Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	argument_n	church_n	zion_n	16	3	9.0134	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86932	A brief exposition of the prophecies of Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. By George Hutcheson minister at Edenburgh. April the 29th. Imprimatur, Edmund Calamy.	Hutcheson, George, 1615-1674.	1654 (1654)	Wing H3820; Thomason E1454_2; ESTC R209590	241,869	310

Kings 1.8 Mat. 3.4 whereby they had deluded the people and they shall renounce the Profession and take them to their wonted callings which they had left to turn deceivers and to live idly Doct. 1. How strong and taking soever errour be yet truth is infinitely stronger and can prevaile over it and convince and confound the greatest opposite that ever he should have been against it for In that day the Prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision when he hath prophesied 2. Errors and erroneous wayes are not to be lightly and without remorse abandoned as if it were but a change of judgement but with deep conviction of conscience and shame of face as for other scandalous sins for the Phophets shall he ashamed every one of his vision 3. Civil powers their suppressing and punishing erroneous persons and seducers is not a meanes to make men turn hypocrites but being joyned with due conviction may be blessed with reclaiming of them indeed for this conviction renouncing hypocritical shewes and acknowledging their errour speaks so much at least in some of them 4. As it is usual for Satan and false teachers to delude the world under fairest pretexts of holinesse and mortification so it shall adde to the conviction and repentance of the truly convinced that they have covered so vile a course with so faire a vaile for as they did wear a rough garment to deceive so they shall not do it any more when they are convinced 5. When God convinceth and wakeneth the consciences of seducers and of unfaithful teachers it will be sad and grievous unto them that they did run without a calling and did undertake a charge for which they were not fitted and they will be ready to subscribe to their own senrence and ejection for they shall say I am no Prophet I am an Husbandman imports not only that they shall be convinced that they wanted a calling to that office but that they shall judge themselves more fit for the Plough then the Pulpit 6. As it is a great iniquity for men whom Providence hath settled in a lawful calling to leave it and at their own hand turn teachers and as this is the means to breed many errors in a Church when all the Congregation will be holy and think that teachers take too much upon them so a chiefe cause why men turne and continue seducers and false teachers is unwillingnesse to be at pains for their livelihood in a lawful calling which they think to gaine more easily that way this is it which makes Husbandmen bred to keep cat el from their youth quit their calling and pretend to prophesying which as it made many teachers of lies so they will see it and confesse it to be a great sin when God speaks ●o their consciences Verse 6. And one shall say unto him What are these wounds in thine hands Then he shall answer Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends This benefit and effect upon false teachers is further declared in that they shall not only relinquish their deceiving and take them to their old employment but when any shall enquire what the prints of inferiour chastisements that had been inflicted upon them who escaped death meane which however they might be hid on the rest of their body yet were visible on their maked hands They shall justifie the censure and acknowledge that the inflicters whether their Parents v. 3. or Judges were friends and not enemies Doct. 1. That the Spirit of God is not here prophesying of spiritual censures and the Churches piercing of seducers with threatenings of eternal wrath but is foretelling of civil corporal punishments is clear from this Scripture for there will be wounds in the bands which are visible and occasion questions from others 2. It is not the Will of God that all errors be alike severely censured nor all seducers punished alike but that the punishment be proportioned to the error and to mens obstinacy in main taining and activity in promoting them for of these Prophets some were not to live v. 3. others lesse guilty or more penitent are chastened only and escape with wounds in their hands 3. As it is a great kindnesse to any to use all lawful meanes how severe soever to reclaim them from errour so themselves whenever they finde grace to repent will account it so whatever may be their apprehensions in the time of their wandering for Then shall he answer Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends Verse 7. Awake O sword against my shepherd and against the man that is my fellow saith the LORD of hostes smite the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered and I will turne mine hand upon the little ones The Lord having foretold this happinesse to come upon the Church especially on converted Israel and lest the godly should over-rejoyce because of this dream of a constant gale of prosperity therfore he subjoyns a prophecie of the sufferings of Christ the afflictions of the godly and the purging of the visibie Church by judgements ere all this Reformation especially of Israel were brought about This prophecie hath its chief and first accomplishment in Christs person his disciples and the visible Church of the Jewes after his death but may be extended also to point out the lot of Pastors and particular members of the visible Church in all ages In this part of the prophecie Christs sufferings are foretold in a charge given to affliction or persecution signified by the sword to assaile and smite Christ for the sins of his people according to the paction past in the Covenant of Redemption Upon which it is foretold that the flock shall be scattered whereof an external symbole was the flight of his disciples Mat. 26.31 but was more fully accomplished in the dispersion of the Jewes after his death and that in that scattering God would have a care of his own who are little in their own eyes would preserve them and change his dealing toward them as was verified in his recollecting and strengthening his scattered disciples and preserving of his own among the Jewes Doct. 1. The Church of Christ is not to dream of flourishing and trivmphing dayes but to be fitted for what is promised her by trouble and to have them seasoned when they come with trouble so much doth the seasoning of former promises with these predictions of the suffe●ings of Christ and his servants as if they were false teachers import 2. It is no sufficient argument to hinder the Church and Christian Magistrates zeal in punishing errour that the faithful servants of Christ are oft-times under persecution for truth the one being the Churches duty which may not be omitted without sin the other her affliction only for it is nothing the lesse a mercy to have false prophets thrust through v. 3. that sometime the sword is drawn against Christ and his followers 3. Christ incarnate is the good and faithful shepherd of

in all the Chapter 3. The fountain of the Churches encouragement is in Gods free love and marriage-affection which as it doth not break off in affliction so will it be very severe in avenging injuries done to such as are beloved of him for so is here held forth I was jealous for Zion with great jealousie and I was jealous for her with great fury His jealousie proves he is married his fury testifies how much he resents their affliction and both these concur to comfort her 4. The Lord hath at all times prevented his Church and people with such manifestations of himself as may be abundant proof of his affection toward them and ground of encouragement for the time to come therefore he leads this people back to what had been done especially in their late deliverance to clear this truth and encourage them for the future I was jealous c. Verse 3. Thus saith the LORD I am returned unto Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth and the mountain of the LORD of hostes the holy mountaine The second ground of encouragement is that God was now reconciled to them again would dwell among them as of old and restore them to the dignity and priviledges they formerly enjoyed Doct. 1. The Lords being reconciled unto a people and their enjoying his favour is a special ground of their encouragement especially that after just wrath he will deigne them with mercy and be at paines to make up the friendship for thus he encourageth them Thus saith the Lord I am returned to Zion 2 When the Lord is reconciled unto his people he will manifest his presence unto them and be as near and careful to help every grievance as the heart is to supply every member for I will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem saith he 3. Reconciliation with God is the way to recover a peoples lost honour and priviledges and to make them enjoy them and the comfort of them for upon his returning look what made her eminent before and it shall be restored She shall be called by her old names which is not a promise of a bare tittle only but that she shall be eminent in her duty and the priviledges and mercies following thereupon shall be as visible as if they were her name 4. It is the great honour of a people to enjoy and sincerely to adhere unto and professe the truth of God as he hath revealed it in his Word to adorne that Profession with fidelity and uprighteness in matters of the second Table and to be the people to whom God verifieth the truth of his promises so are we here taught Jerusal●m shall be called a City of truth in place of her idolatry and corrupting the worship of God her double dealing in her conversation and her feeling the sad fruits of threatenings 5. To have relation unto God and be owned as his speaks much honour to a people that he unto whom all things belong should appropriate them unto himself as a peculiar lot to be cared for in an especial way this honour is imported in that name the mountain of the Lord of hoster 6. As holinesse beseemeth a people who are the Lords so it is their special honour and dignity to be such and a commendation to the truth they professe when they hold a good conscience with it for this mountain shall be called the holy mountaine Vers 4. Thus saith the LORD of hostes There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem and every man with his staffe in his hand for very age 5. And the streets of the City shall be full of boyes and girles playing in the streets thereof The third ground of encouragement is held forth in a temporal promise of their increasing in number and enjoying of peace Whereas they were now a few of many they should again be many men and women living unto old and decrepitage and a numerous issue springing up to succeed them and whereas the sword had cut them off in their cities Lam. 2.21 and 5.11 12 13 14. and they might seare the like considering the times yet he promiseth that old men should walk and young children play in the streets as in times of great peace Doct. 1. The encrease of a people especially such as are members of the Church and peaceable times with the common refreshments thereof in living to old age want of terrour not being cut off by violent deaths childrens recreations and growing up without feare of enemies c. are in their own kinde choice mercies to be acknowledged where they are and to be a cause of humiliation where they are wanting for the promise of this is a ground of encouragement here See Ps 78.62 63 64. and 144.11 15. 2. A people reconciled to God and adhering to the true spiritual priviledges of Gods presence shall enjoy as much outward prosperity as is for their good for this promise is subjoyned to the former as a fruit of them Vers 6. Thus saith the LORD of hostes If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these dayes should it also be marvellons in mine eyes saith the LORD of hostes In regard these promises might seem improbable and impossible to be performed considering that the Jewes were at that time but a despicable remnant and the times full of dangers and feares the Lord removes all difficulties by leading them to look on him to whom nothing is impossible Doct. 1. As faith is very necessary for honouring of God and our owne comfort in receiving his promises so it is no small difficulty to attain to it Things promised may seem very impossible not only to carnal men but sometimes even to the Lords people for this confirmation of the former doctrine shewes that he expects faith to close with what he saith and its being marvellous or hid a thing which they cannot see through as feasible or possible shewes their temper 2. The fountain of much unbelief is mens looking to themselves and their present hard condition and receiving no more truth then reason and probability thus pre-occupied will convince them of for this is marvellous because they looked on themselves as the remnant of the people and on these dayes as hard dayes 3. The way to attain to faith in hard and difficult times is to eye God who makes the promise and give him the glory of being God of faithfulnesse in promising and Omnipotency to perform and overcome impossibilities whatever we be for he refutes their unbelief by leading them from themselves to eye him The Lord of hostes in whose eyes it is not marvellous 4 A people taking up God rightly will themselves being Judges condescend that it is a wronging of God to lay any thing in opposition to his power as able to over-balance it or to distrust his promises whatever they see in the world or their own condition to render