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	word_n	14,132	5	4.8692	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A48398	The life and death of Mr. Vavasor Powell, that faithful minister and confessor of Jesus Christ wherein his eminient conversion, laborious successful ministry, excellent conversation, confession of faith, worthy sayings, choice experiences, various sufferings, and other remarkable passages in his life and at his death are faithfully recorded for publick benefit : with some elogies and epitaphs by his friends.	Bagshaw, Edward, 1629-1671.; Powell, Vavasor, 1617-1670.	1671 (1671)	Wing L2003; Wing B418_CANCELLED	114,187	204

I had my Heart several times in a good frame of Prayer Fifthly I learned f om Psal 149.2.4 How it is mutually between God and his People they joy in him and he take pleasure in them I also was thinking of the grounds of Saints doubts about their salvation viz. Ignorance in the Covenant of grace want of observing their Hearts of keeping up Holiness Slothfulness and favouring some secret sin and not profiting by ordinances I was noting that the wicked are not ashamed to profess that they endeavour hurt to the righteous without a cause Prov. 1.11 and that the godly should g●ow more bold by how much the more their afflictions increase 1. Thess 2.2 I had my heart this day so tned in P●●yer I was this day convinced of the negligence in that duty of desiring to see the Faces of the Saints as Paul did 1. Thess 3.11 I received a special Letter this day from our dear Brother I. B. which suited much with my condition and judgement I learned a word from one that I could not expect such words viz. I did not heretofore prize neither great things that were temporal of spiritual but now I prize the least things of either sort from 2. Cor. 7. chap. 4 5 6. I observed 1. That in the greatest trouble Gods People may have the greatest comforts 2. That their comfort is originally from God 3. That God may send in these comforts at such times and in such a manner as they expect not this Evening my Soul was a little refreshed by divers promises and softned in Prayer Being the Lords day I observed from Prov. 3.16 In all thy wayes acknowledge him that godliness is an eying of God owning of God imitating of God and respecting of God in all our wayes and upon the consideration of these two following questions I had many thoughts some of which were refreshing and satisfying to me from the first question how we may know that we have received real good benefit by our afflictions Secondly How we may know when God doth afflict in Love and Faithfulness Psal 119.75.71 also divers other meditations from Rev. 12.10 They overcame by the word of their testimony and by the Blood of the Lamb c. and concerning the spiritual Race which a Christian is to run I had some enlargedness and tenderness of heart God according to his usual way and dealing with me foreseeing what I could not to wit more approaching affliction did this day administer an Antidote even comfort by Letters from the hands of several special Freinds also those words keep sound wisdome keep my saying in the midest of thine heart and keep thy heart with all diligence were I adjudged words worthy of observation hearing this Evening of a gratious Brother and Preacher sickness my heart was moved earnestly to pray for him I observed in the Morning a special exhortaion out of Prov. 5.1 My Son attend unto my wisdome and bow thine Ear unto my understanding also verse the 23. that sin is a great folly so chap. 18.13 Judg. 19.23 This day I received a sad Letter from a Brother T. E. that is turned Quaker which added much ●o my affliction the good Lord shew him the E ●or of his way and humble and reclaim him this day I was sensible of my aptness to be angry and was put seriously to enquire into the voice and will of God by these additional afflictions and I find a need of the continuance of them and my heart brought into a more submissive frame to bear and suffer his Rod. This day I bless the Lord was a good day to my Soul I had enlargedness and much freeness with some measure of softness and earnestness in Prayer especially for the Saints of God and perticularly for my own country Christians I had also a strong resolution to watch my self more carefully and do my duty more diligently then formerly out of Prov 7. I observed several helps or means to prevent and preserve the Soul from sin viz. 1. A laying up the Commandements in the Heart 2. A looking on them or eying of them 3. Getting endeared affection to Christ 4. By taking heed of the occasions thereof This day was but a flat drowsie day to my Soul nor great good gained but sin and grace not discernably active and affections unwarmed and unquickened yet convinced of lost time and comforted a little from 1 Thess 4. With thoughts of Christs coming I was this morning instructed from wisdomes words Prov. 8.8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness and there is nothing froward in them that I should take more heed for the time to come of a froward Month and Tongue this day also I hope I can humbly say it I injoyed the Lord both in Meditation and Prayer and being sensible of the want of skil in beleiving and more diligence in sanctification and thereupon I am resolved through grace and hope to be enabled to take more heed to my ways and as the Lord also presented that Scripture to me Thess 5.15 But ever follow that which is good This day I had a check in my Spirit for lightness of heart and besides an outward special Providence I observed I learned from the sin I saw and heard of in others to loath or at least desired to loath it in my self I also observed from Prov. 9.18 That one main Reason why People do not leave sin is because they do not know or consider the punishment of sin also what a commendable thing it is for Christians to be patient and beleiving in all Persecution and Tribulations Thess 2.1 chap. 4. This day being the Lords day through Gods grace I had my heart much softened and enlarged to call upon God especially one time I observed also that that want of the love to the truth and love to unrighteousness are the causes of men falling from the faith 2. Thess 2.10.12 also ano●her excellent Lesson from that word 2. Thess 3 1● where he speaks of busie Bodies which signifies properly to be too intent about the work we should not be This d●● I had my heart set somewhat upon the consideration h● t v● p ●●●s P●ov 11.2 12 13. The ●ust ●hall be del●ve●ed and the just shall be saved on of troub●e 〈◊〉 d● I was no●eing a great difference between having the light and the love of the truth this day I received an Answer from a Christian Freind of a B●others business of concernment which signified his love and care and increased my affection to him I was somewhat affected also with the sweet Counsel of Christ to the Church of Sardis I had my Soul in some good frame especially in Prayer and comfort from the consideration of the promises in Psal 1.3 That the good man shall bear Fruit and that his Fruit shall not wither and Isa 49.25 and Jer. 33.20 From the stability of the Covenant I likewise considered 1. That there is that in Christ which answers

him that seeks God the more earnestly 21. He is one that upon every new mercy received is with new thankfulness delighted 22. He hath such pity for perishing people that he cannot but weep at the sense of their ruine Luke 19.41 23. He is one that prosperity doth not lift up nor adversity cast down 24. Every company is burthensome to him that is not designing Gods glory 25. The longer he is acquainted with Christ the greater is his affection to Christ 26. He is one that knows the voyce of Christ and will hear his voyce only John 10.4 5. 1 Iohn 4.6 27. He is one that lays the sins of Professors so much to heart that it makes him walk sadly 28. He is one that prays at his first conversion Acts 9.11 God hath no Still-born children 29. He is one that upon self suspition doth greatly desire to be searched and doth earnestly search himself that his work may be of God approved Psal 77.6 Psal 139.1 30. Under deep distress or languishing Gods promises are then most pretious to him 31. His faith helps on his holyness and his holiness holds up his faith 32. Whereever he goes he carries a constant jealousie with him over his heart proving its affectedness to God and goodness 33. He hath a soft circumcised new heart and is a new creature Ezekiel 36.26 2 Corinthian 5.17 34. The peace of Christs house is the chief joy of his heart 35. He is more afraid of the hell in sin than the hell after sin 36. He doth never resolve to goe on in any known sin 37. He is one that had rather dwell in a Cottage with the humble then in a pallace with the Ungodly 38. He respects all and rejects none of Gods commandments 39. He often asks his heart what am I what a doing whether a going As an Appendix to his Confession of Faith you have here 12. brief Arguments concerning Beleivers Baptism which were bles'd to the satisfaction of a Doubting friend upon that subject to whom he sent them 1. BEcause God commands Acts 2.38 and 10.48 and 22.16 2. Because of the promises made to this Ordidance and to them that submit thereto Matt. 16.16 Act. 2.38 3. Because thereby they imitate Christ and his Apostles Matt. 3.13 Luk. 3.21.23 Act. 9.18 4. Because it is one of the Principles of Religion Heb. 6.1 2. 5. Because it is part of righteousness and practising it is part of fulfilling righteousness Mat. 3.15 6. Because of the significancy of it signifies 1. Jesus Christs death burial and resurrection and our justification thereby Rom. 6.3.4 Mar. 1.5 Act. 22.16 2. Our putting on of Christ Gal. 3.27 3. Our Sanctification is mortification and vivication Rom. 6.2.5 Col. 2.12 4. The Baptism of the spirit or the gifts of the Spirit Act. 1.5 Tit. 3.5 6. 7. Because it is a Seal of the Covenant of Grace coming in the room of circumcision Col. 2.11 compare with Rom. 4.11 This such as are for Infants Baptism acknowledge 8. Because it was and still should be a badge of Christianity and a discriminating character of saints and beleivers from the world and unbeleivers Act. 10.47 1 Cor. 15.29 9. Because it is a concomitant of faith and faith and it ought not to be separated Eph. 4.5 Act. 8.12 10. Because not to be baptized is a rejecting of the Counsel of God Luke 7.30 11. Because it is one of the uniting Bands that joyns the body together and one of the Churches breasts that nourishes her Children 1 Cor. 12.13 Col. 2.19 Cant. 4.5 8 8. 12. Because it is praevious and antecedaneous to Church-communion and to the orderly partaking of the Lords-Supper Acts 2.41 42.9.18 26.27 28 To which might be added the general opinion of both antient and modern Teachers and Churches as appears in their Confessions of Faith and other writings Neither is there any prohibition of reiterating the Ordinance especially if there be any deficiency in the first reception of it and that essential too in Infant baptisme consider Mat. 3. with 2.14 19.3 5. Some gratious Experimental and very choyce Sayings and Sentences collected out of his Papers SAints should fear every Sin but no Sufferings Psal 4.4 Rev. 2.10 There is a Guilt that Saints may communicate to others and contract from others both to be removed by new Acts of Faith and Repentance It is a great ease to and unburthening of the Soul to confess Sin sensibly humbly brokenly and with hatred to it It is the property of a true Christian to justifie God and to judge himself under the greatest afflictions It is and should be the care of a Christian not to suffer for Sin nor Sin in ●●fferings Account the least Spiritual things better then the greatest and best outward and Temporal things There is no real Bondage but what is either from ●●r for Sin Christians will sooner overcome their outward Enemies by praying for them then by praying against them Bad times well improved are far better then ●ood times not redeemed or mispent Shut thy Eyes from beholding thy Ears from earing and thy Heart from entertaining sin All Christians must be brought into the Fire before they will be brought to close for it is impossible to joyn cold Pieces or one cold and another hor. He that is willing to part with his dearest Lust will be willing to part with his dearest Life also A Christian will have but little comfort to suffer for that which is but a Notion in his Head and not a setlend truth in his Heart yet Note that the lesser the Truths are which Christians do suffer for if rightly the more there Love doth appear to Christ therein Gods Minnums or least things are better then the worlds Mountains or greatest things The Saints are to bear a threefold Testimony to and for Christ and his Truths Breath testimony Life testimony and Blood testimony Speaking Words maintaining Opinions and the outward performing of Duties and partaking of ordinances are but the least things in Religion I never trusted Christ but I found him faithful nor my own Heart but I found it false Let Gods hiding thy infirmities and secret sins from thy Enemies make thee the freer and willinger to confess them unto him Learn to know sin to disallow of it dispise it overcome it inwardly and to put it from thee to fear its return and to be more estranged towards it more watchful to avoid Temptations and wise to shun occasions that lead to it The strength of all Corruption sometimes appears in one and do but overcome your master sin and you overcome all The power and strength of Corrupion is but seldom known to wit when Temptations Oppertunities and occasions of tryal come That Soul doth grow empty that is alwayes letting out but not careful to lay in Let Professors take heed least they be alwayes wooing Christ and yet never married to him of being Concubines and not Queens Cant. 6.8 Lay in lay up lay out for Christ Remember

for suffering many months Poverty is the gift God as well as Riches When Saints perceive their sins growing weak they should prosecute them most A wicked man may give good Counsel from God to a good man and he not taking it may be destroyed Pharoh Necho to Iosiah It may be said of many a man that he is honourable and yet a Leaper 2. Kings 5.1 There is no evil in sin but there is some what in the name of Christ that speaks the contrary as sin is darkness so Christ is light c. A Beleiver is to shut the Eye of Reason if he will clearly see with the Eye of Faith The great Principles and Misteries of Divinity 〈◊〉 are to abide in God to live on God to walk with God and to live to God There are three sorts of Gospel Sacrifices 1. Thanksgiving Psal 51.17.19 Amos 4.5 Heb. 13.15 Hos 4.2 2. Liberality to the Poor Mich. 6.8 1 Cor. 16.1.2 2. Cor. 18.19 Heb. 13.16 3. Our selves Rom. 12.1 Sanctifying Thoughts 1. The Thoughts of God free and constant love to me 2. The thoughts of what Christ hath done for me 3. The thoughts of what I have been and done against God 4. The thoughts of what God and Christ are to me and I to them 5. The thoughts of Christs Excellency and some Saints Eminency 6. The thoughts of Death and Judgement 7. The thoughts of what I shall be and shall have hereafter A Christian should be much taken and rejoyce at 1. The least Revelation of Truth 2. The least Communion with God 3. The least additional measure of holiness 4. The least success God gives him in his work T is observed that the first word spoken by Christ in his ministerial office is an assertion to or of the authority of Scripture Mat. 4.4 God is not only the holy one of Israel but the holy one in Israel Ezek. 39.7 By Prayer God doth converse with me by Preaching he doth teach me by Meditation he doth fill me by Saints society he doth warn me by singing Hymnes he doth ravish me by his Supper he doth feed me By his Love he doth endear me to him by his Son embolden me By his Spirit unite me to him By his promises stay me with him Publick Disputations are seldome rightly managed being too often attended either with firceness and frowardness too much insulting over an Adversary if any advantage be gained or be left to one● self in some thing or other to be worsted and shamed Or if some good hath been not to be so ready to give God the glory as in other things A suffering Christian should see that Innocency be the beginning and Patience the end thereof Six necessary Questions that every Christian shoul● ask his own Heart 1. Whether I am a Saint or a Hyppocrite a wise or foolish Virgin 2. What are the truest and strongest grounds I have of my Saintship 3. Whether if I be a true Christian is my Spirit Legal or Evangelical 4. With which of the Saints mentioned in Scripture can I most compare my self 5. What are the Reasons in respect of my self why I continue without full assurance 6. What is my master sin and what power hath it in my Soul or I over it God carries on the work of Grace in Believers 1. According to their natural parts and natural constitutions 2. According to the means they are under whether Legal or Evangelical Preaching 3. According to the things he hath to do by them or calls them to suffer 4. According to the shortness or length of time they have to live 5. According as they have been before the Conversion greater or lesser Sinners Recreations the Object and Subject being right must be 1. Not on Lords-days Fast-days c. 2. Not in the Night for it is given for rest 3. When we stand in need of it 4. Seldom 5. Not over-long 6. Not over costly 7. Suitable to mens conditions 8. To a good end In Duties we should 1. Look for to meet and enjoy God 2. Expect to hear and receive from God 3. Return somewhat to God As a Watch must be dayly wound up by him that carries it otherwise it is useless So the Soul must be spiritually wound up by Christ else it will be unuseful and unserviceable Christ hath more to do to bring us to be reconciled to God then to bring God to be reconciled to us Reasons 1. Because God is willing Men unwil●ing 2. Because God is satisfied and contented with Christs merits so are not Men. Soul freedome 1. To be freed from doubts of its eternal condition 2. Of scrupulous opinions 3. Of the power of Corruption 4. Of stinging Conviction of the Law 5. Of the fiery fierce temptations of Satan 6. From the fear of death Saints do commonly sleight and undervalue what ever suits not with their own Judgements James 1.8 A double minded man that is a man whose mind hangs between a double Object Christ and the World A Saint that hath been sick and near death and is recovered and returns into the World again is like a poor peeld Sheep that is brought out of the high Hill and Storm and almost to the Fold and then chased again to the storm Or a weary Traveller that is near his home that must needs return a great part of his way to fetch what he did neglect Or a man that hath been long at Sea and is in sight of shore but forced to Sea again Or an Apprentice that when he expects to be set at liberty must serve another Apprentiship Or Iosephs Brethren who returning home was forced back again into Egypt Things that seem small to Christians at a distance when God brings them to the Soul they seem great as persons or things at a distance as sin duty c. Two great Evils follow hardness of Heart Rom. 2.5 Impenitency and Wrath. When may sin be said to be a mans own 1. When he commits them out of his own as Satan doth Iohn 8.44 1 Iohn 38.9 2. When he hates it not but loves it yea more then any good Psal 52.3 3. When he nourisheth it Iam. 5.5 They pick the sweetest bits to nourish the hearts 4. When a man provides for it Rom. 13.14 5. When men live in sin 1. Tit. 5.6 6. When it is their Element meat Prov. 1.7 Sleep v. 16. Apparel Psal 73. Chain Prov. 10.23 Men carry their lives as men carry pretious water in a brittle Glass 2 Sam. 14.14 or a Candle in a paper Lanthorn A Saints second part of Sin is sorrow A true Saint hath his high places to walk upon Heb. 3. Last As 1. God himself his being 2. Christ as Mediatour his Light Strength c. 3. The Spirit as his Air. 4. The word as his Staff 5. Mount Zion as his delightful place 6. Gods decrees as his Record 7. Experiences as his helps 8. Hopes of Salvation as his encouragement The Evils I have feared and experienced in my self