8 Vnto the Church of Philadelphia Thou hast a little strength and hast kept my word So was shewed unto her that of the Disciples Ioh. 17.8 being weak ignorant men in many things touching salvation for whom Christ yet pleads with his Father They have kept my word though formerly they were not able to beare those things might otherwise have been revealed unto them Ioh. 16.12 Therefore from hence was much pressed upon her the use of meanes howsoever unto her weak power and strength which God would encrease unto a greater growth being that he giveth strength to the weak and unto them that have no strength Isa 40.29 Her Case was shewed her to be no worse then that Ezek. 16.4.5