Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	amen_n	jesus_n	lord_n	1,685	5	3.6084	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A68204	Spirituall preseruatiues against the pestilence. Or Seuen lectures on the 91. Psalme First printed in Anno. 1593. And now reuised, corrected, and published, as generally for the instruction of ignorant people: so specially for the confirmation of the weake seruants of Iesus Christ; descibing the most diuine and most soueraigne preseruatiues against the pestilence. By H. Holland. Hereunto is added a sweete prayer of M. R. Greenhams, neuer before published.	Holland, Henry, 1555 or 6-1603.; Greenham, Richard.	1603 (1603)	STC 13589; ESTC S117101	86,406	214

vilenesse o●… our sinnes wholely before the throne of thy iustice that wee finde it to be a throne of grace and mercie vnto vs in Iesus Christ our Lord. Now O Lord the searcher of the hearts and reynes thou knowing this to be the humble and single desire of our hearts we flye vnto thee for refuge beseeching thee by thy holy spirit to worke in vs a clearer sight of the wisedome of our Lord Iesus Christ whereby our mindes may be further cleared from blindnes and we haue a clearer sight of the whole misterie of our saluation in him and graunt vs God a fuller perswasion of the discharge of all our sinnes in his death and of the imputation of his righteousnesse vnto vs in his resurrection that the guiltinesse of our conscience may daily more and more goe away from vs and peace of the same be confirmed in vs especially in the time of our temptation and trouble the day of our death and the houre of iudgement And next most mercifull Father graunt vs a more powerfell experience of his death killing sinne in vs and of his resurrection raising vs vp vnto a new life that daily we may be lesse sinfull and more holy righteous and sober in this present life that so also wee may haue a more sure and stedfast hope in his redemption and may more strongly resist the vanities of this world in false pleasures profits and glories and more patiently endure all manner of miseries of the same which may befall vs vntill his glorious appearing when he shal come to bee glorious in his Saintes and made maruellous in all those which beleeue in him Amen Furthermore O Lord whereas we are priuie to our selues or it is knowne vnto others or vnto thee that thereby any sinne or sinnes more strange in vs through our corrupt nature or custome or the temptatiō of others or of the tempter we beseech thee that there we may labour to finde the precious death of our Lord Iesus Christ more powerfull in subduing the same and whereas through vnabilitie of nature want of meanes or grace wee are weaker in any duties of well-doing there wee may striue to finde the vertue of his glorious resurrection more effectuall in raising vs vp in meanes of life so that our familiar corruptions being cured and our speciall infirmities beeing relieued wee may be also endued as with generall graces meete for all Christians so with such peculiar graces as may be meete for our callings and inable vs to glori●…ie thy holy name build vp others in well doing and treasure vp the fruites of a good conscience for our selues at all times and especially in our neede And in this behalfe the desire of our heart is that thy holy spirit worke in vs the renouncing of our reason so farre forth as it is blinde and the crucifying of our affections so farre forth as they be corrupt that so wee may offer them vp with soule and body in sacrifice of humiliation and that hauing receiued these graces we may also o●…er them vp in a sacrifice of obedience vnto thy gracious Maiestie And wherein soeuer wee haue doe or shall with thy graces obey thee wee desire to offer vp thy graces our obedience and our selues in a sacrifice of thankesgiuing and praising of thy holy and blessed name through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen All thy waies O Lord we acknowledge to be mercie and truth we beseech thee therefore giue vs the holy fruites of all the good meanes thou hast heretofore wrought our good by as thy holy and sweete promises preached vnto vs red of vs meditated vpon by our selues or conferred of with others the prayers thankesgiuings Psalmes Hymnes of our selues our friends and thy church thy sacred Sacraments the ministeric of thy holy Angels the cōmunion of thy Saints admonitiō which hath bin giuē vs for our good most humbly entreating that we may haue sanctified vnto vs the remembrance of thy former mercies bestowed vpō thy church vpō any member therof or vpō our selues either in benefits or in crosses albeit our nature is most impatiēt either of reproches offred vnto vs by our enemies or any iniuries by our friends yet herein we feruently aske of thy wise and mercifull goodnes that wee may reape a good fruite euen of such euill meanes And because wee grow to be acquainted with the pride of ourspirits and sloathfulnesse of our flesh and fewe meanes are left vs and many offences by our selues conceiued by others and Sathan offered do alreadie and are daily like more to assaile vs O Lord thou which hast bene our God euen from our first birth especially since our new birth bee thou the God of our middle age yea of our old dayes if wee liue so long vntill thou finish the last worke of our new birth begun and continued thus farre in vs. To this ende we aske of thee that we may vow and receiuing grace from thee wee doo vowe to vse all these forenamed good meanes of our saluation more mercifully then yet euer we vsed them in vsing of them wee aske more feare of thy Maiestie faith of thy promises purenesse of our hearts loue vnto others and withall blessing and fruite more aboundant that our latter workes may be better then our former Wofull experience O blessed Sauiour teacheth and moueth vs to call vpon thee as for these former things so to be preserued and protected by thy almightie and mercifull grace from our owne corruption to come from all Sathans temptations and accusations from all manner of contagion of the vngodly in their iniuries reproches and in their benefites praises their sorceries inchantments yea from any hurt of thy children as they be not regenerate from any hurt by thy creatures so farre forth as any of these things may hurt our saluation Former experience Ô mightie God and mercifull Father ought not onely to teach but also to enforce vs to giue thee thankes praise and glory for thy former mercies vpon vs and thy Church bestowed but wherein thou hast prouided for vs many arguments of strength of faith or ignorance forgetfulne●…e negligence and want of reuerence of thy mercies receiued minister iust cause of humiliation and therefore in some faith in and thankfulnesse for thy former mercifull blessings and yet in much weakenesse in the merits of Iesus Christ our Lord with our whole heart we beseech thee giue vs a good portion of thy spirit to call carefully thy benefites to our remembrance wisely to vnderstand them and reuerently to regard and truly to be thankfull for them in minde in heart in word and deed through Iesus Christ our Lord and onely Sauiour Amen Wee beseech thee most mightie God and mercifull Father to make partakers of our praiers and thankesgiuings all the whole Church and euery member therof especially where dutie most chargeth promise bindeth necessitie craueth and thy glory chalengeth c. LEt the rich seeke for the godly wise and learned

make choise for their gods and religion yet saith hee I and mine house will serue the Lord And as Dauid here saith let the prophane multitude of vnbeleeuers run to the creatures in their necessities forgetting the Lord of life yea some to the meanes hee vtterly forbiddeth and others not a few to the meere professed enemies of God to Pagans and Idolaters as often did the Kings of Israel and Iudah yea to Sathan himselfe as all such do which run to the diuellish faculties of witchcraft and sorcery as the Egyptians when they were smitten with sundry plagues they sought to their wizardly priests and coniurers so the Chaldees Babilonians Saul Manasses Nero ●…ulian and such like in all ages The hypocrites iudgement and practise is cleane contrary to this holy canon here taught vs for he thinks it neuer safe to walke that way which most men treade not of the way of the multitude it is said Many si●…de it and like it but the end is destruction The 2. thing to be noted here is how he laboureth to teach others by his example This is a singular good way for teachers to conuert and confirme soules by speaking vnto men of their owne sence and experience of their faith I finde saith hee by most comfortable experience that they be safe which are in the Lords secret chamber and vnder his almightie shadowe I meane such as make God their castle and protection and boldly cry vnto him that they depend vpon him trust and rest in his almightie prouidence This is the best way to teach the ignorant and to conuert sinners vnto God by our owne faith feeling experience and practise of this we haue many sweet presidents in scripture This Prophet when hee hath receiued any spirituall comfort and instruction hee is euer ready to communicate vnto others what graces hee hath receceiued and how to come by them Hauing receiued inspeakeable cōfort in the free pardon of his sinnes Ps. 32. v. 5. he saith v. 8. I will instruct thee and teach thee the way that thou shalt goe And Psal. 51. he sheweth how greatly God is delighted that wee should teach others what benefits we haue receiued I will teach thy wayes vnto the wicked and sinners shall bee conuerted vnto thee This manner of teaching the Apostle thinkes most effectuall and profitable and therefore he vseth often in his owne example to teach others great mysteries of religion as of the dangerous conflicts between the flesh and the spirit Rom 7. and 8. of the vertue and great ●…fficacie of Christs crosse death and resurrection Gal. 6. 14. 15. 16. Rom. 66 How greatly the faithfull esteeme of Iesus Christ and his Gospell 1. Cor. 2. 2. Phil. 3. 8. 9. And the Apostle thinks also this way best to cōsort others in afflictions for thus he writeth Blessed be God euen the father of our Lord Iesus Christ the f●…ther of all mercies and the God of all comfort which comforteth vs in all our tribulations That we may be able to comfort them which are in any affliction by the comfort wherewith we are our selues comforted of the Lord. The vse of this doctrine is this euery man to stirre vp himselfe to be mindfull of his brethren to pe●…orm spiritual duties vnto them of instruction admonition exhortation c. as their state and condition shall require And to this end to begge of God as a louing and a mercifull spirit so specially the spirit of wisedome and iudgement that wee may know how to speake a good word seasonably vnto him that is wearied with his afflictions Es. 50. R. v. 4. Pro. 25. 11. Verse 3. Surely hee will deliuer thee from the snare of the hunter and from the grieuous Pestilence HEere the Psalmist laboureth to apply the generall doctrine of the first verse and what hee hath spoken of his owne saith and experience in the second verse vnto the present calamitie which was vpon the Iewes in his time and he striueth to perswade euery one of the faithfull that they shall be deliuered from the flying Angell which like a hunter raunged throughout all Iurie destroying so many thousands with the grieuous and deadly pestilence if they slie by faith farre aboue the secundarie causes vnto the Lords prouidence and holy protection 1. Here learne how that we must endeuour with all our might to strengthen one an others faith in calamities Doest thou beleeue canst thou beleeue All things are possible to him that beleeueth Wilt thou lie downe in the shadow of the Almightie surely he will deliuer thee 2. The Pestilence is heere called the snare of the Hunter because the Angell which was sent from the Lord like a Hunter or a fowler strangled slew many from Dan to Beersheba throughout all that kingdome with the Pestilence And it is not vnfitly compared vnto a snare for that it catcheth sodenly some walking some feeding some sporting some waking some sleeping as wee haue seene by our experience The Pestilence is here saide to bee noisome grieuous and painefull The word noysome or grieuous is in the originall a word of the pl●…n signifieth grieses So the plur n. is vsed for the superlatiue degree q. d. the most grieuous pestilence so it was in elder times vnto Dauid Heze iah and Iob and so it is vnto this day in such as are smitten we see and know daily by their complaints Verse 4. He will couer thee vnder his wings and thou shalt be sure vnder his feathers his truth shal be thy shield and buckler HEere the Prophet applyeth vnto the beleeuers spirit and conscience the same gracious promise of protection in other most sweete rearines and familiar speeches When men are dulled with griefes sorrowes and calamities they will hardly admit any consolation for this cause the holy Ghost here so often repeateth the same promise of mercie and comfort vnto vs. The metaphor of the Hen couering her young with her winges and feathers is no lesse comfortable than familiar Our Sauiour liketh it Math. 23. 27. The like is also vsed Exod. 19. 4. I haue carried you vpon Eagles wings and haue brought you vnto me The metaphor wherein he compareth the truth of Gods promise vnto a shield and buckler in the warres is thus vnderstood Like as the shield and buckler couereth our bodies from the strokes and darts of our enemies so the holy promise of Gods protection and deliuerance receiued by faith strongly confirmeth our hearts to receiue any calamities or plague and to rest confidently as out of all danger in Gods almightie shadow So is Gods promise called Pra. 30. 5. Euery word of God is pure and a shield to those that trust in him Here note that whereas before hee said the Lord to bee the most sure protection of his people hee ascribeth now that protection here vnto Gods truth that is the reuealed promise of God because the Lord ca●… no other way be found but in the word o●… promise

faith that albeit all the world went from God in these extremities to many vnlawfull meanes yet he would sweetly rest in God and seeke for lawfull meanes onely here hee speakes of euery other faithful beleeuer as of himselfe that he also must haue this particular faith For a man must not onely haue faith concerning Gods prouidence as at other times but I must also beleeue that God in this speciall visitation hath a most speciall care of me and hath commanded his Angels to watch ouer me And for this cause all the promises are particularly applyed to this beleeuer from the beginning to the ende of this Psalme verse 3. Surely he will deliuer thee from the s●…are c. verse 4. Hee will couer thee with his wings and his truth shall bee thy shield verse 5. Thou shalt not be afraid c. verse 7. A thousand shall fall at thy side and it shall not come neare thee verse 8. Thou shalt onely see the reward of the wicked verse 11. Hee will giue his Angels charge ouer thee to keepe thee verse 12. They shall beare thee c. verse 13. Thou shalt walke vpon the Lion c. Wherefore thou must striue to haue this particular and speciall faith in troubles The 10. verse seemeth vnto me to containe this argument Hee that with all good conscience watcheth ouer his wayes and so endeuoureth with all his might to walke with his God in sinceritie of life and soundnesse of heart hee shall be deliue●… redin the Pestilence Thou art one of them which striue with all good conscience to serue the Lord thy God and doest endeuour that no cause be giuen that thy father now in his anger shall s●…ite thee with the Pestilence Therefore hee will deliuer thee THe Lord saith in an other place that when the dayes of famine come he will not famish the soule of the righteous and to the true worshipper which serueth him in truth of spirit he saith The Lord shal blesse thy bread and thy water I will take away all sicknesse from the mids of thee The Prophet here teacheth vs as the Apostle that Gods children must auoyd all occasion of sinne or to speake yet more strictly as the holy spirit speaketh all shadow all likenesse or appearance of sinne So some godly Interpreters vnderstand that place The Psalmist as I iudge here compareth vs to wise and faithfull children which are most watchfull least by any the least meanes they giue cause of offence to their good parents And surely all arguments of our heauenly fathers loue and mercie considered in our election creation redemption regeneration adoption continuall preseruation euerlasting saluation we are of all other the most foolish and vnkind childrē if we study not chearefully to obey and carefully to auoyd the offence of so mightie so louing so gratious and so bountifull a father vnto vs. Againe if this watchfulnesse must be found alwaies in vs how much more euen then when our almightie Father in the continuance of his anger as Ieremie saith consumeth his enemies and chasteneth his owne people Therefore at this time specially all the wise sonnes of God tremble to displease him and studie to please him Psal. 2. 4. Question That a good conscience is a speciall preseruatiue against the Pestilence A Good conscience saith Augustine very well is the paradise of the soule and surely so an euill conscience is the very hell of the soule And Chrysost●…me calles the good conscience the good countenance of the soule because this conscience alone can approch boldly to the throne of grace Wherefore this good conscience is one of the greatest blessings wee haue on earth Now for as much as it is a thing most dangerous to bee deceiued in our greatest treasure and to take drosse for gold good for euill and euill for good let vs therefore be the more circumspect and carefull first to know and learne what this great grace is Secōdly let vs wisely examine ourselues whether we possesse it haue it in truth or ignorantly be deceiued as most mē be Lastly after iust triall and examination had of our owne hearts if we finde it in our selues let vs labor with all our strength to cherish it preserue it if we finde we haue it not let vs neuer giue our selues any rest but contend in all the meanes appointed to come to Iesus Christ that he may giue it vs for he alone can giue it and strength to keepe it Conscience is described of some to be a liuing lawe in our hearts which stirreth awaketh driueth vs vnto good things I suppose wee may truly describe the conscience first generally on this manner Conscience is an inward remembrancer in our minds and hearts witnessing eyther with vs or against vs of all our thoughts wordes and workes The cause wherefore the Lord hath put this remembrancer in man is this a small light and weake knowledge would soone lve hid and be as buried in him by reason of the corruption of our hearts and affections therefore the Lord hath left him this feeling as a keeper and a watch to awake him to marke and espie all his secrets and continually to present him vnto the iudgement seate of God that nothing may be lost in obliuion and this keeper men say to be as a thousand witnesses to testifie with vs or against vs euen of of all our secrets a great controller of Atheists euen in their secret chambers The seate of this remembrancer is the vnderstanding yet for that it is found sensibly to smite the heart therefore the holy Ghost euer seates him there So Salomon noteth speaking to Shimei Thou knowest all the wickednesse wherevnto thine heart is priuie that thou didst to Dauid my father And the Apostle saith that the great peace keepeth the heart and mind in Christ Iesus And the Author to the Hebrewes Your heart being pure from an euill conscience Eccles 7. 24. Lastly that this witnesse or remembrancer will be with vs or against vs at all times and that in Gods presence the Apostle testifieth Rom. 2. 15. The Gentiles shewe the effect of the Lawe written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witnesse and their thoughts accusing one an other or excusing before God The first diuision of the conscience is this the conscience is either 1. Good or 2. Euill 1. Of the good conscience SAint Peter 1. 3. 21. saith that a good conscience is a quietnesse of mind after we be perswaded of the grace of God in Christ being then readie without feare to present our selues before him Heb. 10. 2. The holy Ghost to the Hebrewes calleth it a conscience purged from dead works to serue the liuing God If the Heathens did so much reioyce in their good consciences which were but counterfeit in respect of the consciences of the faithfull how much more should we desire to know and reioyce to finde and endeuour to keepe