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	lead_v	spirit_n	1,730	5	5.1942	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A87160	A vindication of the Holy Scriptures. Or the manifestation of Jesus Christ the true Messiah already come. Being the Christians antidote against the poysons of Judaisme and atheisme of this present age. Proved out of sacred scripture, ancient historians, and Jewish Rabbins. / By that learned, and late eminent divine, John Harrison.	Harrison, John, of the Inner Temple.	1656 (1656)	Wing H896; Thomason E1685_1; ESTC R209168	62,938	174

knew no surer way of publishing their Laws and procuring authority to the same then to write them with their own hands and in their life time to establish their promulgation So Lycurgus Solon and others among the Grecians Numa to the Romans Mahomet to the Sarasins But Jesus to shew his Divine power in directing the Pen and Stile of the Evangelists would not leave any thing written by himself but passed from this world in simplicity and silence without any other shew or osten●ation of his own doings Meaning notwithstanding afterwards to his glory and the edification of his Church here on earth by four irrefragable witnesses or remembrancers the four Evangelists every word should be established and recorded as may appear by that place where he saith These things have I spoken unto you being present with you but the Comforter which is the holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he shall bring all things to your remembrance which I have told you Whereupon I infer that the Evangelists and Apostolical writers were all of them guided and directed by one and the same spirit even the spirit of God for the registring of all things either said or done by our Saviour so far forth as seemed best to his Divine will and pleasure to be registred and recorded for the benefit and edification of his Church For there were many other things which Jesus did as John the Evangelist testifieth which are not written that is to say which the holy Spirit of God thought needless to faith and salvation but saith he These things are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that in believing ye might have life through his name Now for these Evangelists four in number which some have resembled to the four Beasts in Ezekiel the first and last are Apostles that wrote as they had seen the two middle are Disciples who registred things as they had understood by conference with the Apostles The first Gospel was written by an Apostle to give light to the rest and the last also by an Apostle to give authority and confirmation to the former The first was written in the Hebrew Tongue for that all those miracles which Jesus wrought were done in that Country He was not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel to the end that either the whole Nation might believe them or the obstinate impugne them which yet never any of their Rabbins took in hand to do The other three were written in the most famous and populous language of all Nations at that time to wit the Greek Tongue They wrote their stories in divers Countries far distant one from another and yet agreed they all most exactly in one and the same narration as is to be seen though diversly related yet in truth and substance all one one sometimes supplying what another hath not according to the discretion of one and the same spirit wherewith they were all guided and directed like those four Beasts in Ezek. 1.12 Every one went streight forward whither their spirit led them they returned not They wrote in divers times one after another and yet the latter did neither correct nor reprehend any thing in the former as Heathen writers use to do They published their writings when infinite were alive that knew the facts and of them no small number who desired by all means to impugne them They set down in most of their narrations the time the day the hour the place the village the house the persons with all other circumstances which the mo they are in number the more easie to be refuted if they were not true Neither did they write of things done in far Countries or places remote but in the same Country where they were born in Towns and Cities that were publikely known in Jerusalem it self in Bethania and Bethsaida Vilages hard by Jerusalem in the Suburbs and Hills about the City in such a street at such a gate at such a porch of the Temple at such a Fish-pool publike places familiarly known to every one for these things were not done in a corner as saith the Apostle All which circumstances duly considered never yet impugned methinks should perswade any man of reason to become a Christian as Agrippa in that very place acknowledgeth to Paul saying almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian They published their writings in their life time They altered not their writings afterwards as other Authors are wont in their latter editions nor ever corrected they one jot of that which they had first set down And that which never hapned in any other writings in the world besides nor ever Monarch was able to bring to pass for credit of his Edicts they gave their lives for defence and justifying of that which they had written Their manner of writing is sincere and simple as becommeth so divine a History without all art or Rethorical amplifications as Historians use They flatter none no not Jesus himself whom they most adore nor in confessing him to be their God do they conceal his infirmities of flesh in that he was man as his hunger and thirst his being weary how he wept his passions of fear and the like Nay these Evangelists were so sincere and religious in their narrations as they noted especially the imperfections of themselves and of such others as they principally respected Matthew nameth himself Matthew the Publican Mark Peters Disciple recordeth how S. Peter thrise denyed his Lord and Master and so of the rest These mens writings were published for canonical and received for undoubted truth by all that lived in the very same age and were privie to every particular circumstance therein contained They were copied abroad into infinite mens hands and so conserved with all care and reverence as holy and divine Scripture They were read in Churches throughout all Countries and Nations expounded preached and taught by all Pastors and Commentaries made upon them by holy Fathers from time to time So that no doubt can be made at all either of the authority of them as originally and immediately proceeding from the holy Ghost or of the certainty but that we have the very same incorrupt as the Authors left them for that it was impossible for any enemy to corrupt so many Copies over the world without discovery and resistance And thus much for the credit and authority of our Evangelists The confession of Martyrs NOw for the Martyrs or witnesses appointed by God for the sealing and delivery of this Doctrine of the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to all the world they were first and principally his own Apostles and Disciples Now ye are witnesses of these things who both heard his Doctrine and saw his Miracles as S. John testifieth That which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes c. That I say which we have seen and