Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
truth_n apostle_n church_n day_n 1,993 5 4.2614 4 false
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A62814 A remedy for the vvarres: or, Certaine deplorable expressions, of the great miseries and wofull effects, which the horrid, bloody, cruell, domestick, and intestine warres, have lately produced (amongst us) in this our kingdome of England. Together, with spiritual salves for the cure thereof. By John Tarlton, preacher of Gods word, and minister of Ileminster, in the county of Somerset. Tarlton, John. 1648 (1648) Wing T167A; ESTC R222135 126,290 313

There are 4 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

the Diabolicall sinne of Hypocrisie must at the last breake forth be detected And therefore let them not be deceived for God cannot be mocked as they sow so shall they reape their seed-time wherein they sow nothing but the seedes of wickednesse is in this life and their harvest shall be in the end of this life in the land of everlasting darknesse for the Hypocrites portion shall be in utter darknesse where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Mat. 24. ult 3. Those that are Schismaticks who separate themselves from the Church of Christ Against all such persons of that dangerous Brood S. Paul gave in one verse a Three-fold Caveat to his Philippians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 3.2 The first the Apostle termeth Dogs The Second Evill-Workers And the Third the Concision 1. By Dogs is meant those who barke against the truth of Christ for lucre sake And hence it is that there is such a Deluge of Errours at this day flowing in the Church viz. the splendor glittering shew of Balaks gold which hath not onely dimmed but also blinded the avaricious eyes of the bastard brood of corrupt-hearted Balaams and against the light of their knowledge turned their Consciences into covetousnesse answerable to that true saying of Virgil the Heathen Poet O sacra auri fames quid non mortalia pectora cogis O cursed desire of gold what mischiefe is it but for the love of thee thou forcest man to attempt it Whereby they are not onely fitted to worke their owne sinfull ends by sinister meanes but also eagerly exercised as every opportunity is offered in speaking both privately and publiquely those things though never so pernicious to the soules of their Auditors that shall conduce to their worldly Advantage and helpe to their expected and greedy-wished-for wages for the satisfying of their unlimited and avaricious desires Who serve not the Lord Jesus but their owne bellies whose glory will turne to their shame minding as they doe nothing but earthly things Phil. 3.19 The approach of which Medusa's head being Demas-like avariciously affected in this declining Age of the World 2 Tim. 4.10 wherein the people are as desirous of Novelty as subject to Discontent the world hath suffered a fearfull and fatall Metamorphosis and justly may wonder to finde her selfe so great and grosse a Changeling but politique Hypocrisie accounting Gaine to be Godlinesse is a building which hath but a lubricall sandie and slippery foundation and therefore with terrour to her co-operating Agents and comfort to her over-oppressed Patients she cannot promise to her selfe and her viperous Brood any certainty of long continuance although her deceitfull and pestilent Agents are never so Active The which pernicious practice of those pragmaticall and pestilent Impostors may not unfitly allude to those late upstart factious pedanticall Novelists who pretend to the world they are sufficiently gifted to be Teachers of others and that they also are the onely able Orthodox and powerfull Preachers of these latter Times and yet they are not able to read the Texts of the Old and New Testaments in those Languages wherein God by his Prophets and Apostles Originally spake to his Church wherein is contained the infallible Demonstration of the holy Scriptures Such ignorant Pedants not knowing what they speak or whereof they affirme must of necessity build their Christian Faith if they have any upon the judgements and opinions of other men as not being able themselves for to discerne betweene Truth and Error 1 Cor. 2.14 And yet notwithstanding they often speake swelling words being vainely puft up with their fleshly minds Who partly out of their Pride or Malice or Covetousnesse or Ignorance or some other as great or greater sins moving them teach desperately erroneous Doctrines to corrupt the minds of their itching-ear'd-hearers and divulge the brain-sick devices of male-contented factious persons which onely tickle their all-hearing Auditors itching eares but worke no saving grace in their hearts mixing with the limpid and pure waters of Life the putrified dregs and polluted schismaticall and foule corruptions of their owne filthy and deceitfull factions turning the heavenly sweetnesse of Truths infallible and plaine direction into the hellish bitternesse of hereticall expressions and erroneous Confusion Thereby causing their seduced Proselites to wander from the direct and true paths of Gods Commandements leading to Heaven and Salvation into the devious and by-paths of cursed sinne and infectious wickednesse walking blindly in the broad way leading to the wide gate going downe to the darke and uncomfortable lodgings of Death Isa 30. ult and terrible Tophet of Perdition 2. By Evill-workers those that make their whole life a trade of sinning whose sole practice is to doe nothing but evill and are also ever plotting mischiefe against the Church of Christ As was the practice of Cain against Abel Gen. 4. Esau against Jacob. Gen. 27. Pharaoh against the Israelites Exod. 14. Saul against David 1 Sam. 23. Benh●dad against Jehoshaphat 1 King 22. Senacherib against Hezekiah 2 King 19. Haman against the Jewes Esther 3. The Jewes against our blessed Saviour Christ Jesus Mat. 26. Also Nero Domitian Trajan Adrian Anthony Dioclesian divers other malignant Emperours against the zealous and religious Christians in the tender Ages of the Christian Church Loe thus there hath been even from the beginning inveterate hatred in the Church Malignant against the Church Militant the which Malignity even as a Gangrene or Leprosie hath pernitiously spread it selfe so far abroad into the world as that we of this English Nation may experimentally at this day with sadnesse of spirit and great griefe of heart justly complaine of the bitter fruits thereof the which hath unhappily produced by the violence of the enraged Sword the late great destruction that hath been in our Land and the present afflicting Distractions that still remaine amongst us Such persons are as opposite to the true Members of Christs Church as Light is to Darknesse Heaven to Hell and God to Satan Yea that cursed Brood of venomous Vipers having their hearts set on fire of Hell are both maliciously minded and bloodily affected whose wisdome is earthly sensuall and devilish Lam. 3.15 exercising their power to the uttermost against the true Members of the Church of Christ nothing regarding to contemne the approved Truth and Peace of the Church 3. By Concision those that make Rents and Divisions in the Church of Christ those Separatists that pluck up the pales and teare up the hedges thereof giving liberty thereby to the subtile Foxes to pluck off her grapes whereby to strip and speedily starve her and the wilde Boare of the Forrest to root her up and utterly destroy her Such as were those over-selfe-conceited arrogant and contemptuous Jewes of whom the Prophet maketh expression Isa 65.5 who said Stand apart come not neere to me for I am holier then thou But Agur the sonne of Jakeh describeth the condition of such insolent spirits Pro. 30.12
It is required as a due debt from the children of God that they should pray for the Peace of the Church their mother O Pray for the Peace c. Now let us returne to the Particle O. But here before we goe into the Temple with Peter and John to pray this Particle O doth as it were tell us it will not be amisse to make a little stop in Solomons porch that so all the people may flock about us Act. 3.11 as they did about them And also bear us company into the house of the Lord. This is that the Psalmest drives at in this Particle or Interjection O O Pray c. This Interjection O is like the Cryers O Yes before some weighty Proclamation or the ringing of a Bell before some excellent Sermon or the sounding of a Trumpet calling the Souldiers together for to March speedily upon some great weighty and important service Yea it may not unfitly be parallel'd to the Hebrew word Selah Psal 3.2 which signifieth a lifting up of the voice to cause us to consider the sentence as a matter of great importance Behold the Prophet here is earnest and patheticall in his perswasion to this Religious duty his heart breaketh out for the very fervent desire he hath that all good men should joyne with him in this Sacrifice of Prayer to offer up the calves of their lips unto God And for the kindling of which holy Devotion this O is as it were the bellowes of the Sanctuary to blow this Sacred fuell into a flame O Pray c. Not that David here intended to exclude himself and to ease his owne shoulders by laying the burthen on the necks of others As Pharaoh did by Moses and Aaron when his land was afflicted with horrible haile thunder and lightning Pray ye unto the Lord saith he for it is enough that there be no more mighty thunders and haile Exod. 9.28 and I will let you goe And as Simon Magus dealt by Simon Peter who when he was exhorted by the Apostle to pray If perhaps the thought of his heart might be forgiven him revolved back the businesse upon St. Peter and would needs engage him to doe the service for him Pray ye saith he to the Lord for me Acts 8.24 that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me No David meant to be one of the company himselfe but would not willingly goe alone And therefore saith elsewhere O praise the Lord with me Psal 34.3 and let us magnifie his name together Now for proof of this Doctrine from the Particle O viz. Doct. 1 It is the duty of the children of God to provoke and stir up one another to the service of God Our blessed Saviour in his Sermon upon the Mount told his Disciples Mat. 5.13 14. they were the Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World meaning thereby that their Office was to season the hearts of others with their heavenly Doctrine and also by their knowledge to give Light unto those that sit in darkenesse And when Christ taught his Disciples and others with them the true Patterne of a Christian life He set it forth by this Querie Mark 4.21 Is the candle lighted to be put under a Bushell or under the Table and not to be put on a Candlestick Alluding to those that have a greater measure of Knowledge and Understanding then others to impart it to them for their Benefit whereby others also might be brought to the service of God We have here also Davids practice and it is the very same lesson that S. Paul commends unto us 1 Thes 5.11 even to exhort one another and to edifie one another and to provoke one another to love and to good workes Yea this was the practice of St. Paul himselfe 1 Cor. 9.19 20 21 22 23. where he saith of himselfe For though I be free from all men yet have I made my selfe servant unto all men that I might win the more And unto the Jews I became as a Jew that I might win the Jews to them that are under the Law as though I were under the Law that I might win them that are under the Law To them that are without Law as though I were without Law when I am not without Law as pertaining to God but am in the Law through Christ that I might win them that are without Law To the weake I became as weake that I might win the weake I am made all things to all men that I might by all meanes save some And this I do for the Gospels sake that I might be partaker thereof with you And this lesson S. 2 Tim. 1.6 Paul gave in charge to Timothy that he should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stir up the gift of God in himselfe The which Gift of God is a certaine lively flame kindled in our hearts by the Spirit of God which the Devill and our corrupted nature labour to quench and therefore we must nourish and stir it up And S. Paul exhorts Timothie with this expression viz. That the servant of the Lord must not strive 2 Tim. 2.24 25. but must be gentle towards all men apt to teach suffering the evill men patiently Instructing them with meeknesse that are contrary minded proving if God at any time will give them repentance that they may know the truth And that they may come to amendment out of the snare of the Devil who are taken Captive by him at his will Yea S. Paul exhorts his Galatians Gal. 6.1 Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spirituall restore such a one with the spirit of meeknesse considering thy selfe lest thou also be tempted And 1 Tim. 4. ult S. Paul there lessons Timothy to take heed to himselfe But this is not all True it is indeed that Charity is to begin at home but it is not also there for to end But to resemble that pretious ointment spoken of Psal 133. which being poured upon Aarons head did descend and worke downe by degrees unto the skirts and hem of his garment And therefore in our Charity we are commanded to be like to him who is the God of Charity Luk. 6.36 Be ye mercifull as your father in heaven is mercifull who saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would have all men to be saved 1 Tim. 2.4 and to come to the knowledge of the truth It was Cursed Kain that member of the Church Malignant and bloody murtherer that was the first that thought himselfe discharged from being his Brothers keeper when he answered the Divine Majesty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Am I my Brothers keeper when as his guilty Conscience within him tacitly told him his Brothers blood would be required of him Whereas the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to profit withall 1 Cor. 12.7 So that all those gifts and graces that descend from above
Hosts Iosh 1.2 Rev. 19.16 who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords had this exhortation from the Lord annexed unto it with a gratious promise unto his proceedings Iosh 1.8 Let not this booke of the Law depart out of thy mouth but meditate therein day and night that thou mayest observe and doe according to all that is written therein for then shalt thou make thy way prosperous and then shalt thou have good successe The which is recorded and still remaineth in force for succeeding Ages Hence then All Souldiers should learne that in all their Military Actions they ought to make the word of God to be their guide for the Omniscient and Omnipotent God is the great and universall Warriour of the whole world He it is who directeth every Bullet Sword Speare and Dart to the Person appointed And wherefore it commeth to passe that in the Battell some are wounded some out-right killed and some escape untouched is a secret lockt up in the bosome of God and therefore not to be pried into by the sons of men Every Souldier that putteth himselfe into Military service and doth execution upon others ought to have in his heart zeale for the glory of God without any by-ends or sinister-respects of his owne unto himselfe otherwise he is a Murtherer in the sight of God For the Lord saith by his Prophet Hoseah Hos 1.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will visit the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu That is I will be revenged upon Jehu for the blood that he shed in Jezreel for although God stirred him up to execute his judgements upon wicked persons yet he did that Military service for his owne Ambition thereby to satisfie the lusts of his owne proud heart and not for the glory of God The word there in the Originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth bloods intimating thereby to the world that the blood of every particular person that hath been so shed by a party not so qualified shall be reputed as Murther in the sight of God Oh then let every Souldier seriously examine his owne heart in what condition he standeth whether he be justly acquitted for what he hath done in that nature or standeth guilty as a Murtherer in the sight of God Object But happily some Souldier may here say in defence of himselfe who hath not chiefely and zealously aimed at the glory of God in the passages of his hostile service I have beene pressed to this service against my will and that which I have done in any Battell was but in mine owne defence and therefore if I have slaine any the guilt of that blood will lye upon those that compelled me so to doe my selfe shall be acquitted of it and they themselves responsible for it but howsoever I know assuredly that the Lawes of the Land can lay no hold upon me for it Answ Although thou maiest have security given thee from all Temporall Lawes and freedome from all corporall punishments yet notwithstanding Murther is such a cruell bloody hainous and horrible sinne as that the guilt thereof will continually wound thy Conscience and constantly will follow thee at the heeles as the Jaylor doth his Prisoner ever stinging vexing troubling and tormenting thee at the inevitable remembrance of the righteous judgements and just vengeance of the all-powerfull revenging God unto which by the sinne of Murther thou hast made thy selfe lyable every houre untill thou doest truly throughly and heartily repent thee of it And therefore whosoever thou art that takest upon thee the honourable calling of a Souldier examine thy condition by the word of God viz. The justice of thy cause the willingnesse of thy heart the lawfulnesse of thy calling the readinesse of thy obedience to Gods commands as to strike when he biddeth and to forbeare when he forbiddeth Have regard unto this I humbly pray thee as also not to Rob nor Plunder nor Kill nor fight but against a lawfull Enemy ever remembring and constantly practising that Religious exhortation of Moses Deut. 23.9 unto Souldiers when they goe to War When the Hoaste goeth forth against the enemies then keepe thee from every wicked thing And so shall thy service bring glory to God Credit to thy Person and comfort to thy Conscience And as Souldiers in a skirmish if they keepe not Ranke and File they will be in danger of their bodies destruction So in like manner if Souldiers observe not these Rules they will be in danger of perishing their Soules But alas all Souldiers observe not these Rules for many times in the Wars there is Gaine instead of Godlinesse Courage instead of Equity Blood-thirstinesse instead of Valour Policy instead of Justice and which is also greatly to be lamented in many Souldiers no Religion for seldome doe they pray till they be in danger of Death And yet how carefull ought they to be to have grace in their hearts who carry as it were their lives continually in their hands But O how defective are many of them of what they ought to be being full of fierce fury enraged Violence cruell Hatred cursed covetousnesse thievish Plundering swinish Drunkennesse beastly Whoredome abhominable Oathes horrid Blasphemies hellish Curses impure Discourses terrible Threatnings false Accusations filthy Communications c. The consideration whereof greatly grieveth the soules of Consciencious men and frequently maketh their hearts to tremble within them Can such irregular Souldiers to the Lawes of God hopefully expect in mercy a Blessing from God upon their Military Designes and Actions Certainely no but rather in judgement fear a Curse where by there shall be to themselves nothing but Ruine Confusion And therefore I heartily wish that all Souldiers would henceforth carry themselves in all their thoughts words and Warlike Actions so Religiously towards God as that they may be constantly in favour with him and consequently have him for their Protectour in their greatest danger and not resolutely to follow the wicked wayes and leud lusts of their owne corrupted hearts to the great dishonour of God in this world and the everlasting and just condemnation of their owne soules in the world to come But here peradventure some may Object Object We fight for the maintenance and continuance of the Protestant Religion Unto which I answer Answ Religion as it is in truth and sincerity is highly and greatly to be esteemed being a Divine honouring of God according to his holy will revealed in his word but woe and alas may we all justly cry out as it hath beene formerly so it is now in these disasterous dayes especially the delusive specious Pretence the deceitfull dangerous Masker and the dazling golden outside of all Rebellion And to the great griefe both of our Dread Soveraigne and all His faithfull Subjects the very Load-stone to draw and attract the Iron hearts of many thousands of this Kingdome into unnaturall unchristian and horrid Rebellion against all just Regall and lawfull Authority Under
peradventure that Consideration might have been as a Bridle to have restrained them viz. the outward just disgraceing and due deserved publique vilifying of their Reputations and Persons after the pestilent Perpetration of such Treacherie though never so eminent in the eyes and esteeme of others before the Discoverie the inward discontentments and vexations of Minde deeply wounding themselves with the unappeaseable Horrour of their guilty Consciences which will continually gripe gnaw and terrifie them unlesse they be cauterized but most of all the everlasting Damnation of both their Bodies and Soules for ever to the darke and unconceiveable tormenting Pit of eternall Perdition the which without true Repentance will at the last Judgement day certainly be their Portion Oh! that such guilty Persons had timely layd to heart even in those their daies the Felicity of Fidelity and the Misery of Treachery so might they faithfully have performed their loyall Promises which might have conduced to their owne both Temporall and Eternall Peace but woe and alas the former of these is to them already past and God grant the latter be not too late I shall not censuring charitably doome such guilty Persons being Selfe-servers for such their treacherous black-Workes to the Land of Eternall Darkenesse for so to doe farre transcends both the Power and Knowledge of any Mortall but I will speake both of them and to them by way of Interrogation for their present Convincement and future Animadversion What could seeming-loyall Subjects deale thus disloyally with their King Did He preferre them to honourable Places above others depending upon their Fidelitie and have they requited His loving Kindnesse with no lesse then damnable Treacherie Were they so farre intrusted by Him and have they dealt thus deceitfully with Him Did they pretend themselves as faithfull Friends to helpe Him and have they proved His perfidious Enemies for to hurt Him Oh treacherous Dealing This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indeed Simulatio ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est Occultatio judicii Malum sub specie boni celatum It is Iniquitie in a Mysterie even masked Vngodlinesse a Thes 2.7 Et dum non cognoscitur non cavetur and being in their blacke Breasts not descried it could not be declined The which treacherous Iniquitie being most detestable abominable and double Impietie cryeth aloud in the Eares of God for Vengeance to fall upon the pernitious Perpetrators thereof I greatly tremble at the serious Consideration hereof and therefore let none that are guilty herein falsly flatter themselves in their corrupt hearts with deceitfull hopes of perpetuall Impunity for assuredly such Hypocriticall Treacherous Malefactors for such their Notorious Perfidious and cursed Malefactorship cannot without great Repentance escape the heavy Wrath and just Judgement of the sin-punishing just-revenging righteous God but it will follow after them overtake them and seize upon them to their Destruction Fidelitie and Treacherie are ever at Enmitie they are like two great Warriours in one and the same Heart stisly striving violently opposing and fiercely fighting against each other for Mastery And as they are Heterogenean in Conditions so in like manner as they prevaile they produce contrary Effects viz. Fidelitie Joy and Comfort But Treacherie Sorrow and Terrour As for Example Fidelitie seeketh no Corners but shineth splendidly as the bright Beames of the glorious Sunne in the firmament of Heaven at Noone-day when he is in his chiefest Brightnesse fullest Splendor and greatest Luster to the great comfort of the Actors thereof and all others concerned therein But Treacherie lyeth in Obscuritie ever fearing the Light and alwaies trembling at the remembrance of the Touch-Stone of Truth the which may not unfitly be compared to that thicke blacke tangible Aegyptian-Darkenesse sent as a Punishment upon Pharaoh for his Disobedience Exod. 10.21.22 The sharpe Smart whereof hath lately beene bitterly felt by too many thousands in this our Kingdome to the great terrour of Conscience to the Committers thereof and sorrowfull utter Ruine of many others thereby Fidelitie desireth heartily though it be to her Hinderance the full performance of that Trust reposed in her but Treacherie laboureth craftily for her owne Advantage to falsifie her Promise to those that intrusted her Fidelitie wisheth lovingly the wel-fare of others as well as her owne but Treacherie endeavoureth secretly but onely for her owne safety not careing for the Ruine of all others Fidelitie being rightly principl'd is syncerely guided by the blessed Spirit of God who is the King of Glory and he sweetly affects her and lovingly leads her in the delightfull and pleasing Paths of Obedience Truth and Righteousnesse and at the End of this World he will certainely remunerate her with the full Fruition of Eternall Happinesse but Treacherie being falsly grounded is corruptly guided by the cursed Spirit of the Devill who is the Prince of Darkenesse and he leads her on blindly in the deceitfull Wayes of Disobedience Errour and Unrighteousnesse and for her sinfull Service he will surely reward her at the End of this mortall Life with the bitter and cursed Wages of Everlasting Death Fidelitie Larke-like rejoyceth at the Light and desireth to be publiquely Exemplary to all others singing praises to God with a comfortable Conscience because her workes are wrought in God but Treacherie Batte-like being an uncleane Bird flyeth not abroad but onely in Darkenesse Lev. 11.19 desiring no Notice to be taken of her for when once the Light approacheth she keepeth her selfe close in a Corner as not daring to appeare in the Light of Truth because her Workes are not wrought in God but onely by the Subtilty Instigation and Power of the Devill Loe thus we evidently see that there is as great an Antipathie Contrarietie Disparitie Difference between FIDELITIE and TREACHERIE as is between Light and Darkenesse Truth and Errour Obedience and Rebellion Peace and Warre Life and Death Heaven and Hell God and Satan So that no marvell although our perplexed Kingdome be at this day so greatly divided having lately had therein the damnable Sinne of Treacherie so frequently practiced Those that have done such treacherous Workes may justly challenge to themselves their due deserved Wages which Workes of Treacherie must have the Wages of Iniquitie the which Saint Paul expresseth in that Theologicall Aphorisme of his to the Romanes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wages of sinne is death Rom. 6. ult Death temporall to the Body in this life and without repentance Death eternall to both Body and Soule in the life to come And therefore now as a spirituall Physitian for the speedy and perfect Curing of sicke fore and wounded Englands great Distractions and manifold Distempers my Soule sincerely desireth and Heart also earnestly wisheth as a Christian sensible and sorrowfull Sympathizer of Englands wofull Distresses that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the strong Omnipotent God would Graciously be pleased in much Mercy and tender Compassion towards this bleeding sinfull English-Nation for to set