Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	appear_v	heart_n	zion_n	20	3	8.6845	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01979	The vvhole-armor of God: or A Christians spiritual furniture, to keepe him safe from all the assaults of Satan First preached, and now the second time published and enlarged for the good of all such as well vse it:whereunto is also added a treatise of the sinne against the Holy Ghost. By VVilliam Gouge B.D. and preacher of Gods Word in Blacke Fryers London. ...; Panoplia tou Theou	Gouge, William, 1578-1653.	1619 (1619)	STC 12123; ESTC S103304	450,873	662

likewise truth in all these doth very much strengthen and vphold a man in time of triall and keepeth him from fainting This was the ground of Iobs courage and constancy This added an edge to Hezek●ahs prayers This made Dauid bold to referre himselfe to Gods triall examination This vpheld Paul against all that could be laid against him §. 5. Of getting truth Point 3 THe account which wee are to make of this spirituall belt is declared by Solomon who exhorteth to buy the truth and not sell it This aduice concerneth two sorts of men 1. Such as haue it not they must labour to get it 2. Such as haue it they must hold it fast That this direction may bee the better applied wee are well to search whether we haue this girdle of verity or no. Fitly may I apply that to truth which the Apostle speaketh of faith Examine your selues whether yee haue truth proue your selues There is no grace which maketh a more sensible difference betwixt the children of God and of the Diuel then truth In this examination we must proceed in order §. 6. How triall of truth may be made 1. TRiall is to bee made of the truth of our iudgement whether the religion which we professe and all the principles thereof be assuredly sound and true To this tendeth that exhortation of Saint Paul Trie all things and that of Saint Iohn Trie the spirits For this end the direction giuen by Christ Search the Scriptures is to be obserued and followed as it was by the men of Berea for the Scriptures are the word of truth and the voice of God the highest and chiefest Iudge a most perfect sufficient impartiall Iudge They who make any other Iudge may soone be deceiued Here see what wrong Popish guides doe to their followers in keeping from them this touch-stone of truth See what ideots they bee who thinke it sufficient to beleeue as the Church doth Such are they among vs whose onely ground of faith is the common receiued Doctrine be it true or false No maruell they be soone shaken and remoued they want this girdle of truth which should strengthen them 2 If wee find truth seated in our vnderstanding then are we further to obserue whether like the ointment powred on Aarons head and the dew that fell on the mountaines of Sion it descend from the head to the heart whether the heart be vpright before God or no. It appeareth that Dauid thorowly searched his heart for the truth thereof or else durst he not with such boldnesse and confidence haue referred it to Gods triall the like I might instance in Iob Hezechiah Paul and many others Great neede there is of thorow trying the heart for it is deceitfull aboue all things and that not onely to others who cannot discerne the secrets thereof but also to men themselues if at least they diue not into the bottom of it Some be such grosse hypocrites that they cannot but in their hearts condemne themselues as Ananias and Saphira others so simple as they beguile themselues like Peter and the other Disciples In all ages many haue thought better of the integrity of their heart then by proofe and euent it hath fallen out to be The best triall of our heart will bee by our disposition when wee are alone or when wee can conceale our thoughts and cogitations from all men yea euen from the very suspition and coniecture of men if then they be vpright and therefore vpright because we desire to approue our selues to God as Ioseph then may we be assured there is truth in them 3 From the heart which is a fountaine we are to proceede to the streames thereof our speeches and actions and search whether from this cleare spring there flow forth cleare waters and so see what correspondency there is betwixt them Now here we are not onely to obserue whether our speeches doe agree with our knowledge of the thing we vtter and with euidence of the thing it selfe or whether our actions be plaine or fraudulent and deceitfull but also whether that true and good communication which we vtter and those true and honest actions which we performe doe come from the good treasure of a true heart For our helpe in this triall note these few directions §. 7. Directions for triall of truth in speech and action 1. VVHat is the ground of truth in our words and actions what moueth vs thereunto whether popular applause as the Sribes and Pharises who did all to be seene of men for they loued the praise of men more then of God or credit and estimation as Saul or profit as the Schechemites or respect to some men as Ioash and his people or desire of quiet and auoiding trouble as they which became Iewes in Mordecaies time or company and example of others as Ananias and Saphira or intent to worke some mischiefe as Iezabel and Ishmael These and such other by-respects being the ground and cause of our actions doe plainely argue that there is no sound truth in them 2 What is the extent of that truth we make shew of whether it be in all things This was the proofe of the Apostles good conscience for truth is a leuen which seasoneth the whole lumpe So as they which at sometimes and in some things are watchfull ouer their words and actions but carelesse at other times in other things want this leuen of truth as Herod 3 What the things are wherein wee are most strictt whether they be matters of greatest weight and moment They who pretend much truth in smal and light matters and are carelesse and dissolute in great and weighty matters haue no sound truth in them Such were the Scribes and Pharises 4 What order we obserue whether first we beginne with our selues and looke to our owne speeches and actions Many will be more forward and zealous in stirring vp others to all manner of truth then themselues yea they will checke others for failing in such things wherein themselues are most faulty surely there is no sound truth in such Christ maketh this a note of hypocrisie §. 8. Of buying truth THus are wee to search our selues thorowout and if vpon this search wee cannot find that wee haue this girdle of verity then we must obserue the first part of the Wisemans aduice Buy the truth that is vse all the meanes which possibly we can for attaining vnto and possessing it yea though it be with a departing from and forsaking of many things which seemed profitable and pleasant vnto vs because they and truth could not well stand together The Metaphor of buying implieth a letting goe of some things for the attaining of other things Excellentlie is this set forth vnto vs by two parables which Christ vttered one of a man

throughout his opinion his affection his communication his conuersation 1 Truth of iudgement is the ground of all the rest for though our hearts be neuer so sincere our speeches neuer so true our actions neuer so plaine yet if in iudgement we be misled all is but as straw and stubble which when it commeth to the fire of tryall will soone be consumed It seemeth that before Paul was instructed in the truth of the Gospel he had a kind of truth in his heart for he was zealous towards God yea also in his speeches and actions for he was vnrebukeable concerning the righteousnesse which is the Law yea he thought in himselfe he ought to doe what he did he had not a double heart a double tongue he pretended not what he neuer intended yet because he wanted truth in iudgement all was but drosse and losse vnto him 2 To truth of iudgment must truth of heart be added or els notwithstanding the soundnesse of doctrine which we professe we make our selues odious and abominable to God for God gaue man but one single simple heart if any haue an heart and an heart the Diuell hath giuen him a double heart it is no part of Gods Image God will not acknowledge it Iudas knew the truth of Religion and preached it as wel as the other disciples but wanting truth in his other parts what good got he thereby but the witnesse of his conscience against himselfe 3 But what if a man which professeth the true Religion thinke he hath a single heart and yet bee giuen to lying and to deale deceitfully Surely hee disgraceth his profession and giueth iust cause of suspition that hee hath no honest heart for the heart is as a fountaine Out of the abundance of the heart proceed a mans words and actions yea the heart is as a Queene and hath a command of a mans tongue and of al his outward parts so that if there be truth in it there will be truth in all the other parts sincerity in the heart will keepe the tongue from lying and the whole carriage of a man from dissimulation and deceit We see then that of necessity all these foure branches of truth must be ioyned together to make vp this girdle §. 3. What kind of Girdle is here meant Point 11 THe next point is concerning the metaphor and the fit application of this grace of truth This speech of girding the loynes is in Scripture taken in a double sence one for trussing vp a mans garments the other for close and fast tying his harnesse together in the former sence the metaphor is taken from trauellers or runners for in those countries they were wont to weare long aside garments which if they were not tucked vp they would hang dangling about the heels of such as trauelled or runne a race and so be a great hinderance vnto them In this sence this metaphor is oft vsed and therby Gods people were taught to remoue all impediments in their Christian course and iourney and to be as well prepared as they could be to performe the worke of the Lord. In the latter sence the metaphor is taken from souldiers who are wont to knit their Armour close and fast vnto them and so tye their loynes hard partly to keepe their Armour from loosing and shaking and partly to keepe their body steddy In this sence the Lord said to Iob Gird vp thy loines like a man That last phrase Like a man sheweth that hee speaketh to him as vnto a souldier whom hee would haue to stand stedfast and to hearken vnto him Here it is to be taken in this latter sence and signifieth a souldier-like girding of the loines for which purpose they who weare armour vse to haue a strong faire girdle commonly called a belt whereby they knit fast together and close vnto their middle the vpper and lower peeces of their armour as their brest-plate and their tassets and cushes These belts as they were strong so they were set with studdes being faire and large There is a double vse of them one to keepe the seuerall peeces of armour fast and close together and to hold the loines of a man firme and steddy that he might be able to stand the surer and hold out the longer The other to couer the ioints of the armour that they might not be seene The first vse was for strength the second for ornament §. 4. Wherein a girdle is resembled to truth THus truth is both an ornament to a Christian souldier and also an excellent meanes of strength to vphold him For it doth both grace and honour him before God and man and also fast holdeth together other graces of Gods Spirit especially in temptation when they are most shaken and so vpholdeth him This will more euidently appeare by the particular branches of truth before mentioned 1 What greater ornament and beauty to religion then soundnesse and euidence of truth This is the very glorie and crowne thereof all other vaine glosses as antiqui ●●e vniuersality vnity vniformity succession consent multitude pompe reuenues c being separated from truth a● but as so many pearles in a blind eye which make it so much the more deformed for the more ancient vniuersall vniforme and pompous superstition idolatry or any false religion is the more odious and detestable it is but the more true and sound it is the more excellent and glorious it is So for strength what can better settle and establish the iudgement of a man then truth Great is truth and preuaileth It is like a sharpe sword in a weake mans hand which is able to pierce deepe though there bee but small strength to thrust it Truth cannot be ouercome neither is daunted with the multitude of enemies This is it which hath made Martyrs in all ages to stand to their profession vnto death and to seale it with their blood rather then start from it yea though many of them were illiterate men and weake weomen The like may be said of the other branches of truth an vpright and sincere heart maketh a man amiable before God himselfe Dauid being a man of a single heart is termed A man after Gods owne heart And Noach being an vpright man found grace in the eyes of God No eloquence or learning can so grace and commend a mans speech as truth for lying and falshood are parts of that foule and filthy communication which the Apostle condemneth The Lord hateth a lying tongue it is an abomination vnto him No outward comelinesse of body can so commend a man as plaine faithfull and honest dealing This made Nathaniel so gracious in Christs eyes but none more odious and detestable to God and man then dissembling and deceitfull persons the conscience of such maketh them to shun the light and be afraid of Gods presence as Adam So