Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	act_n	faith_n	word_n	2,063	5	4.6173	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A03519	Certayne sermons, or homelies appoynted by the kynges Maiestie, to be declared and redde, by all persones, vicars, or curates, euery Sondaye in their churches, where they haue cure. Anno 1547.; Certain sermons or homilies appointed to be read in churches. Book 1.	Cranmer, Thomas, 1489-1556.; Church of England.	1547 (1547)	STC 13640; ESTC S110029	106,479	184

our wil ▪ hartes ▪ might and power to serue him in all good dedes obeyng his commaundementes during our lifes to seke in al thinges his glory and honor not our sensuall pleasures vaynglory euermore dreadynge willingly to offende suche a merciful God louyng redemer in worde thought or dede And the sayde benefites of God depely considered do moue vs for his sake also to be euer redy to geue our selfes to our neighbors and asmuch as lyeth in vs ▪ to study with all oure indeuour to doo good to euery man These be the fruites of the true faythe to do good asmuche as lieth in vs to euery man And aboue all thynges and in all thinges to auaunce the glory of God of whom only we haue our sanctificacion iustificacion saluacion and redempcion ▪ To whome be euer glory prayse and honor ▪ worlde without ende AMEN ¶ A short declaration of the true liuely and Christian Faithe THE firste entrie vnto God good christian people is through faith whereby as it is declared in the laste Sermon we be iustifyed before God And least any mā should be deceyued for lacke of right vnderstanding thereof it is diligently to be noted that faythe is taken in the scripture two manes of wayes There is one fayth whiche in scripture is called a dead faythe whiche bryngeth furth no good workes but is idle barrain and vnfruitefull And this faith by the holy Apostle sainct Iames is compared to the fayth of deuilles which beleue God to be true and iuste and tremble for feare yet they do nothynge well but al euill And suche a maner of fayth haue the wicked and naughtie thristian people whiche confesse God as saincte Paule sayeth in their mouthe but denye hym in their deedes beynge abhominable and withoute the righte fayth and to all good workes reproueable And this faith is a persuasiō and belief in mānes harte wherby he knoweth that there is a God and assenteth vnto all trueth of Gods moste holye worde conteyned in holy scripture So that it consisteth onely in beleuing of the woorde of God that it is true And thys is not properlye called faythe But as he that readeth Cesars Commentaries beleuyng thesame to be true hath thereby a knowledge of Cesars lyfe and noble actes because he beleueth the history of Cesar yet it is not properly saied that he beleueth in Cesar of whome he loketh for no helpe nor benefite Euen so he that beleueth that all that is spoken of God in the Bible is true and yet liueth so vngodly that he cānot loke to enioy the promises and benefites of God although it maye be saide that such a man hath a faith belief to y e wordes of God yet it is not properly saied that he beleueth in God or hath suche a fayth truste in God wherby he may surely loke for grace mercy eternall lyfe at Gods hand but rather for indignacion punishment according to the merites of hys wicked life For as it is written in a boke entituled to be of Didimus Alexādrinus forasmuch as faith without workes is ded it is not now faith as a ded man is not a man This ded faith therfore is not y t sure and substancial faith which saueth synners Another fayth there is in scripture whiche is not as the foresayde faith idle vnfruitfull and dead but worketh by charitie as S. Paule declareth Gal. v. Whiche as the other vayn faith is called a ded faithe so maye thys be called a quicke or liuely faith And this is not onely the cōmon belefe of the Articles of our faith but it is also a sure truste and confidence of the mercy of God through our lorde Iesus Christ and a stedfast hope of all good thynges to be receiued at Gods hande that although we through infirmitie or temptaciō of our ghostly enemie do fall from him by synne yet if we returne agayn vnto hym by true repentaunce that he wyll forgeue forget oure offences for hys sonnes sake our sauior Iesus Christ will make vs inheritors with him of his euerlastyng kyngdom and that in the meane tyme vntyll that kyngdom come he will ●e our protector and defendor in all perils daungers whatsoeuer do chaunce and that though somtyme he doth sende vs sharpe aduersitie yet y t euermore he wilbe a louyng father vnto vs correctyng vs for our synne but not withdrawyng hys mercy finally from vs if we trust in hym and commit our selfes wholy vnto hym hang onely vpon hym and call vpon hym ready to obey and serue hym Thys is the true liuely and vnfayned christian faith and is not in the mouthe and outward profession onely but it liueth and stirreth inwardly in the hart And this faythe is not without hope and truste in God nor without the loue of God and of our neyghbors nor without the feare of God nor without y e desyre to heare Gods worde and to folowe thesame in eschewyng euill and doyng gladly all good workes Thys faith as sainct Paule describeth it is the sure ground and foundaciō of the benefites whiche we ought to loke for and trust to receyue of God a certificat sure expectacion of them although they yet sensiblie appere not vnto vs. And after he saith he that cōmeth to God must beleue both that he is that he is a mercifull rewarder of wel doers And nothyng cōmendeth good men vnto God so muche as this assured faith trust in him Of this faithe iij. thinges are specially to be noted First that this faithe doth not lye ded in the hart but is liuely and fruitful in bringing furth good workes Second y ● without it cā no good workes be doen y t shalbe acceptable pleasaūt to God Thirde what maner of good workes thei be y t this faith doth bryng furth For the first as the light cannot be hid but will shewe furthe it self at one place or other So a true faith cannot be kept secret but when occasion is offered it will breake out shew it self by good workes And as the liuyng body of a mā euer exerciseth suche thinges as belongeth to a naturall liuyng body for nourishement preseruacion of thesame as it hath nede opportunitie and occasion euen so the soule that hath a liuely faith in it wyl be doyng alwaye some good worke whiche shall declare that it is liuyng and will not be vnoccupied Therfore when men heare in the scriptures so high cōmendacions of faythe that it maketh vs to please God to liue with God and to be the children of God if then they phantasie ▪ that thei be set at libertie frō doyng all good workes and may liue as thei liste thei trifle with God deceyue themselfes And it is a manifest token that thei be farre from hauing the true and liuely faith also farre from knowledge what true faith meaneth For the very sure liuelye christian faith is not

master Christ and humbleth hymself as vnworthy to vnbuckle his showes and geueth all honor and glory to God So doth s. Paule bothe oft and euidently confesse himself what he was of himself euer geuyng as a moste faithfull seruaunt all praise to his master and sauior So doth blessed s. Ihon the Euangelist in the name of hymself and of all other holy men be they neuer so iust make this open confession if we saye we haue no synne we deceyue oure selfes and the truthe is not in vs if we knowledge our synnes God is faithful and iust to forgeue vs our synnes and to clense vs frō al vnrighteousnes if we saye we haue not sinned we make hym a liar and hys worde is not in vs. Wherfore the Wisemā in the boke called Ecclesiastes maketh this true generall confession there is not one iust man vpon the earth that doeth good and synneth not And s. Dauid is ashamed of hys synne but not to confesse his synne How oft how earnestly lamētably doth he desire gods great mercy for his great offences that God should not entre into iudgemēt with him And agayn how well weigheth thys holy man his synnes when he confesseth that they bee so many in numbre and so hid and hard to vnderstande that it is in maner vnpossible to knowe vtter or numbre them Wherfore he hauing a true earnest and depe contemplacion and consideracion of his sinnes and yet not commyng to the botome of them he maketh supplicaciō to God to forgeue him his priuy secret his sinnes to the knowledge of the which he cā not attein vnto He weigheth rightly his sinnes frō the original roote spring hed perceiuing inclinaciōs prouocaciōs stirrynges stingynges buddes braūches dregges infecciōs tastes felinges and sentes of them to continue in hym still Wherfore he saith marke behold I was cōceiued in synnes he saith not sinne but in the plural nūbre sinnes forasmuch as out of one as fountayn spryngeth all the reste And our sauior Christ saieth there is none good but God and that we can do nothyng that is good without hym nor no mā can come to the father but by hym He commaundeth vs all to saye that we be vnprofitable seruaūtes when we haue done al that we can do He preferreth the penitēt Publicane before the proude holy glorious Pharisey He calleth hymself a phisicion but not to them y t be whole but to them that be sicke and haue nede of his salue for their sore He teacheth vs in oure prayers to reknowledge our selfes sinners to aske forgeuenes and deliueraunce from all euilles at our heauenly fathers hande He declareth that the synnes of oure awne hartes do defile our awne selfes He teacheth that an euill worde or thought deserueth condempnacion affirmyng that we shall geue an accompte for euery idle worde He saieth he came not to saue but the shepe that were vtterly lost and cast away Therfore fewe of the proude iust learned wise perfect and holy Phariseis were saued by him because thei iustified themselfes by their coūterfeit holynes before men Wherefore good people let vs beware of suche hypocrisy vainglory and iustifiyng of our selfe Let vs loke vpō our fete and then doune pecockes fethers doune proude harte doune vile clay frayle and britle vessels Of our selfes we be crabbe trees that can bryng furth no apples We be of our selfes of suche yearth as can brynge furthe but wedes netles brābles briers cocle and darnell Oure fruites be declared in the ▪ v. Chap. to the Gala. We haue neither faith charitie hope pacience chastitie nor any thyng els that good is but of God therfore these vertues be called there the fruites of the holy Ghost and not the fruites of man Let vs therfore acknowledge our selfes before God as we be in dede miserable and wretched synners And let vs earnestly repent and humble our selfes hartely and crie to God for mercye Let vs all confesse with mouthe and harte that we be full of imperfeccions Let vs know our awn workes of what imperfecciō they be then we shall not stande foolishly and arrogantly in our awne conceiptes nor chalenge any part of iustificacion by our merites or workes For truly there be imperfecciōs in our best workes we do not loue God so much as we are bounde to do with all our hart mynd and power we do not feare God so muche as we ought to do we do not praye to God but with greate and many imperfeccions we geue forgeue beleue liue and hope vnperfectly we speke thinke do vnperfectly we fight agaynst the deuill the worlde and the fleashe vnperfectly Let vs therfore not be ashamed to confesse plainly our state of imperfeccion yea let vs not be ashamed to confesse imperfeccion euen in all our awne beste workes Let none of vs be ashamed to say with holy s. Peter I am a sinfull man Let vs al saye with the holy prophet Dauid we haue synned with our fathers we haue doen amisse dealt wickedly Let vs all make open cōfession with the prodigal sonne to our father and saye with hym we haue synned agaynst heauen and before the O father we are not worthy to be called thy sonnes Let vs al saye with holy Baruch O Lorde our God to vs is worthily ascribed shame and confusion to the righteousnes We haue synned we haue doen wickedly we haue behaued our selfes vngodly in all thy righteousnes Let vs al saie with the holy prophet Daniell O Lorde righteousnes belongeth to the vnto vs belongeth confusion We haue synned we haue bene naughtie we haue offended we haue fled from the we haue gone backe from al thy preceptes and iudgementes So we learne of all good men in holy scripture to humble our selfes and to exalt extoll prayse magnifie and glorifie God Thus we haue heard how euill we be of our selfes how of our selfes and by our selfes we haue no goodnes helpe nor saluaciō but cōtrariwise synne dampnacion and death euerlastynge whiche if we depely weigh consider we shall the better vnderstande the great mercy of God and how our saluacion cōmeth onely by Christ. For in our selfes as of our selfes we find nothing wherby we may be deliuered from this miserable captiuitie into the which we were caste throughe the enuie of the deuill by transgressing of Gods commaundemēt in our first parent Adam We are all become vncleane but we all are not able to clense our selfes nor to make one another of vs cleane We are by nature the childrē of Gods wrathe but we are not able to make oure selfes the children and inheritors of Gods glorye We are sheepe that ronne astraie but we cannot of our awn power come agayn to y e shepefold so great is our imperfecciō weakenes In our selfes therfore maye not we glorie which of our selfes are nothyng but synfull

threatenynges which should certifye them that as thei do ouer boldely presume of gods mercy and liue dissolutely so doeth God still more and more withdrawe his mercie from theim and he is so prouoked thereby to wrathe at lenght that he destroyeth suche presumers many tymes sodainly For of suche saincte Paule sayed thus when they shall saye it is peace there is no daunger then shall sodayn destruction come vpon theim Let vs beware therfore of suche naughtie boldenesse to synne for God whiche hath promised his mercie to them that bee truely repentaunte although it bee at the latter ende hath not promised to the presumpteous synner either that he shall haue long life or that he shal haue true repentaunce at the laste ende But for that purpose hath he made euery mannes deathe vncertayne that he should not put his hope in thend and in the meane season to Gods highe displeasure lyue vngodly Wherfore let vs folowe the counsaill of the Wisemā let vs make no tariyng to turne vnto the lord let vs not put of from daie to day for sodainly shal his wrath come and in tyme of vengeaunce he shal destroye the wycked Let vs therefore turne betymes and when we turne let vs praye to GOD as Ozee teacheth saiyng Forgeue vs all oure synnes receyue vs graciously And if we turne to him with an humble and a very penitent harte he wil receiue vs to his fauor and grace for his holy names sake for his promise sake for his truthe and mercies sake promysed to all faithefull beleuers in Iesus Christ his onely naturall sonne To whō the onely sauiour of the world with the father and the holy ghost bee all honor glory and power world without end Amen ¶ An exhortation agaynst the feare of Death IT is not to be marueyled that worldly men do feare to dye For death depriueth them of all worldly honors riches and possessions in the fruition whereof the worldely man compteth hymself happie so long as he maye enioye theim at hys awne pleasure and other wyse if he be dispossessed of thesame without hope of recouery then he can none other thinke of himself but that he is vnhappie because he hath loste hys worldely ioye and pleasure Alas thinketh this carnall man shall I now depart for euer frō all my honors all my treasures from my countrey frendes riches possessiōs and worldly pleasures whiche are my ioy and hartes delight Alas that euer that daie shal come whē all these I muste bid farewell at once and neuer to enioye any of thē after Wherfore it is not without greate cause spoken of the wiseman O death how bitter and sower is the remembraunce of thee to a man that liueth in peace and prosperitie in his substaunce to a man liuyng at ease leading his life after his awne mind without trouble is therwithal well pampered and fed There be other men whom this world doth not so greatly laugh vpon but rather vexe and oppresse with pouertye sickenesse or some other aduersitie Yet thei do fear death partly because the fleashe abhorreth naturally his awne sorowful dissolucion whiche death doth threaten vnto theim and partely by reason of sickenesses and paynfull diseases whiche be moste strong pangues and agonies in the fleshe and vse commōly to come to sicke men before death or at the leaste accompany death whensoeuer it commeth Although these twoo causes s●me great weightie to a worldly man wherupō he is moued to feare death yet there is another cause much greater then any of these afore rehersed for whiche in dede he hath iuste cause to feare death and that is the state and cōdicion wherunto at the last ende death bryngeth all them that haue their hartes fixed vpō this world without repentaunce and amendemēt This state condicion is called the second death whiche vnto all suche shall insue after this bodily deathe And this is that death whiche in deede ought to be dread feared for it is an euerlasting losse without remedy of the grace fauor of God and of euerlastyng ioy pleasure and felicitie And it is not onely the losse for euer of all these eternall pleasures but also it is the condempnacion both of body soule without either appellaciō or hope of redempcion vnto euerlastynge paynes in hell Unto this state death sent the vnmercyfull and vngodly richeman that Luke speaketh of in his Gospell who liuyng in all wealthe and pleasure in this worlde and cherishyng himself daily with daintie fare and gorgeous apparel despiced poore Lazarus that lay pitifully at his gate miserably plagued and full of sores and also greuously pined with hunger Bothe these twoo were arrested of deathe whiche sent Lazarus the poore miserable man by aungels anone vnto Abrahams bosome a place of rest pleasure and consolacion But the vnmerciful rich-man descended doune into hel and beyng in tormētes he cried for comforte complainyng of the intollerable payn that he suffered in that flamme of fire but it was to late So vnto this place bodily death sendeth all them that in this world haue their ioye and felicite all them that in this world be vnfaithfull vnto God and vncharitable vnto their neighbors so diyng without repentaūce hope of Gods mercie Wherfore it is no maruaile that the worldly man feareth death for he hath muche more cause so to do then he himself doeth considre Thus we se thre causes why worldly men feare death One because thei shal lose therby their worldely honors riches possessions and all their hartes desires Another because of the painfull diseases bitter pangues which commonly men suffre either before or at the tyme of death but the chiefe cause aboue al other is the dread of the miserable state of eternall dampnacion bothe of body and soule whiche they feare shal folow after their departyng out of the worldly pleasures of this present life For these causes be all mortall men whiche be geuē to the loue of this world both in feare state of death through syn as y e holy apostle saith so lōg as thei liue here in this world But euerlasting thākes be to almighty God for euer there is neuer one of al these causes no nor yet thei altogether that cā make a true Christian man afraied to dye whiche is the very membre of Christe the temple of the holy Ghoste the sonne of God ▪ and the very inheritor of the euerlastyng kyngdom of heauen but plainly contrary he conceiueth great and many causes vndoubtedly grounded vpon the infallyble and euerlastynge truth of the woorde of God whiche moue hym not onely to put away the feare of bodiely death but also for the manifolde benefites and singuler commodities whiche ensue vnto euery faithfull person by reason of thesame to wish desire longe hartely for it For death shall be to hym no death at all but a very deliueraunce from death frō all paynes cares and sorowes miseries

then the gentle monicion of a frend Phillippus the Kyng of Macedony when he was euill spoken of by the chiefe rulers of the citee of Athens he did thāke them hartely because by theim he was made better bothe in his woordes and deedes for I studse saied he bothe by my saiynges and doynges to proue theim liars This is the best waie to refell a mannes aduersary so to liue that all whiche shall knowe his honestie maie beare witnesse that he is slaundered vnworthely If the faulte whereof he is slaūdered be suche that for the defence of his honestie he must nedes make aunswere yet let hym aunswere quietly and softely on this fashion that those faultes be laid against hym falsly For it is truth y t the wiseman saith a soft aunswer asswageth anger and a hard and sharpe aunswer doth stirre vp rage fury The sharpe aunswer of Nabal did prouoke Dauid to cruel vengeaunce but the gentle wordes of Abigaill quenched the fire again that was all in a flamme And a speciall remedy against malicious tongues is to arme our selfes with pacience mekenes and silēce least with multipliyng wordes with the enemy we bee made as euill as he But thei that cannot beare one euil worde peraduenture for their awne excusacion wil alledge that whiche is writtē he that despiceth his good name is cruell Also wee read aunswere a foole accordyng to his folishnesse And our Lorde Iesus did hold his peace at certain euil saiynges but to some he aunswered diligently He heard men call him a Samaritain a carpenters sonne a wine drinkar and he helde his peace But when he heard theim saie thou haste a deuill within thee he aunswered to that earnestly Truthe it is in deede that there is a tyme when it is conuenient to aunswere a foole accordyng to his folishenesse least he should seme in his awne conceipt to be wise And sometyme it is not profitable to aunswer a foole accordyng to his foolishnesse least the wise manne bee made like to y e foole When oure infamie is ioyned with the perill of many then is it necessarie in aunsweryng to be quicke and ready For we reade that many holy men of good zeales haue sharpely and fiercely both spoken and aunswered tyrauntes and euil men whiche sharp wordes proceded not of anger rancor or malice or appetite of vengeaūce but of a feruēt desire to bryng thē to the true knowledge of GOD and from vngodly liuyng by an earnest and sharpe obiurgacion and chidyng In this zeale sainct Ihon Baptiste called the Phariseis Adders broode and s. Paule called the Galathians fooles and the men of Crete he called liars euill beastes sloggishe bellies the false Apostles he called dogges and craftie workemen And this zeale is godly and to be allowed as it is plainly proued by the example of Christ who although he wer the fountain and spryng of all mekenesse gentilnes and softnesse ye he calleth the obstinate Scribes and Phariseis blynd guydes fooles painted graues Hypocrites serpētes adders brode a corrupte and wicked generaciō Also he rebuketh Peter egerly saiyng go behind me sathan Likewise S. Paule reproueth Elimas saiyng O thou full of all craft and guile enemie to al iustice thou ceasest not to destroy the right waies of God and now lo the hande of the lorde is vpon thee and thou shalt be blynde and not se for a tyme. And s. Peter reprehēdeth Ananias very sharpely saiyng Ananias how is it that sathā hath filled thy harte that thou shouldest lye vnto the holy ghost This zeale hath been so feruēt in many good men that it hath stirred thē not onely to speake bitter and eger wordes but also to do thynges whiche might seme to some to be cruell but in deede thei be very iuste charitable and Godly because thei were not doen of ire malice or contencious mynde but of a feruent mynd to the glory of God and the correccion of synne executed by men called to that office For in this zeale our Lorde Iesus Christ did driue with a whippe the biars and sellers out of the temple In this zeale Moses brake the two tables whiche he had receiued at Gods hand when he sawe the Israelites daunsyng aboute a calfe and caused to be killed .xxiii. M. of his awne people In this zeale Phinees the sonne of Eleasar did thruste throughe with his sword zambry and Cozby whom he found together ioyned in the act of lechery Wherfore now to returne again to contencious wordes and specially in matters of religion and Gods worde which would be vsed with all modestie sobernesse and charitie the wordes of s. Iames ought to be well marked and borne in memory where he saith that of cōtencion riseth al euill And the wise kyng Salomon saieth honor is due to a manne that kepeth hymself frō contencion and all that mingle themselfes therwith bee fooles And because this vice is so muche hurtefull to the societie of a common wealthe in all well ordred cities these common braulers and skolders bee punished with a notable kynde of pain as to bee sette on the cokyngstole pillery or suche like And thei be vnworthy to liue in a common wealthe the whiche do asmuche as lieth in theim with braulyng and skoldyng to disturbe the quietnes peace of thesame And whereof commeth this contencion strief and variaunce but of pride vain glory Let vs therefore humble oure selfes vnder the mightie hande of God whiche hath promised to reste vpon them that bee humble and lowe in spirite If we bee good and quiete Christian men let it appere in our speache and tongues If we haue forsaken the deuil let vs vse no more deuillish toungues He that hath been a railyng skolder now let him be a sober counsailoure He that hath been a malicious slaunderor nowe let hym bee a louyng comforter He that hath been a vain railer now let him be a ghostly teacher He that hath abused his tongue in cursyng now let him vse it in blessyng He that hath abused his tong in euill speakyng now lette hym vse it in speakyng well All bitternesse anger railyng blasphemy let it be auoyded frō you If you may it bee possible in nowise be angery But if you maie not bee cleane voyde of this passion then yet so temper and bridle it that it stirre you to contencion and braulyng If you be prouoked with euil speaking arme your self with pacience lenitie and silence either speakyng nothyng or els beyng very soft meke and gentle in aunsweryng Ouercome thine aduersaries with benefites and gentlenes And aboue all thynges kepe peace and vnitie bee no peace breakers but peace makers And then there is no doubt but that God the aucthor of comforte and peace will graunte vs peace of conscience and suche concord and agremēt that with one mouthe and mynde wee maie glorifie God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe