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	damn_v	delusion_n	1,893	5	11.0930	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A62632	Several discourses viz. Of the great duties of natural religion. Instituted religion not intended to undermine natural. Christianity not destructive; but perfective of the law of Moses. The nature and necessity of regeneration. The danger of all known sin. Knowledge and practice necessary in religion. The sins of men not chargeable on God. By the most reverend Dr. John Tillotson, late lord arch-bishop of Canterbury. Being the fourth volume; published from the originals, by Ralph Barker, D.D. chaplain to his Grace.	Tillotson, John, 1630-1694.; Barker, Ralph, 1648-1708.; White, Robert, 1600-1690, engraver.	1697 (1697)	Wing T1261A; ESTC R221745	169,748	495

and virtue is able to withstand But where Men are sincerely good and honestly resolv'd the Providence of God doth ward off these fierce blows and put by these violent thrusts and by a secret disposal of things keep them from being assaulted by these irresistible kinds of temptations The Consideration whereof as it is a great encouragement to Men to be sincerely good so likewise a great Argument for a continual dependance upon the Providence of God and to take us off from confidence in our selves and our own strength And this use the Apostle makes of it 1 Cor. 10. 12. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth that is confident that nothing shall be able to shake him or throw him down take heed lest he fall there hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to Men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but what is humane nothing but what an humane strength assisted by an ordinary grace of God may be able to resist and Conquer But there are greater and more violent temptations than these which you have not yet been tried with and when those happen we must have recourse to God for an extraordinary assistance And this is the Second way I mention'd whereby the Providence of God does secure good Men in case of extraordinary temptations which no humane strength can probably resist And this the same Apostle assures us of in the very next words God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that you may be able to bear it That is in case of great and violent temptations such as the Christians in the height of their Persecutions were exposed to God will secretly minister strength and support equal to the force and power of the temptation And this God did in an extraordinary manner to the Christian Martyrs and that to such a degree as made them joyfully to embrace their Sufferings and with the greatest chearfulness in the world to endure those torments which no humane patience was able to bear And where God doth thus secure Men against temptations or support them under them it is no reflection at all upon the goodness or justice of his Providence to permit them to be thus tempted Secondly God permits others to be thus tempted by way of Judgment and Punishment for some former great Sins and Provocations which they have been guilty of And thus many times God punisheth great and notorious Offenders by permitting them to fall into great temptations which meeting with a vicious disposition are likely to be too hard for them especially considering how by a long habit of wickedness and wilful commission of great and notorious Sins they have made themselves an easie prey to every temptation and have driven the Spirit of God from them and deprived themselves of tho●e aids and restraints of his Grace which he ordinarily affords not only to good Men but likewise to those who are not very bad And thus God is said to have hardened Pharaoh by those Plagues and Judgments which he sent upon him and his Kingdom But if we carefully read the Story it is said that he first harden'd himself and then that God hardened him that is he being hardened under the first Judgments of God God sent more which meeting with his obstinacy had this unnatural effect upon him to harden him yet more not that God did infuse any wickedness or obstinacy into him but by his just Judgments sent more Plagues upon him which hardened him yet more and which were likely to have that effect upon him considering the ill temper of the Man And it was just by way of punishment that they should And so likewise Joshua 11. 19 20. it is said that the Cities of the Canaanites did not make peace with Joshua because it was of the Lord to harden their hearts that they should come against Israel in Battel that he might destroy them utterly that is for their former iniquities the measure whereof was now full the Providence of God did justly bring them into and leave them under those Circumstances which made them obstinate against all terms of Peace and this proved fatal to them And in the like sense we are to understand several other expressions in Scripture which likewise might seem very harsh As Isaiah 6. 10. Make the heart of this People fat and make their ears heavy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and convert and be healed all which expressions signifie no more but that God for the former provocations and impenitency of that People did leave them to their own hardness and blindness so that they did not desire to understand and make use of the means of their recovery So likewise Rom. 1. 24. God is said to have given up the idolatrous Heathen to uncleanness to vile and unnatural lusts and Ver. 28. to a reprobate and injudicious Mind that is as a punishment of their Idolatry he left them to the power of those temptations which betrayed them to the vilest lusts And to mention but one Text more 2 Thes 2. 11. the Apostle threatens those that rejected the truth that for this cause God would send them strong delusions the efficacy of error that they should believe a lye that they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness that is as a just punishment for their renouncing the truth God gave them over to the power of delusion their error had its full scope at them to tempt them with all its colours and pretences But it is observable that in all these places which I have mention'd God is said to give Men up to the power of temptation as a punishment of some former great Crimes and Provocations And it is not unjust with God thus to deal with Men to leave them to the power of temptation when they had first wilfully forsaken him and in this case God doth not tempt Men to Sin but leaves them to themselves to be tempted by their own hearts lusts and if they yield and are Conquered it is their own fault because they have neglected God's grace whereby they might have been able to have resisted those temptations and have forced his holy Spirit to withdraw himself from them and to leave them open and naked to those assaults of temptation against which they might otherwise have been sufficiently armed Thirdly The last end of temptation which I mentioned is to try Men with a direct purpose and intention to seduce Men to Sin Thus wicked Men tempt others and thus the Devil tempts Men. Thus he tempted our first Parents and seduced them from their Obedience and Allegiance to God Thus he tempted Job by bringing him into those Circumstances which were very likely to have forc'd him into impatience and discontent And thus he tempted our blessed Saviour but found

plain from his following Discourse and the Character he gives of those Persons of whom he was speaking who hold the truth of God in unrighteousness because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewn it unto them and this he proves because those who were destitute of Divine Revelation were not without all knowledge of God being led by the sight of this visible World to the knowledge of an invisible Being and Power that was the Author of it ver 20 21. For the invisible things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things which are made even his Eternal Power and Godhead so that they are without excuse because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God Haec est summa delicti nolle agnoscere quem ignorare non possis saith Tertullian to the Heathen This is the height of thy fault not to acknowledge him whom thou canst not but know not to own him of whom thou canst not be ignorant if thou wouldst neither were thankful they did not pay those acknowledgments to him which of right were due to the Author of their Being and of all good things but became vain in their imaginations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were fool'd with their own Reasonings This he speaks of the Philosophers who in those great Arguments of the B●ing and Providence of God the Immo●allity of the Soul and the Rewards of another World had lost the truth by too much subtlety about it and had disputed themselves into doubt and uncertainty about those things which were naturally known for nimium alter●ando veritas amittitur Truth is many times ●lost by too much Contention and Dispute about it and by too eager a pursuit of it Men many times out-run it and leave it behind ver 22. and professing themselves to be Wise they became Fools Men never play the fools more than by endeavouring to be over subtle and wise ver 23. and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible Man and to Birds four footed Beasts and creeping things here he speaks of the sottishness of their Idolatry whereby they provoked God to give them up to all manner of lewdness and impurity ver 24. wherefore God also gave them up unto uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts and again ver 26. for this Cause God gave them up to vile affections and then he innumerates the abominable Lusts and Vices they were guilty of notwithstanding their Natural acknowledgment of the Divine Justice ver 32. who knowing the judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death not only do the same but have pleasure in them that do them By all which it appears that he speaks of the Heathen who offended against the Natural Light of their own Minds and therefore were without excuse Quam sib● veniam sperare possun● impie●atis suae qui non agnoscunt cultum ejus quem prorsùs ignorari ab hominibus fas non est saith Lactantius How can they hope for pardon of their impiety who deny to worship that God of whom it is not possible Mankind should be wholly ignorant So that this is To hold the truth in unrighteousness injuriously to suppress it and to hinder the power and efficacy of it upon our Minds and Actions for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes signifies as well as to hold fast and this every Man does who acts contrary to what he believes and knows he offers violence to the ligh● of his own Mind and does injury to the truth and keeps that a Prisoner which would set him free ye shall know the truth says our Lord and the truth shall make you free And this is one of the highest aggravations of the Sins of Men to offend against Knowledge and that light which God hath set up in every Man's Mind If Men wander and stumble in the dark it is not to be wondred at many times it is unavoidable and no care can prevent it but in the light it is expected Men should look before them and discern their way That Natural Light which the Heathens had tho' it was but comparatively dim and imperfect yet the Apostle takes notice of it as a great aggravation of their Idolatrous and Abominable Practices Those natural Notions which all Men have of God if they had in any measure attended to them and govern'd themselves by them might have been sufficient to have preserved them from dishonouring the Deity by worshiping Creatures instead of God the common light of Nature was enough to have discovered to them the evil of those lewd and unnatural practices which many of them were guilty of but they detained and supprest the truth most injuriously and would not suffer it to have its natural and proper influence upon them and this is that which left them without excuse that from the light of Nature they had knowledge enough to have done better and to have preserved them from those great Crimes which were so common among them And if this was so great an aggravation of the impiety and wickedness of the Heathen and left them without excuse what Apology can be made for the impiety and unrighteousness of Christians who have so strong and clear a light to discover to them their duty and the danger of neglecting it to whom the wrath of God is plainly revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of Men The Truths of the Gospel are so very clear and powerful and such an improvement of Natural light that Men must use great force and violence to suppress them and to hinder the efficacy of them upon their lives And this is a certain Rule by how much the greater our Knowledge by so much the less is our Excuse and so much the greater Punishment is due to our faults So our Lord hath told us Luke 12. 47. That Servant which knew his Lord's will and prepared not himself neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes And John 9. 41. If ye were blind says our Saviour to the Jews ye should have no sin So much ignorance as there is of our Duty so much abatement of the wilfulness of our faults but if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remains no more Sacrifice for sin but a fearful expectation of Judgment and fiery indignation says the Apostle to the Hebrews Chap. 10. 26 27. If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth implying that Men cannot pretend ignorance for their faults after so clear a revelation of the will of God as is made to Mankind by the Gospel And upon this Consideration it is that our Saviour doth so aggravate the impenitency and unbelief of the Jews because it was in opposition to all the advantages of Knowledge which can be imagined to be afforded to

the Natural Knowledge which Men have of God is when all is done the surest and fastest hold that Religion hath on Humane Nature Besides how should God judge that part of the World who are wholly destitute of Divine Revelation if they had no Natural Knowledge of him and consequently could not be under the direction and government of any Law For where there is no Law there is no Transgression and where Men are guilty o● the breach of no Law they cannot be Judged and Condemned for it for the Judgment of God is according to truth And now this being establisht that Men have a Natural Knowledge of God if they contradict it by their Life and Practice they are guilty of detaining the truth of God in unrighteousness For by this Argument the Apostle proves the Heathen to be guilty of holding the truth in unrighteousness because notwithstanding the Natural Knowledge which they had of God by the things which were made they lived in the practice of gross Idolatry and the most abominable Sins and Vices And this concerns us much more who have the glorious Light of the Gospel added to the Light of Nature For if they who offended against the Light of Nature were liable to the judgment of God of how much sorer Punishment shall we be thought worthy if we neglect those infinite advantages which the Revelation of the Gospel hath superadded to Natural Light He hath now set our Duty in the clearest and strongest Light that ever was afforded to Mankind so that if we will not now Believe and Repent there is no Remedy for us but we must die in our sins if we sin wilfully after so much knowledge of the truth there remains no more Sacrifice for Sin but a fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery indignation to consume us The Summ of what hath been said on this Argument is briefly this that Men have a Natural Knowledge of God and of those great Duties which result from the Knowledge of him so that whatever Men say and pretend as to the main things of Religion the Worship of God and Justice and Righteousness toward Men setting aside Divine Revelation we are all Naturally convinc'd of our Duty and of what we ought to do and those who live in a bad Course need only be put in mind of what they naturally know better than any body else can tell them that they are in a bad Course so that I may appeal to all wicked Men from themselves rash and heated and intoxicated with Pleasure and Vanity transported and hurried away by Lust and Passion to themselves serious and composed and in a cool and considerate temper And can any sober Man forbear to follow the Convictions of his own Mind and to resolve to do what he inwardly consents to as best Let us but be true to our selves and obey the Dictates of our own Minds and give leave to our own Consciences to Counsel us and tell us what we ought to do and we shall be a Law to our selves I proceed to the Sixth and last Observation namely that the clear Revelation of the wrath of God in the Gospel against the impiety and unrighteousness of Men is one principal thing which renders it so very powerful and likely a means for the Salvation of Mankind For the Apostle instanceth in two things which give the Gospel so great an advantage to this purpose the Mercy of God to Penitent Sinners and his Severity toward the Impenitent both which are so fully and clearly revealed in the Gospel The Gospel is the power of God to Salvation to every one that believeth beca●se therein the Righteousness of God is revealed that is his great Grace and Mercy in the Justification and Pardon of Sinners by Jesus Christ which I have already shewn to be meant by the Righteousness of God by comparing this with the Explication which is given of the Righteousness of God Chap. 3. ver 22. The other Reason which he gives of the Gospel's being the power of God to Salvation is the plain declaration of the Severity of God toward Impenitent Sinners Because therein also the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of Men. The force of which Argument will appear if we consider these following Particulars First That the Declarations of the Gospel in this Matter are so plain and express Secondly That they are very dreadful and terrible Thirdly That there is no safety or hope of impunity for Men that go on and continue in their Sins Fourthly That this Argument will take hold of the most desperate and pro●ligate Sinners and still retain its force upon the Minds of Men when all other Considerations fail and are of little or no efficacy And Fifthly That no Religion in the World can urge this Argument with that force and advantage that Christianity does First That the declarations of the Gospel in this Matter are most plain and express and that not only against Sin and Wickedness in general but against particular Sins and Vices so that no Man that lives in any Evil and Vicious Course can be ignorant of his danger Our Lord hath told us in general what shall be the Doom of the Workers of Iniquity yea tho' they may have owned him and made profession of his Name Mat. 7. 21. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven Many will say unto me in that day Lord Lord c. then will I profess unto them I never knew you depart from me ye that work Iniquity Math. 13. 49 50. So shall it be at the end of the World the Angels shall come forth and sever the Wicked from among the Just and shall cast them into the furnace of fire there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth Math. 25. 46. The Wicked shall go away into Everlasting Punishment but the Righteous into Life Eternal Joh. 5. 28 29. The hour is coming in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth they that have done good unto the Resurrection of Life and they that have done evil unto the Resurrection of Damnatiom Rom. 2. 6. St. Paul tells us that there is a Day of wrath and of the Revelation of the Righteous Judgment of God who will render to every Man according to his deeds to them who obey not the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish upon every soul of Man that doth evil 2 Thes 1. 7 8 9. That the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punisht with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his Power Nothing can be more plain and express than these general