Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
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A61221
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Of happiness wherein it is fully and particularly manifested that the great happiness of this life consisteth in the fear of God and keeping his commandments in opposition to the pleasures of sin or the pretended conveniency of disobdience / by Richard Stafford.
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Stafford, Richard, 1663-1703.
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1689
(1689)
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Wing S5128; ESTC R29533
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599,907
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686
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may Of Angeâ— and â—eal become instrumental of obedience and productive of good When conversant about holy and divine things it is Zeal the nature whereof may be understood from Mark 3. 5. John 2. 17. Psal 69. 9. 119. 139. Acts 18. 25. Mat. 24. 12. Lev. 20. 4. It doth arise from the love of God causing a vexation of mind and indignation at those who dishonour him He is revealed in those several relations of King Father and Master so his Subjects Children and Servants are bound to stand up for his Glory and Honour when any thing is done that seems contrary thereto If this Duty were not mentioned or required in Scripture as it is Tit. 2. 13 14. Rev. 3. 15 16 17. and by many Examples yet manifest reason teacheth it Where is love Num. 25. 11. 13. of God there must be Zeal Which shakes off Negligence and Sluggisâ—ness of Spirit and raises a Joy in doing his Will this holy Fire warms Devotion and utterly banishes all carelessness and contempt in Spiritual Duties The Man is pleased and doth give thanks when he sees God glorified and although there is a grief to behold the contrary Psal 119. 158. Acts 17. 16. Ezek. 9. 4. that will be abundantly rewarded by the Most High he shall not suffer for what others do yet he cannot cease to pray for them to mourn in secret for their sins Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy brother and not suffer sin upon him Lev. 19. 17. Charity and Love obligeth to admonish him to come out of the paths leading unto Death A reasonable Creature cannot justly take this ill yet sometimes Hatred and Reproaches are returned for this best kind of Civility and Friendship however the one hath done his Duty and what the other will one day wish he had hearkened unto the Satisfaction of a good Conscience requites for all evil intreaty in the mean while If they Curse him who stands up for Gods cause he takes it patiently knowing the time will come when the Lord will arise and maintain it himself Those who are the off-scouring and filth of the World the contemptible ones of the Earth yet when God cometh with his Holy Angels the Scene will change and themselves will be the 1 Cor. 6. 2 3. same who think and would make these so now Indeed Zeal doth draw on Reproach Contempt and Evil Sayings and therefore some would not have it be used because of these inconveniences But surely they do not consider or not believe the Promises as particularly Luke 6. 22. Who have made Conscience to serve God in all Duty were in past Generations esteemed Fools simple and ignorant People despised defamed evil intreated under the Law They had tryal of cruel Mockings and Scourges Heb. 11. 36 37 38. Our Lord himself was despised and rejected of Men he was despised and we esteemed him not Isa 53. 3. The like also happened to the first Christians And now we are fallen into those perillous times Where they receive his Name but do not obey his Doctrine make so much outward Profession as to intitle them unto Having a form of Godliness but denying the Power thereof They do not only rest here but according to the Apostles Prophecy which this day is fulfilled They are despisers of those that are good 2 Tim. 3. 3 5. These say they have hopes of going to Heaven but what should they do in the Holy of Holies the pure and sanctified place above who cannot endure what hath a resemblance to it here It is alledged they do not condemn or speak against the good Actions of others but their way of doing they cannot approve of that forward indiscreet zeal it is their own Phrase and making so great Pretences in the Eye of the World for say they Men may be good Christians and yet not seem so outwardly If it were sufficient to be a Christian only within this would take away the Crown from the Martyrs and accuse them of Folly for according to this supposal they might have believed on Christ and have kept their Faith to themselves and so have escaped cruel Torments and Death But this they did not knowing what was written Mat. 10. 32 33. Rom. 10. 9 10. 'T is replyed the Case now is altered We do not live amongst Heathens but in a Christian Countrey it is taken for granted that every one believes Jesus to be the Son of God what need of so much Profession But are we not amongst Infidels in heart Prophane Ungodly Wicked half Christians Who in heart and mouth set themselves against God and Christ as the Gentile World did What mean those bitter Words and Railings Witty Jests and Drolls against those who are careful to serve God in sincerity but to discourage and make them ashamed of so doing This hath been the usual Practise of the World the Prophet doth arm those of his own and succeeding times Hearken unto me ye that know righteousness the People in whose heart is my Law this is a peculiar manner of expressing Gods Sincere and faithful Servants Fear ye not the reproach of men neither be ye afraid of their revilings Isa 51. 7. Our Lord Christ doth severely threaten his Followers if this device of the wicked should take effect upon them Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful Generation of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the Glory of the Father with the holy Angels Mark 8. 38. It is said Words indefinitely and therefore extends to his Doctrine and Commandments and so it is not called Jewish or Heathen but the same Character which belongs to our present Age. He is ashamed or afraid of his Religion that will not own it If he shrinks back and would not be thought Godly when he is so secretly this proceeds from Pride and sinful Modesty When the Name of God is blasphemed or taken in vain the way of truth evil spoken of Wickedness commended every one that feareth God is obliged to speak out in Reproof Vindication and Contradiction Zeal was typified by the Fire that shall ever burn upon the Altar it shall never go out Lev. 6. 13. Can that be and yet not seen Is any zealous for God hating Corruption wheâ—ever he sees it who yet doth not appear so to others The same Jesus who hath Commanded to take heed of the leaven of the Pharisâ—es which is Hypocrisie Luke 12. 1. that We do not our Alms before men to pray in secret Mat. 6. hath also said Ye are the Light of the World. A City that is set on an Hill cannot be hid Let your Light so shine before men that they may see your good Works and Glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Mat. 5. 14 16. If ye are a peculiar People you will be taken notice of if zealous of good Works they will be known If you do not
right before thee Jer. 17. 16. They are bound to believe and speak â—orth Gods Truth but yet far from wishing the Misery of those who are Flesh of their Flesh and Bone of their Bone of the same common stock and likeness with themselves However they must love God more then Man and be more zealous for his Glory Truth and Justice then the welfare of others They had rather that wicked Men turn and live They would have such part with dâ—ceiâ—ful Lusts for true Happiness and do use their utmost endeavours to accomplish this blessed Work but if they continue still in an hard impenitent heart If they persist to hate provoke and despise the most Lovely Excellent Glorious One who hath not in the least deserved it from them If they abuse his Goodness and Long-suffering which at length is worn out and their day is past Let God arise and let his Enemies be scattered let them also that hate him flee before him As smoke is driven away so drive them away As Wax melteth before the Fire so let the wicked perish at the Presence of God. But let the righteous be glad let them rejoyce before God yea let them exceedingly rejoyce Psal 68. 1 2 3. They will be pleased when they behold God glorified in his Justice upon the wicked as in his Mercy on themselves Even they will fully acknowledge the Lord is righteous he hath dealt with them accordingly to their deservings they had theâ—r Choice and he did all things to bring them to Heaven and avoid the evil but they maliciously refused the one and did run blindly into the other If now they would lay aside prejudice and false judgings and debate the Matter seriously in their minds they must Confess the Goodness and Justice of God in the Government of the World as to future Rewards and Punishments though we are now in the Flesh and have not so very clear a discovery of things much more will it appear when we shall be stript and dispossessed of all when the Judge himself shall testifie against us Psal 50. 6 7. And plead with the Inhabitants of the Earth give a large Account of what he hath done for his Vineyard and leave us to judge what he could do more that he hath not done Isa 5. that every mouth may be stopped and all the World become Guilty before God Rom. 3. 19. The Righteous will say If thou Lord hadst been extream to mark iniquity who might abide it Even they would be Condemned But they fled to him who was set forth for an Advocate and Propitiation for our Sins they entred into that Covenant of Grace which was made through him between God and Man and sincerely performed the Conditions thereof O what magnifying will there then be of the Mercy of the Father in sending him and his Love in doing so great things for mankind But for those his Enemies who would not have him Reign over them who did Call him Lord Lord but did not the things he said who did mock and trifle with him these shall find to be true what is written 2 Thes 1. 7 8 9. Rev. 2. 23. The Secrets of all Hearts will be manifested all Tricks and Evasions will vanish and themselves will really assent to the Truth and uprightness of Gods proceeding against them They will be forced to know these things when knowledge will do them no good but to aggravate their own Folly that they would not know them before-hand that they were willingly ignorant 2 Pet. 3. 5. Who are now of a different Opinion from the Godly and so exasperated against them will find those things to be true they told them of and will wish they had hearkened to them In the Word of God is such abundant Conviction for all sorts of wicked Men but especially the worst sort of Persecutors that when they hear these things the former must be pricked in their Heart Acts 2. 37. and so bring them to Repentance the others cut to the Heart Acts 7. 54. which would stop the way of them But if they are desperately resolved and gnash with their Teeth then they must Cry with a loud voice and stop their Ears Verse 57. and run upon mischief Making the outward noise to silence the Cries within them Be sure not to hear what can be said against their wicked Designs for then they could not do them They must violently rush on for they cannot go soft deliberate and do this They hasten on with hurry and Passion for let them take sober Councel they will never Act such things If they take advice from Scripture they will be found mad and Enemies to themselves If by Reason that will pronounce them to be Fools and cruel to others And therefore if their Hearts are fully set in them to do evil they must consult with neither And this is the very Reason why they go on in their Course as is generally of a wicked Life to resolve first to hear nothing to the contrary But if one was throughly bent to commit Theft Robbery Treason and thereupon think himself safe because he would not know the Kings Laws should we think him so He would be hanged for all that In like manner God hath published his Word to the World and whether Men will take notice of the Truths of it or no they only lie dormant for a while but he will judge and condemn by it and their ignorance will not excuse but aggravate their Guilt because it was malicious and wilful They might have known in this their Day the things which belong to their Peace but when they are hid from their Eyes they will be plagued that they did not know them and what they now account a Priviledge will be one degree more of their Torment Let others have a Care how they become the Authors of Reproach and Persecution which begins by the steps of Malice and Ill-will Our Lord himself laid open the unreasonableness thereof for having before shewed why they should not he sâ—iâ—h Yet they both hated me and my Father but this comes to pass â—hat the word might be fulfilled which was written in their Law they hated me without a Cause John 15. 25. He told his Disciples that they also would be hated and so it hath appeared of his true Followers in all Ages ever since But why shouldst thou Labour so much in this Point Seeing those who are Hated Slandered and Persâ—cuted are Parâ—akâ—rs of the Blessing and obtain a Reward for it and consequently it is better for them to be so intreated This is a right Julian Scoff yet we have our Saviour for an Example in vindicating himself and the â—oly Apâ—stles maintaining their Innocency and shewing the uâ—reasonableâ—ess of their Adversaries rage against them However God is pleased to â—urn the Sufferings of his Servants into good recompence them with Comfort here and Glory hereafter yet they are to be put in mind not presently to suffâ—r without using all lawâ—ul