Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	believe_v	christian_a	faith_n	3,911	5	5.5853	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19174	The seale of the churches safetie; or A sermon preached at Norwich, the fift of Nouember, 1616 Wherein is opened the sealed assurance of the safetie of the Church, in all times, and estates, meete for all Christians to know, and acknowledge, to the glorie of God, and their owne comfort in life and death. By N. Colt, one of the preachers appointed by publike authoritie for the common-place there.; Seale of the churches safetie.	Colt, Nicholas, d. 1642.	1617 (1617)	STC 5585; ESTC S118542	22,373	96

of God the Sonne and of God the holy Ghost that they equally and ioyntly seuerally infallibly and eternally doe know with which knowledge is ioyned Will Power and Effect how to deliuer the godly out of c. Oh sweet oh precious oh sauing knowledge of the glorious Godhead in Trinitie Vnitie thus concurring thus co-working for the Elects well-fare Now then to this holy God and soueraigne Lord Father Sonne and holy Ghost one and the same God in nature and number God ouer all blessed for euer be all all honor glorie faith loue feare obedience praise yeelded by vs by ours and by all his redeemed eternally Amen Amen Amen To this truth doe the holy Prophets Apostles beare witnesse Reade Gen. 6.5 Psal 104. throughout and Psal 145. c. But most pregnant for this purpose is that place Act. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. v. 18. where the Apostle Iames auoucheth that all the workes of God are knowne to him from the beginning And as knowne so likewise are they ordered For saith our Apostle 1. Cor. 12.6 It is he that worketh all in all things Tripliciter operatur Deus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suidas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The anomie disorder and euill of the action God permitteth the action it self God ordereth In good creatures God worketh his will not onely by them but also in them as in Dauid c. In the rest not in them yet by them as in Iudas c. Let vs now at length come to make some vse by way of position and obseruation both of the absolute soueraigntie of our God as he is Lord and also of his infinite knowledge and prouidence which as Salomon saith doth equally reach vnto all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen to euery haire of euery head and to euery bird of euery feather Matth. 10. cap. 6. And sith the Apostle 2. Tim. 3.16 affirmeth that the right vse of all holy truth is to teach to improue to correct instruct in righteousnesse we will haue some eye vnto the same in our applicatiō And first forasmuch as the Lord Iehouah who properly to speake is Lord onely doth of right as you haue heard challenge to himselfe full absolute and vniuersall Power in and ouer all things persons c. let vs all learne alwayes and in euery estate thus to acknowledge him to be our Lord and our God yea let the greatest Lords and highest Powers vpon earth acknowledge that their places power are of from this Lord and being deriued from him are dependant vpon him limitted by him and subiect vnto him and consequently that they must bee countable vnto him in a most strict account For sayth King Salomon Sap. cap. 6.3 The rule is giuen you of the Lord and your Power by the most High which will trie your workes and search out your imaginations c. Turne not therfore your power and places of eminencie into carnall Pompe or priuate gaine much lesse into personall reuenge and cruel oppression but with holy Dauid sing Mercie and Iudgement to the Lord c. Psal 101. For you exercise but a Ministerie of Iustice and Mercie vnder his holy Maiestie and not any absolute dissolute lawlesse Authoritie which is little better then plaine tyrannie Secondly seeing this high and holy Lord of heauen and earth giueth this subordinate Power to men let vs and all learne to obey them in the Lord that doe command and rule ouer vs in the Lord * Rom. 13.1.2.3 c. and that for Conscience sake Thirdly let vs all from hence learne that we are not our own nor any thing that we haue is absolutely ours but the Lords and therefore that our selues and all that wee haue ought to beat his command in all things times estates and so to make all serue for his honour and glorie cheerefully conscionably constantly Fourthly sith we are all g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellow-seruants vnder one and the same Soueraigne Lord and Master howsoeuer otherwise wee differ in place and partes office and administration yet let no man lift vp his heart aboue that which is meet but in loue learne to serue helpe and honour one another in the Lord as becommeth fellow-seruants that are equally interessed in the Title and honour of the heauenly Inheritance h Rom. 8.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lastly let vs with these heads of duetie consider our dignitie and safetie vnder the Shield and sauing Power of this our Soueraigne Lord and God and comfort our selues in the same vnder all the basenesse of our outward estate and contempt of the world also vnder the enmitie and hostilitie of Sathan and of sinners of Pope or Papist and sing we a sweete and sacred Requiem and Al-hayle to our blessed King Queene Prince State our selues and ours so long as GOD is our Lord and wee continue his faithfull seruants in Iesus Christ Care and feare be remoued from vs and let heauenly comfort and confidence accompanie vs vntill we haue finished our course in the faith seruice of the Lord our God euen of this Lord that knoweth how to deliuer all his from euill and to bring them to neuer-ending Honour And thus may wee profit by the knowledge and faith of this point that God is the Lord our Lord absolute in Power glorious in praises doing wonders wonders I say for his seruants safetie as appeareth in vs this day Oh how blessed are the people whose God is the Lord Iehouah euen the people whom he hath chosen for his Inheritance Psa 33. So much of the first word in our Text. Now let vs come to make some vse of the next head of doctrine touching the knowledge of this Lord The Lord knoweth The Atheist beleeueth not the truth of this Text but saith Is there any such knowledge in the Almightie Others hold the Paynims principle that tho God knoweth all yet say Non vacat Ioui c. The Lord hath no leisure to attend vpon euery trifle which one thus well answereth That as God vouchsafed to create the least and basest things Sicut non dedecuit Deum infima creare sic nec creata curare so hee disdaineth not to regard and order the same The common sort of Christians will bee brought to yeelde perhaps that the Lord vnderstandeth and knoweth all and potentially is able to doe what hee will but hardly can bee brought to confesse a particular and practike knowledge in God which extendeth it selfe to all and euery least creature thing whatsoeuer vnder heauen in heauen Yet must euen this also be beleeued or else this Truth of doctrine which is the ground of our hope and safetie is violated Finally the weake Christian which yet is not wholly voide of faith in God not duely pondering this point of holy truth seeing the prosperity of the wicked and the affliction of the good doth thereupon conceiue amisse of the Lord his

gouernement and knowledge of things here below and so also becommeth impatient and heartlesse to his owne great hurt and the offence of Heauen All these must learne to know and beleeue if they will bee saued that in God our Lord assuredly there is an eternall absolute and infallible knowledge of all things whatsoeuer together with wisedome will and power to rule order and dispose of them accordingly vntill euery thing be brought to that period and end which he hath appointed for his owne glory the saluation of the Elect and ruine of the Reprobate rout For the holy Word of ●he Lord doth here witnesse the same and his holy workes doe confirme it abundantly Now the meditation of all that herein hath beene said and truely taught out of these two words ioyned together The Lord knoweth referred to both the parts of this Prophecy as the same ought to be might me thinkes strike a strange terrour into the soule of any sinner which is not too too forlone and hardened in sinne when he shal come to himselfe and consider that hee hath sinned against a Lord First of infinite knowledge which perfectly knoweth the number and nature of all his sinnes whatsoeuer Secondly of infinite Iustice and therefore cannot let escape the least particular sinne which he was euer guiltie of originally or personally vnlesse hee find mercie in the Mediatour vpon his true repentance and faithfull conuersion from the power of Satan to the liuing Lord and from the disobedience of the wicked to the wisedome of the iust c. Thirdly of infinite power also and authoritie to cast both soule and bodie into Hell-fire perpetually vnrecouerably And lastly of infinite Eternitie to giue the impenitent sinner eternitie in that vnspeakeable miserie Oh consider this all that forget God together with his vnspeakeable knowledge power and iustice Make vp your peace with GOD in time in time I say lest he teare you in pieces and there bee none to deliuer you out of his hand that knoweth how to reserue not preserue the wicked to Iudgement to be punished eternally Moreouer let me tell you as I verily beleeue that the ignorance vnbeliefe or obliuion of this holy Truth that GOD knoweth absolutely all things euen all secrets of all mens mindes and manners and that hee hath absolute power in and ouer all as the Lord of Lords the ignorance I say and vnbeliefe of this truth is the maine cause and root of all Atheisme Prophanenesse Hypocrisie Neutralitie and to come neerer the point in hand of all sinnefull feare and despaire in dangers and distresse also of carnall confidence sinnefull securitie and shifting by corrupt courses to helpe our selues in time of need also of all base grosse and weake conceits of God and of his gouernment and finally of all impatiencie murmuring c. vnder affliction Whereas on the contrarie the sound and sanctified knowledge of GODS infinite power and wisdome to performe whatsoeuer he will and hath reuealed in his Word will helpe to afford all good Christians vnspeakeable animation affiance loue awe peace patience constancy and comfort to cast all their cares and burthen vpon the Lord as hee hath commanded and so to rest in peace and sacred securitie c. Finally that I may grow to an end in the application of this first part of the Text seeing the Lord bringeth his iudgements to light euery morning as his holy Word doth witnesse in his knowledge and power performing the same let vs learne hence-forth to make due and daily obseruation thereof that wee may say as Thusidides did in another case I haue experience of this and that Truth of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fulfilled eyther in mercie or iustice so ioyne experimentall knowledge and faith with literall and spirituall How many Christians continue weake in faith and patience c. because they bee wanting this way to God in dutie for God hath so done his maruailous workes that they ought to be had in remembrance and to themselues in wisedome Neglect not then this helpe of holinesse if you would grow vp faster in all holy feare faith loue and obedience c. Learne also this lesson of all the wise-hearted Patriarchs Prophets and Princes of the Lord his people 1. Sam. 17.37 specially of holy Dauid Psal 48.7 c. in his blessed Booke of Psalmes And so let vs proceede in the Text to the next word Deliuer The Lord knoweth to deliuer This is one singular effect of the foresaid Cause Deliuerance to the godly The knowledge of God is neyther idle nor vnfruitfull but operatiue and effectuall and that vnto these two ends principally so farre forth as it concerneth Man namely to saue the godly and to wrecke the wicked And of these because the saluation of the iust is of special consequence for the glorie of Gods sauing power and Fatherly Prouidence therefore it is here set in the first place and hath the preeminence And a singular President mee thinkes it is of good Gouernment and of the right vse of all that knowledge and power wherewith the Lord hath furnished vs or any of vs whether we be Magistrates Ministers or Masters of Families In the extent of mercie and iustice First to bee guided by knowledge euen by Diuine knowlege and vnderstanding of Gods will Secondly to limit it by the power and place which wee hold in charge Thirdly specially and aboue the rest to doe good to the good to preserue and deliuer the Iust so sauing them that should be saued in the first place Let Noah bee first shipped in safetie in GODS Arke before the flouds of Iustice ouerflow the World And let Lot be gone from Sodome y● Angels of the Lord before yo● fire the place of his Repose Consider what I haue sayd and the Lord giue you vnderstanding in all things to doe his will And thus much briefely o● the connexion of the effect with the cause and of the Apostles order in putting the safety of the Saints in the first place and passage of Gods most holy Gouernment Againe further obserue here with me that the Lord our God taketh the ground of his doing good to his seruants euen ●rom his owne eternall and vnchangeable knowledge wil and goodnesse which worketh free●y of it selfe and from it selfe all the effects of mercie and salua●ion promised to his Saints Let then our helpe also and seruice which wee yeeld to the people of God in our places not be base inforced mercinarie or any way corrupt at the root but ●ngenuous free and faithfull that so we may in our measure become merciful and iust as our heauenly Father is to vs. The Text followeth The Lord knoweth to deliuer The word here vsed doth properly signifie to take by force 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h. e. Eripere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to deliuer with strong hand as if the Apostle should tell all the godly that otherwise all euils and enemies dangers distresses

not vncomfortable I resolued with Christian confidence herein to cast my selfe wholly vpon the helpe of Heauen both for Theame Methode and Matter that in some measure might be sutable to the occasion and to this solemne Assembly Wherein notwithstanding I doe humbly craue of all sorts a friendly both construction and acceptation of that plaine prouision of holy Truth which by Gods assistance I shall deliuer vnto you out of this sacred and sweet Oracle within the limits whereof lye two grand Conclusions One of admirable and ●ndlesse comfort to the Godly The parts and Resolution of the Text. ●he other of no lesse horrour and ●onfusion to all the world of the wicked The former of these is deliuered in forme of a Promise ●he latter of a Threatning In both we are to consider the Persons and the Thing In the former ●he Person promising the Lord and the parties to whom the promise is made the Godly Then the thing promised which is Deliuerance which is amplified and made lightsome First by the cause thereof the knowledge of God the Lord knoweth and secondly by the kinde of deliuerance out of tentation So then wee haue in the former passage First the Authour of this benefit the Lord. Secondly the Efficient cause and ground thereof his knowledge The Lord knoweth Thirdly the benefit it selfe Deliuerance Fourthly the Obiect or parties vpon whom the benefit is conferred the godly And lastly the kind of the benefit bestowed deliuerance out of tentation The resolution of the other part of this Sentence agreeth with this in effect And thus much of the Methode plainely and briefly Now although I know that the Learned amongst you cannot necessarily expect any obseruations touching matter of Inference Reference Connexion or Dependance that should lye betweene this Period and the Premises seeing in the originall there is neyther Relatiue Illatiue nor Copulatiue particle to be found yet because indeed it is so I will say that this Sentence is the Conclusion of a former Induction and so both in Nature and Art doth depend vpon the Premises Which thing further to manifest let vs make some short Suruey of that which went before in this Chap. where you shall find that the holy Apostle hauing in the end of the former Chapter set forth the certainetie and dignitie of the Doctrine of of the Gospell both from the Authour thereof and from the agreement that it hath with the Writings of the Prophets doth vpon this occasion in the beginning of this Chapter tell the Church as Christ himselfe did Matth. 24. and Paul 1. Tim. 4. That in these last times there should arise many False-Prophets and False-Teachers that should bring in * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 damnable Heresies in effect to the denying of the Lord that bought them and yet that many should follow their damnable wayes by whom the way of Truth should be ill-spoken of c. And that they through cursed couetousnesse and base e Multos fore eorum sectatores 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flatterie should make f Quàm vera viua est haec Romani Cleri descriptio Beza marchandize of Soules For all which their wickednes saith Saint Peter they shall bring vpon themselues g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 swift destruction which destruction hee doth not onely denounce against them by the Spirit of Prophecie as it were by diuine Diuination but also prooueth it by Theologicall demonstration namely by an Induction of sundry particulars of Gods Iustice inflicted vpon both Angels and Men which formerly had sinned against the Lord. For sayth the Apostle if God did not spare the Angels which sinned nor the olde World ●or Sodome and Gomorrha ney●her will he spare these c. Indeed this Consequence is wanting ●n the Greeke but by a a Ellipsis consequent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Figure frequent in Holy Scripture is to bee vnderstood necessarily and supplyed as it is in the margent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now besides this Induction of particulars the Apostle for further proofe of their vndoubted punishment doth vse two strong Arguments to euince the same the one taken from the equitie and b A pari identitie of Diuine Iustice which is euer the same when the case is alike The other Argument is taken from the c A maiori greater to the lesse if wee respect the excellencie of Angels aboue men This done the Apostle to these instances of Diuine Iustice addeth as a Corallary of comfort to Gods Elect two famous Examples of speciall mercie from God shewed in the preseruation of Noah and Lot verses 5.6.7.8 From all which Monuments of Diuine Iustice and Mercie Saint Peter inferreth this Conclusion and Diuine Aphorisme The Lord knoweth to deliuer the godly c. and to reserue the wicked to c. And thus much of the d Series orationis argumentorum thread of speech consequence of matter and dependance of this sacred Conclusion inferred vpon that which went before in this Chapter Now let vs come to make some vse of the Apostles order and kinde of confirmation It is by an inartificiall Syllogisme commonly called e Inductio est argumentatio à pluribus particularibus ad vniuersale quasi à partibus ad totum progressio c. Induction or Enumeration of Particulars to inforce a generall truth of that kind as for example if a man by this kind of reasoning would proue Iustification by faith against a Papist let him doe it by an Induction of Particulars and say Heb. 11. Abel was iustified by Faith so was Enoch Noah Abraham Isaac Iacob Moses c. Neyther can you find the f Nec in caeteris contrarium est videre ergo c. contrary in any of the Saints of God Therefore whosoeuer is iustified is iustified by Faith One Instance more against the confident sinner his vaine hope of Saluation As if you would prooue that without true repentance he cannot be saued argue thus by an Induction of particulars and say that neyther Dauid nor Peter nor Zacheus nor Mary Magdalen nor Paul nor the Incestuous Corinthian without true repentance could be saued neyther is the contrarie to be found in the Booke of God therefore without true repentance no man can be saued Loe this is a sure and sanctified kind of reasoning in cases of Religion and is both Logicall and Theologicall I meane both Naturall and Spirituall Humane and Diuine fit both for Learned and Vnlearned to vse for their Instruction Conuiction Confirmation Consolation c. And for this cause also among other ends as I beleeue it hath pleased God in his singular wisdome and mercie to leau● vpon Record in his Holy Word so many examples of both good and bad and of their different estates and ends And so let vs now proceede from the Apostle his Order and Inference modestly to surueigh and search his Euidence touching the Safe-conduct and Protection of all the godly in the middest