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	lord_n	spirit_n	2,291	5	4.7747	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A70206	A sermon on Acts xxviii, 22 shewing, that the Christian religion is not a sect, and yet that it is every where spoken against / by Matthew Henry ...	Henry, Matthew, 1662-1714.	1699 (1699)	Wing H1476; ESTC R19814	33,478	57

not been possible to have baited them if they had not first dress'd them up in the skins of wild Beasts And as then so ever since more or less in all Ages of the Church Reproach hath been entail'd upon the most serious and zealous Professors of Religion and Godliness 5. The Ministers of Christ the Preachers of this Religion are with a distinguishing Enmity every where spoken against Under the Old Testament God's Messengers and his Prophets were generally mocked and misused and it was Jerusalem's measure-filling Sin 2 Chron. 36.16 'T was one of the Devices they devis'd against Jeremiah to smite him with the tongue because they would not and they desired tha● others might not give heed to any of his words Jer. 18.18 Those to whom the Prophet Ezekiel was a very lovely Song and with their mouths showed much love to him yet were still talking against him by the Walls and in the Doors of their Houses and God lets him know it Ezek. 33.30 31 32. And then it is not strange if the Ministers of the New Testament in which Truth shines with a stronger Light be with no less Enmity spoken against by those that love Darkness rather than Light The Apostles those prime Ministers of State in Christ's Kingdom were so loaded with Reproach that they were made a spectacle to the World a spectacle of Pity to those that have either Grace or good Nature but a spectacle of scorn to those that had neither They were trampled upon as the Filth of the World and whereas the Off-scouring of any thing is bad enough they were look'd upon as the off-scouring of all things even unto this day after they had in so many instances approv'd themselves well and could not but be made manifest in the Consciences of their worst Enemies 1 Cor. 4.9 13. And it hath all along been the Policy of the Churches Enemies by all marks possible to bring the Ministry into contempt and to represent the Churches Nazarites even those that were purer than Snow whiter than Milk and more ruddy than Rubies with a visage blacker than a Coal so that they have not been known in the streets I allude to that complaint Lam. 4.7 8. Marvel not if the Standard-bearers be most struck at 6. The Christian Religion it self hath been and still is every where spoken against The Truths of it contradicted as false and groundless the great Doctrines of the Mediation of Christ and the Resurrection of the Dead were ridicul'd by the Athenian Philosophers Acts 19.18 32. The Laws of it faulted as grievous and unreasonable as hard sayings which could not be born by those who bid open defiance to the Obligation of them and say Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their Cords from us Ps 2.3 The Ordinances of it despis'd as mean and having no form nor comeliness Sabbaths mock'd at as of old Lam. 1.7 and the sanctification of them represented as only a Cloak for Idleness Sacraments reproach'd and the Sacred Memorial of Christ's Death and Sufferings by the Persecutors of the Primitive Christians represented to the World as the bloody and inhumane Killing and Eating of a Child and their Love Feasts and Holy Kiss which were then in use as only introductions to the most abominable uncleanness Primitive Christianity was industriously put into an ill-name it was call'd emphatically The Atheism because it overthrew Idolatry and undermin'd the false Gods and worships that had so long obtain'd This was the Out-cry at Ephesus that if Paul's Doctrine took place the Temple of the great Goddess would be despis'd Acts 19.26 27. It was also branded as a Novelty and an up-start Doctrine because it took people off from that vain Conversation which they had received by Tradition from their Fathers It was call'd at Athens a New Doctrine and industriously represented in all places as a Mushrome Sect that was but of yesterday It was look'd upon as nearly allied to Judaism because it was so much supported by the Scriptures of the Old Testament and nothing was more despicable among the Romans than the Jews and their Religion The Professors of Christianity were look'd upon as unlearned and ignorant Men Acts 4.12 the very Dregs and Refuse of the People Julian forbad the calling of them Christians and would have them called nothing but Galileans thereby to expose them to the contempt of those who are as indeed most people are govern'd more by a sound of Words than by the reason of Things Thus when the Devil was silenced in his Oracles as it is well known he was upon the setting up of Christianity in the World his mouth was opened in Lies and Slanders and being forced to quit his pretentions to a Deity he appears bare-faced as a Devil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a False Accuser The Reformed Religion in these latter ages hath been in like manner spoken against Though it maintains all that and only that Doctrine which Christ and his Apostles preach'd and was before Luther there where Popery as such never was before or since that is in the Holy Scriptures yet the Professors and Preachers of it have been call'd and counted Hereticks and Schismaticks and by all possible Artifices expos'd to the odium of the People that none might Buy or Sell i. e. have the benefit and comfort of civil Society and Commerce that had not the Mark or the Name of the Beast or the Number of his Name Nay even among some that profess the Christian and Reformed Religion yet the Practice of serious Godliness is very much spoken against The Power of Religion is not only disliked and deny'd but contradicted and condemned by those that rest in the Form They that call the Evil Good will call the Good Evil and it is not strange if they who abandon themselves to work all uncleanness with greediness speak ill of such as run not with them to the same excess of Riot where the Wicked walk on every side he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey The old Enmity between the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent is still working and the old Game every day plaid over again The Truth as it is in Jesus and the Truth which is according to Godliness will be contradicted by those that lye in wait to deceive Bigots on all sides will have something to say against Catholick Charity and Moderation They that are fervent in spirit serving the Lord and forward to every good Work must expect to be evil spoken of by such as affect a Lukewarmness and Indifferency in Religion Nor can those who walk circumspectly not as Fools but as Wise escape the lash of their Tongues who live at large and walk loosly and at all adventures as the Fools in Israel I come now in the Second Place to enquire what 's the Reason that so Holy and Excellent a Religion as Christianity is meets with such hard usage