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	faith_n	reason_n	7,423	5	5.8303	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A43321	A sermon preached before the Right Honorable the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament at Margarets Church in Westminster, upon Thursday the 18 day of Iuly, 1644 : it being the day of public thanksgiving for the great mercie of God in the happie successe of the forces of both kingdomes neer York, against the enemies of King and Parliament / by Alexander Henderson ...	Henderson, Alexander, 1583?-1646.	1644 (1644)	Wing H1441; ESTC R3818	28,273	37

of prayer is no other but the continuance of the spirit of prayer which still helpeth our infirmities and maketh intercession for us Rom 8. 26. Sometimes our prayer returneth into our bosome Psal. 35. 13. where we finde the peace of God which passeth all understanding to keepe our hearts and mindes through Christ Iesus Phil. 4. 7 Sometimes we have no other answer but my grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakenes 2. Cor 12 9. And sometimes either a better or the same thing which we desired and it may be with great advantage is granted unto us of which there bee many examples like unto this of the answer of Peters prayer The fifth and last thing which setteth forth this Deliverance is this That it was of free goodnes and not from any perfection in him for he is rebuked for his doubting as one of little faith Where we may observe that beside the wide difference betwixt beleevers and unbeleevers which is a difference in kind faith elevating a beleever far above naturall men and unbeleevers as man is above the inferiour creatures and angels above men There is a difference in degrees betwixt one beleever and another and betwixt a beleever and himself insomuch that one is said to be of little faith and another to have great faith and one and the same beleever sometimes to have little at other times great faith Peter had faith to walk upon the water which was the greater triall but now when the winde is boysterous which was the lesser temptation his faith proveth weak which was a Progstick of that which came to passe in his deniall afterward a I have not a minde nor is it proper for this time to wearie your attention with the many distinctions of faith that there is a faith which is an habite and vertue Theologicall and a faith which is a speciall gift that there is a faith felt and a faith unfelt much lesse with the distinctions of faith formed and unformed explicite and implicite I would onely tell you that faith is said to be weake extensively and in respect of the knowledge of the things to be beleeved thus the faith of the Apostles while they knew not the Resurrection of Christ the faith of Rachab the woman of Samaria and many others who knew but few of the mysteries of faith was but a weake faith Or intensively and in respect of perswasion and application It was long ere Thomas was brought to say My Lord and my God Hee that hath this weake faith may be considered of us as hee hath faith for weake faith is true faith and as his faith is weak as he hath faith he beleeveth and adhereth to the truth of the word and in distresse prayeth and cryeth with Peter Lord save mee But as his faith is weakned by temptations and difficulties apprehended by naturall sense and carnall reason which is the wisdome of the world and an enemy to the receiving of the wisdome of God hee doubteth hee wavereth hee staggereth through a mixture of unbeliefe which certainely is the work of the flesh whatsoever Papists say to the contrary in commendation of doubting and yet such is the goodnes and grace of our Lord Iesus Christ that in this night of darknes in this winter season he looketh at the root under the ground and to the leafe of prayer which it sends forth when neither fruit nor flower doth appeare and thereupon hee that breaketh not the bruised reed and quencheth not the smoaking flax doth deliver his owne children which maketh them afterward when they recover their strengths to thinke shame of themselves and to admire of his wonderfull goodnes Faith sometimes is like fire in the flint which to the sense is as cold as another stone yet hath fire in it naturally as the soule which is partaker of the Divine Nature hath faith in it supernaturally Sometimes it is like fire in the tinder sometimes like fire in the match sometimes like fire in the candle and sometimes like fire on the hearth which enlightneth and warmeth the whole roome But the Lord in answering the prayers of his people looketh more to the truth then to the degree of faith The word of doubting as some have searched into the nature of it is borrowed from a ballance or paire of weights the scales whereof move and waver up and downe inconstantly Wee have another word Marke 11. 23. which signifieth to dispute or debate because they who doubt have a dispute and debate of adverse parties within themselves like that of the twins which struggled together in the wombe of Rebecca and makes them to goe and enquire of the Lord The nature of faith Heb. 11. 1. is a subsistence by which the minde looking constantly at Jesus Christ is preserved from fluctuating and doubting as when the tongue of the Ballance standeth streight and stable But Satan the old Adam and the world come in and sometimes lift up the one scale in Presumption and sometimes beare down the other in diffidence and pusilanimity Christ opposeth to the one the danger of sinking and to the other his Word and hand that so the soul may be reduced to the stability and subsistence of Faith Thus was the wonderfull Wisedome Mercy Truth and Power of the Sonne of God manifested at that time and many times since And thus have I made a survey of the five Circumstances accompanying this miracle of Peters Deliverance all which are very appliable to that notable deliverance which the Lord hath wrought for us for the publick acknowledgement whereof we hold this solemne Assembly First if it had pleased the Lord to turne his hand against us which was stretched out for us against our enemies the Name of God had been dishonoured our Armies had been destroyed and our selves that were but in a ship neere unto them had been in danger to have perished and thus the deliverance is great 2. As it was great and eminent so was it opportune and seasonable I speak to them who are acquainted with the posture of affaires the Enemy had exalted himselfe to the top of his pride and had designed like Belshazzar and his Nobles to make themselves merry with the spoiles of the people of God who although their hearts were stedfast to the Cause and work of God yet by divine dispensation delaying their desires and bringing them about in his owne wise and secret way were brought low and therefore in the one respect and the other a very seasonable deliverance 3. The hand of God was sensibly seen in it specially that when they were almost lost in the opinion of many of themselves the Lord brought the wheele about upon the enemy so marvellously that it is a wonder that so many although they had been naked men could have fallen by the sword in so few houres 4. That in this the Lord answered the Prayer of his people He hath heard us since the

weaknesse both at this time and afterward that he doubted and was afraid which made him begin to sinke and there can be no full and through Obedience without faith and confidence Two things are necessary for this 1. Self-deniall and renouncing all confidence in your selves or your owne wisdome courage strength or multitudes all which are but the arme of flesh Psalm 44. 3 4 5 9 7 8. Wisdome will have us to use all good means but faith will not have us to trust in them 2. A firm perswasion and full relying upon Christ holding the eye of our soul upon him continually Iohn the Baptist Iohn 3. 33. useth two words to expresse the nature of faith and confidence One is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Syr. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Cabala the word of receiving which in the Syriack is not every receiving but a receiving of a Doctrine sent from God as Divine and sent from him The other word is more {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Syr. Obsignavit conclusit hath set to his Seal when the word is used of God toward us wee know the meaning but when it is ascribed unto us in relation to God and his truth it expresseth the testing of our conscience on the truth of God that as the Lord sealeth his testimony unto us by the Sacraments and by his owne Spirit so upon our part our faith and affiance sealeth the truth of God that we acquiesce in it and close with God and the matter is concluded betwixt the Lord and our souls The writing thus sealed cannot be reversed for while the seal is at it it abides firm and the seal is keeped by the Lords faithfulnesse for our benefit This confidence will make us submit to the will of God and to say I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him untill he plead my cause and execute judgement for me Hee will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his righteousnesse Then she that is mine enemie shall see it and shame shall cover her which said unto me Where is the Lord thy God Mic. 7. 9 10. Woe is me for my hurt my wound is grievous but I said Truly this is a grief and I must beare it Iere. 10. 19. This will carry us through all discouragements because it maketh us to see greater things then the World It opposeth the wrath of God against the terrors of the world and the love of God against the love of the world This assureth us of the presence of Christ in all our troubles It is I be not afraid The most terrible word to the enemy and the most comfortable to the godly It perswadeth us that God cannot denie himself nor forsake his own cause and for our selves that although this life and all things in it should fail us yet our happinesse waits for us Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoyceth my flesh also shall rest in hope Psal. 16. 9 Much might be spoken here and to good purpose of the notes whereby to try our faith and confidence whether it be weak or strong and of the means to encrease it that it may come to a full assurance but I have troubled you too much already and therefore I shall only desire that the recent proof of the mercy of God in our deliverance may be added to your Calendar of former deliverances to make your experience the stronger that your hope and confidence may be the stronger for all time to come FINIS An Excellent Allegory taken forth of this History by Augustine In his 14. Sermon Upon the Words of our LORD AS Christ going to the Mountain to pray gave commandement to his Apostles to get into a ship and to goe to the other side so after his ascending into heaven at his commandement the Gospel was to be carried through the Sea of this world As the Ship wherein the Apostles of Christ were Passengers meeteth with a great tempest so the Church of Christ sustaineth waves of persecution and is opposed by the various blasts of haereticall winds As the Disciples doe not straightway forsake the Ship but did toyle in rowing so the confession of our faith is not to be forsaken but the teachers of the Church both by word and writing in the midst of the contrary windes of the world and of the blasts of tumultuous Haereticks are to discharge their office faithfully Let the crosse yard be set up and Christ crucified be looked upon and let us not make defection from him but follow his steps let us through suffering and death it self presse toward eternall glory Let also white sailes that is a pure and honest conversation be laid hold of Moreover although the sea do rage the wind withstand strongly and the surges rise and make a noise so that the ship be sore tossed and covered with the waves yet is shee not drowned but runneth to the Haven so may indeed the Church be pressed but can never be oppressed for Christ is praying on high and beholdeth his own mightily wrestling with the contrary winds He therefore intercedeth for them that their faith fail not but that they may carry unto the Nations these Noble but to humane reason forein wares of remission of sinnes and the Kingdome of heaven through faith in Christ freely offered to all that earnestly repent and amend their lives Furthermore this small Ship shal be tossed and float on the water till the Lord come who alone is able to make a weighty body to walk upon the face of the liquid element which shall come to passe about the fourth watch of the night that is in the end of time when the night of this world is almost spent In the meane while although the roaring Sea doe murmur and repine under the feet of the Lord yet nilling willing it is constrained to beare him so although the swelling pride and powers of the world arise together never so high yet our Head shall trample on their head But when Christ cometh neer unto the ship before he be clearely seene and known of his owne he striketh their hearts with a new terrour that they seeme to themselves to see a Ghost for in the darknes of this night wee are not able rightly to understand the worke of the Lord But when the darknes is scattered and all the storme calmed we shall know him aright and shall worship him as the true Son of God our Redeemer and Saviour It is our part who do live about the fourth watch upon whom the ends of the world are come 1. Cor. 10. 11. to provide lest that by the sudden and unlooked for coming of the Lord we be surprised and confounded for as Christ in one moment and with one thrust brought the ship into the harbour so before we can look about us or turne our selves Eternitie shall come upon us for the Elects sake these dayes shall be shortned Matth. 24. 22. FINIS a Ephes. 3. 14 15 16. b Thes. 3. 9. 10. c Psal. 126. 6. d 1. Thes. 3. 8. e Eccles. 7. 10. f Rom. 11. 22 g Rom. 11. 33 34. h Ier. 10. 23. i Pro. 19. 21. k Iohn 21. 18. l Iob 29. 18. m Mat. 26. 39. Ier. 20. 3. n Micah 4. 5. o Ephes. 4. 14. p Psal. 44. 17 18 19. q Deu●. 29. 20. r 2. Tim. ● 5. s 1. Tim. 3. ● t 1. Tim. 1. 19. u ● Thes. 2. 10 11 12. a Numb. 28. 29. b John 6. VVhy this Text chosen c The admonition of Iohn Knox to the professors of the truth in England Paraphrased Divided Doct. 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason Similes The greatness of Peters deliverance The seasonablenesse thereof The sensibleness of the hand of Christ in it The Relation it had to the prayer of Peter It was from free goodnes a Quid aliud ●●t Christum sequi in atrium pontisicis quam super eisdem fluctibus ambulare cum Christo et quid aliud erat tentatio Ancillae quam ventus adversarius et quid aliud tentatio ex timore quam hic submertio ex timore Musculus in Matth. 14. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Etym. The five circumstances of Peters deliverance applyed to ours The use of this worke of Diuine Providence Use 1. Thankfulnesse in Adoration and Confession c Quid ergo est qd Iudaei dicu ●t cum virum quidem Dei Prophetam fuisse filium vero Dei non fuisse Si filius Dei non fuit certe neque vir Dei neque Propheta fuit cum non fit viri Dei ad exhibitum honorem divinitatis conticescere Qui● dicat cum Caesarianum esse pr●bum ac ge●ui●um Caesari fidelem qui honorem Casari ●o●● comp●●entem ob a●um non repudi●ver●t sed ag●ovoris Muscul. in Matth. 14. Take heed to Emulation and beware of envie Difference betwixt Emulation and Envy d Plut. in Apo. e Ambae {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} sorores a●rae noctis siliae Hesiod Illa amulatio est laudabilis quae non est rivalitui similis Cic. f Caesar●e priorem Pompeiusve p●r●m The Adoration of Christ The Confessing of Christ Charitum num●r●s signific●t ●r●● actus distinctos in beneficiis dare aeccipere referee carum nomen affectus quibus in benefice a●● c. Heming de lege na● Use 2. Obedience to the voice of Christ Own ratione in sanite Use 3. Confidence in Christ