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	great_a	speak_v	2,174	5	4.1269	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A51605	Saving faith and pride of life inconsisent delivered in a sermon, preached before the then commissioners of the Common-wealth of England for the affairs of Ireland, at Christ-Church in Dublin / by John Murcot ...	Murcot, John, 1625-1654.	1656 (1656)	Wing M3082; ESTC R32107	17,348	32

the one be followed the other is neglected And so ver 34. I receive not testimony from men but these things I say that ye might be saved Not that he did not admit Johns Testimony he there speaks of but he did not captare he needed it not sought not after it only this he speaks for their sakes because they had a good esteem of John and so his testimony might be of force with them and so ver 41. I receive not honour from men not that he did not admit men to speak well of him though sometimes he did charge them straightly they should not speak yet sometimes he did admit them to speak of him and to His honour but he catched not at it he sought it not and in this sense we take it here The Doctrine shall be this Doct. The seeking honour from men with the neglect of that honour whi h is of God is a great impediment to our faith or a great reason why poor creatures do not beleeve How can you beleeve seeing you receive honour seek honour one of another There are two considerations especially wherein the truth of this will appear First when the way of Christ is persecuted when Religion is a reproach Isa 59.15 and he that departeth from iniquity maketh himselfe a prey as the Prophet speakes then the desire of honour among men keepeth them off from beleeving and closing with him This was the great stumbling block in the Jews way Why did not they beleeve We know the way of truth was disgraced Jesus Christ came in such a meane manner He was born in a stable had a manger for his cradle because there was no roome for Christ in the Inne He had a Carpenter for his supposed father He had not a house to put his head in and is this like to be the Messiah What he whom they afterward crucified is this like to be the Deliverer and Saviour of his people The Jews would have beleeved if their great men or their Rulers had believed in him so that there might have been any credit by it There was a double danger did arise from their seeking honour of men 1. This carnal affection did bribe their understandings that they could not see the Lord Jesus to be the Messias they were all for pomp and glory and therefore could not beleeve nor be convinced that such a disgraced person should be the Messias It is the nature of all corrupt affections to bemist and cloud the understanding so that conviction is hindred by that meanes If any other come in his own name saith our Saviour if it be but the way to honour if a great person and esteemed among you him you will receive What was the reason the people did not see the errour of the false prophets Jer 5.31 alas they did love to have it so 2. If they were convinced that the Lord Jesus were the Messiah and so that they must have salvation in him if ever they were saved yet this desire of honour amongst men it choaked it it smothered it they durst not own it and that either altogether or else in part Altogether so we finde in many of the Jews in that place of John the twelfth in the chief Rulers many beleeved in him they were convinced and perswaded that he was the Messiah but they did not confess him saith the Text for feare of the Pharisees lest they should be shut out of the Synagogues John 12.42 43. For they loved the praise of men more then the praise of God They esteemed it more to be one visible in the Church of the Jewes then one of the invisible Church of Jesus Christ Rom. 10.10 With the heart man beleeves unto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is an open free ingenuous profession of Jesus Christ amongst men before men now for shame for feare of reproach they durst not do it And as altogether so in part Nicodemus beleeved in Jesus Christ Joh. 3.1 2. but at first he durst not openly acknowledge him but came to him by night for feare of the Jewes that was because he was not rid of this desire of seeking honour among men And thus now while the way of God is in reproach as you know it is not long since it was when it may be many wel-wishers to the people of God and wayes of God in their hearts yet durst not confesse for feare of idolaters who would have excommunicated them made them a reproach and scorne to the people And thus you see in this case how it hindreth beleeving Then secondly when the Lord maketh Magistrates nursing fathers or nursing mothers to his Church and people the wayes of God are countenanced Religion is a credit and not a disgrace it is the way to be esteemed if not to be preferred then alas On the other hand doubtlesse there is as great a danger that profession should eat up faith When there is such a desire after honour among men every man then will put on a vizard and will at least seem to be that which they are not If they can appeare to men to be so and make but profession a net to catch a little respect a little honour a little favour among men they are well enough If the Lord Jesus had come as the Jews had expected him to come as a great and glorious Prince with power to raise them advance them as the Disciples themselves did dreame of such honours he had not so few followers in his low estate as he would have had many if he had been otherwise but amongst those many I doubt there would have been few sound ones for their desire of honour and respect among men would have made them close with him to professe him though their hearts were altogether strangers to him Joh 6.26 as those that followed for the loaves in another case And this rather representeth our condition at present because now the reproach of Christ is rolled away in great part and it is rather a reproach to be a prophane wretch and to have no profession of Christ Every one will now professe but in the meane time while they are acted by such a desire and seeking honour of men that being the great inducement and matter not the glory which is of God only they cannot beleeve How can you beleeve indeed whatever profession you make for as a man may beleeve and not professe so may a man and doubtlesse many do professe that never beleeved and upon this very reason in these dayes Some were guilty in the very dayes of persecution of this many beleeved in him Joh. 2.23 24. but he committed not himselfe unto them for he knew their hearts then as much as now in these dayes To give you an Argument or two for the Doctrine Reas 1 Reas 1. The first I shall take from the very nature of faith which is to empty the