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	pleasure_n	unrighteousness_n	2,527	5	11.3215	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A94070	XXXI. select sermons, preached on special occasions; the titles and several texts, on which they were preached, follow. / By William Strong, that godly, able and faithful minister of Christ, lately of the Abby at Westminster. None of them being before made publique.	Strong, William, d. 1654.	1656 (1656)	Wing S6007_pt1; Thomason E874_1; ESTC R203660	309,248	523

Judgements Rev 13.8 and Rev. 17.8 How came men to be insnared with the Doctrine of Popery and carried away with that doctrine of devils they were given up in Judgement to it as an evidence of their reprobation for they worshipped the Beast and received his mark and his image whose names are not written in the Lambs book of life c. for as Spiritual blessings are pledges of election so spiritual Judgements are dangerous signs of a mans reprobation Secondly they are a fearful earnest of a mans damnation 2 Thes 2.12 He gave them up to believe that lye that all they might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness Heb. 10.27 We read of an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A receiving of a sentence an eternal judgement in a mans own soul when a man carries in his own heart the sentence of his own condemnation and there is not a greater earnest of it in the world then for a man to be given over by God unto spiritual Judgements for that is the portion that all the Heirs of Hell have from the Lord and as by the works of the spirit of adoption upon the soul there is an earnest of Heaven so by the work of the Spirit of Bondage on the soul in judgement there is an earnest of Hell the approaches of God are in the one and the desertions of God are in the other Thirdly consider what a great evil it is to be given up unto this judgement of a perpetual barrenness the sins against the Gospel must be especially requited by such judgements for the Lord will have the judgement hold a proportion unto the sin now the more spiritual sins are and the more spiritual Ordinances are the more spiritual must the judgement needs be now as there are no sins nor no Ordinances so spiritual as those under the Gospel so there are no judgements that are so spiritual and therefore as God is a spirit and hates spiritual sins most so it is most agreeable unto him the soul being a spirit and having the main hand in the sin to load that with spiritual judgements But why will the Lord punish the neglect of the Gospel with a perpetual Barrenness Why shall the marish places be given to salt The grounds are these First consider of all Spiritual Judgements this is the greatest of all judgements the greatest are spiritual judgements and of all spiritual judgements to be given up to barrenness is the greatest for it is that unto which all other Judgements tend and in which they all end and center There are many other spiritual Judgements as there is a Judicial blindness and hardness of heart a seared conscience a reprobate sense but what is all this for it is that we might bring forth no fruit to God and that nothing that is good might grow thereupon and therefore it is that the Devil doth catch away the good seed Matth. 13.19 That we might be as the high-way ground unfruitful we complain of a barren earth by reason of the curse Cursed be the ground for thy sake when thou tillest it it shall not yield thee fruit but there are three sorts of Spiritual Barrennesses which are far beyond this and are the fruits of a far greater curse and they are barren Churches barren Ordinances and barren hearts there was never a more terrible monument of temporal wrath then the Lord shewed upon Sodom and Gomerrah and those Cities of the plain which are now turned into the salt sea and their smoak ascends continually where nothing lives where nothing grows neither fruit nor grass Deut. 29.23 and therefore called the dead Sea as Jerom saith Ierome Quia nihil in se vitale habet unde nomen mortis sortitumest And if a fish be at any time carried out of Jordan into it Statim moriuntur nth●l utilitatis in se habet ut simplex sermo testatur the fishes presently die therein Now take an unregenerate man a barren soul and he is compared here unto the dead sea for it is said that fishers shall stand from Engedi to Eneglaim Eneglaim in principio est maris mortui ubi Iordanum ingreditur Engedivero ubi finitur atque consumitur As great yea a far greater monument of Judgement God gives unto a barren heart then is that of the dead sea which is nothing else but a barren land and barren waters as they bring forth nothing that is good of themselves so neither is there any thing that can live or thrive or grow in them but if it come into it it immediatly dies and so it is with any thing of God or the Spirit of God that comes into the barren heart it is like unto the dead sea what truths or motions soever are cast in they die immedi●tly Secondly This is the greatest judgement because hereby thou losest the fruit of thy union with Christ and the comfort of it for the end of union with Christ is fruitfulness and it is a plain argument that he that brings forth no fruits to God was never married unto Christ for Rom. 7.4 We are said to be married unto Christ that we may bring forth fruit to God There is a double end of Marriage convictus proles Cohabitation and propagation and therefore there cannot be a greater evidence that thou art not yet married unto Christ then this thou art barren for the Spouse of Christ is fruitfull and he hath no further a delight in them then as they bring forth fruit for it was the very end of his coming That they might bring forth fruit and that more abundantly and that their fruit might remain Now to be much in fruitfulness to be rich in good works is a great mercy Si mihi daretur eptio eligerem unius Christiani rustici opus sordidissimum prae omnibus victoriis triumphis Alexandri Caesaris c. Quando fidelis es Deo placent etiam Physica corporalia animalia officia And how great a comfort is it to bring forth fruit to God because it is fruit abounding unto our accounts at the last and the great day now as fruitfulness is a certain evidence of our marriage to Christ so barrenness is a certain evidence that thou art not yet married unto Christ and to be given up in judgement to barrenness is an earnest thou shalt never be married to him and fruitfulness is an argument and a pledge unto a mans heart that Christ will delight in him as Leah said when she had born a son Now my husband will love me now he will be joyned to me now I have born him this son also So may a soul reason it out with Christ Now I shal have his love he wil love me he will delight in me he will dwell with me ●ow I have yielded him fruit for he doth delight in the fruits of his pleasant things Cant. 5.12 Thirdly there is nothing that stands between such a soul and wrath for Ioh. 15.2 Every

commission from him in another manner than any other sinners doe being as Officers employed under him As it is in persecution it is the Devil that doth act persecutors immediately Revel 2.10 The devil shall cast some of you into prison So also it is in Heresie for it is a floud out of the mouth of the Serpent Rev. 12.15 And it appears to bee a highway of wickedness and that which brings all others with it because Satan did put more confidence in it then by any other way to carry on his design and when he was not able to uphold his power any longer in a way of persecution as he did in the first three hundred yeares now he thinkes to repaire all by a way of Heresie for let Christ cast the world into what shape he will Satan applyes himself unto that shape that so he may be the ruler of the darkness of it c. Now there being a great influence from Hell upon this and Satan putting a greater confidence in it it doth plainly shew that there are more depths of wickednesse in this than in any other way of sinning whatsoever and it must needs be if wee consider with our selves these three things First the Understanding is the leading faculty and therein are layd down the rules for the whole life In the practical understanding that is the common treasury of all the rules of practice and according unto these a mans whole life is formed corrupt but the principals of a man and his whole life will quickly be corrupt for no man is better than his principles neither can he be There 's many a man would be better if he had higher principles and therefore the Lord when he shews mercy to a man and doth increase his Grace he doth usually raise his principles and then as a mans light doth rise his Graces will increase for it is claritas in intellectu parit and every man will strive to live up to his principles a godly man doth and he blaming himselfe that he doth fall short and a wicked man shall daily be put upon it and therefore many of them they cannot be so wicked as their principles would lead them to they see there is so much flesh in them that they cannot yet bring themselves to be perswaded that there is no Resurrection of the dead nor no life after this life no punishments nor rewards but if the eye be darknesse how great is that darkness By the Eye is meant the Understanding or the practical Judgement which is the guide of a mans way as the Eye in the body is and if that be darkned in the principles of it the whole body the whole life must needs be full of darknesse the blindnesse in the Eye causeth a darknesse all the body over Secondly it must needs be so because this takes away whatever should restraine the lusts of men for there is a sea of corruption in the heart Isa 57.20 As the raging Sea onely there are bounds set to it and what is that but the light that God doth put into their consciences and men are overawed by it they cannot be so wicked as they would now if lust can once by a corrupt Doctrine cast off this bridle what kind of evill can they be withheld from What is it they dare not doe Rev. 92. The Su●ne and he aire were darkned by the smoak luce vintatis prersus extinera Neither in the Sunne nor in the Aire is there any light now all light being taken away that should discover the way of death to a man and there is an impulse of lust within that puts the man upon acting And whither will not that man run that hath no principle within to restrain him He will commit all iniquity with greediness Thirdly There is a just judgment of God upon them in it that they do dishonour God in his Truths God should give them up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1.26 to that lust which should bring that dishonour upon them that should make them vile and abominable and hateful before men Satan comes with the deceivableness of Unrighteousness because they had pleasure in Unrighteousness 2 Thess 2.10 they were such Doctrines as did in judgement draw out their lusts for God doth many times in judgement send men Teachers according to their lusts Micha If any man will prophesie of Wine and strong Drink he shall be a Prophet to this people So the Lord doth fit them with Doctrines according to their lusts that shall be a means to draw them forth Ezek. 20. I gave them Statutes that were not good It 's spoken of the statutes of Omri and all their Idolatrous commands which God gave them in judgement and their lusts were drawn forth by them and they perished in them For there is a reciprocation between the head and the heart and a constant communion An evil heart commonly makes an evil head and then an evil head doth very much add unto the ro●…enness of the heart And by this means Deceivers in Judgement grow worse and worse 1 Tim. 1.9 Faith and a good Conscience must be kept together and there is no hope of keeping the one without the other for a good Conscience is the vessel wherein Faith is preserved and if that be once split Faith that is the lading will suffer wrack There must be a mutual preservation of both for they must be kept together or they will surely be lost together Doct. 2. Men take special care that the Word of God should be brought in to patronize their lusts They will be wanton but they would also wrest and pervert the word of God the Father and have that countenance it First Carnal Reason is lusts Councellor and the strong Holds of sin lies therein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a great Pleader for sin Men sought out Inventions Eccles 7.29 2 Cor. 10.5 there is a great contribution that corrupt reason gives to lust Secondly But never so much as when it is from the Word of God that being the rule of a mans actions let lust have somthing from it to satisfie it and then the man sins securely it 's true that of Rom. 10.18 the Lord hath stretched forth the Expansum of his Word and many men it may be will not dare to sin with freedom against the aspects of it c. but if the Word do seem to countenance it and they can catch at any thing it shall suffice They wrost the Scriptures to their own damnation 2 Pet. 3.16 The Divel himself will come with It 's written and the false Prophets with Thus saith the Lord and then men can sin securely and without fear because the Word doth justifie them and bear them out and therefore the first the most continued heresies that can never be stubb'd up but there are fibrae of them do appear in all ages as we see it in Arminianisme Pelagisme it is because they have much Scripture that they

  13 26 2 5 91 1 Thessalonians 2 6 271 5 12 101 2 Thessalonians 2 7 477 3 1 10   14 124 1 Timothy 1 15 329 3 10 96   16 694 2 Timothy 2 26 30 Titus 2 16 330 Philippians 3 2 195   19 ibid Hebrews 1 5 92   6 ibid. 9 12 See p 247 after p. 248 10 27 18 12 14 31 38   27 377 13 5 57 Iames. 1 18 696 1 Peter 1 12 35 2 5 743 4 7 271 2 Peter 1 5 44 3 16 11 194 1 Iohn 2 16 529     545   18 206     271 5 19 42   21 483 2 Iohn 5 10 54 Iude.   3 189 192   4 191   6 550 Revelation 1 13 682   20 686 2 1 685   4 582   5 ibid.   21 452 579 3 8 716 4 00 579   3 682   6 567 6 22 669   2 683   12 to 14 723 8 27 688 9 1 196   2 ibid.   10 197   14 718 10 7 288 12 15 196 13 00 190 378 16 9 11 80 17 12 73 18 2 to 13 63 70 78 19 1 84 358 21 22 3 4 22 1 282 FINIS Books Printed for and sold by Francis Tyton at the three Daggers neer the Inner Temple Gate THE several following books of Mr. Richard Baxters Aphorisms of Justification with their explication annexed wherein is opened the nature of the Covenants satisfaction righteousness faith works c. in 12o. The Saints everlasting rest or a Treatise of the blessed state of the Saints in their enjoyment of God in glory in 4 o. Plain Scripture proof for Infant-Baptism in 4 o. The right method in 32. directions for getting and keeping spiritual peace and comfort in 12 o. The unreasonableness of Infidelity manifested in four discourses the subject of which follows viz. 1. The Spirits Extrinsick witness to the truth of Christianity on Gal. 3.1,2,3 With a determination of this Question Whether the miraculous works of Christ and his Disciples do oblige those to believe who never saw them 2. The Spirits internal witness to the truth of Christianity on 1 John 5.10 3. For prevention of the unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost a Demonstration that the Spirit and works of Christ were the finger of God or the Holy war between Christ and Satan on Mat. 12.22,23 A Postscript against Mr. Lyfords exceptions 4. The arrogancy of reason against divine revelation repressed or proud ignorance the cause of Infidelity in 8 o. Christian concord or the agreement of the associated Pastors and Churches of Worcestershire with Mr. Baxters explication and defence of it and his exhortation to unity 4 o. A defence of the Worcestershire petition for ministery and maintenance 4 o. The Quakers Catechize 4 o. An Apology against the modest exceptions of Mr. T. Blake and the digression of Mr. Kendal whereunto are added animadversions on a late dissertation of Ludiomeus Colvinus alias Lodovicus Molineus M. D. Oxon. and an admonition of Mr. W. Eyre of Salisbury with Mr. Crandons anatomy in 4 o. A confession of faith especially concerning the interest of repentance and sincere obedience to Christ in our Justification and salvation in 4 o. Parliamenti Declaratio 23. May 1649. Duke Hambletons case argued by Mr. Steel now Lord chief Baron of the Exchequer in 4 o. The Levellers design discovered by Henry Denn in 4 o. The Collection of Orders of Chancery with the alterations and additions agreed on by the Lords Commissioners of the great Seal and Mr. of the Rolls in 8 o. The anatomy of Iohn Lilburns spirit and pamphlets in 4 o. A short discourse between Monarchical and Aristocratical Government in 4 o. The grand Case of Conscience stated in 4 o. A discours concerning the engagement or the northern subscribers plea in 4 o. Heart-bleedings for professors abominations in 4 o. An English translation of the Scottish Declaration in 4 o. A discovery of some thoughts wherewith many precious souls are burdened by Daniel King in 4 o. English Law or a survey of the houshold of God on earth with an Essay of Christian Government folio The false Brother in 4 o. The rise growth and fall of Antichrist together with the much desired and waited for succession of our Lord Jesus Christ by Edward Haughton Minister of the Word A vindication of Infant-Baptism and singing Psalms by Mr. Sydenham Minister at Newcastle Gospel-mysterie Gospel-life and light by Dorneford A Commemoration Sermon on the fith of November before the Parliament in 4 o. A Commemoration Sermon on the fifth of November before the Lord Maior called a Voice from Heaven in 4 o. Heavenly Treasure or mans chiefest good in 12 o. Communion with God in Ordinances the Saints priviledge and duty in 12 o. XXXI Select Sermons on special occasions in 4 o. All by William Strong Minister of the word of God The horrid bloody Spanish Inquisition in 12 o. Spiritual Barrenness EZEK 47.11 But the myrie places thereof and the marishes thereof shall not be healed but be given to salt THey are great things which the Lord hath spoken of the latter days which are called by the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The ends of the world so you render it but Grotius renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 1.10 The fulness and perfection of times Grotius Deus in omnibus actionibus prisci seculi semper ob oculos habebat temp●r a Messiae c. In which there shall be a perfection of Ordinances and of Churches and of Prophesies for the mysterie of God is in the latter days to be finished Rev. 10.7 There is a Kingdom of God which the Lord will set up or cause to arise Dan. 2.44 Which though it shall begin in the days of those Kings in the times of the Roman Monarchies yet it shall be the great Instrument in the hand of God to destroy the Monarchies for Iacob is in the hand of the Lord as a threshing instrument in the middle of the Nations either as dew from the Lord or as a Lyon amongst the Beasts of the Forest the Angels they poured out the seven vials full of the wrath of God which are the seven last plagues they came out of the Temple Rev. 15.6 And this Kingdom of God shall not come to perfection it shall not arise unto its greatness till judgement sit and dominion be taken away from the fourth beast to consume and destroy it unto the end Dan 7.26,27 It s true that the Church of Christ hath a mighty efficacy upon the world but it is secret invisible and comes not under humane observation Nisi oratione doctrina sustentaret Ecclesia mundum uno momento perirent omnia Luther on Gen. 30 But there will come a time when the power and glory of the Church shall be visible The mountain of the Lords house shall be exalted on the top of the mountains Lactantius when the prophesie of Lactan. p. 579. shall be

visionem videtur Sanctis promittere Adonai dominationem denotat plane filio congruit per quem Deus pater ut fecit mundum sic mundum moderatur And. Masius Andr. Masius in Josh 7. There shall be vision of Christ in glory and in the vision of him and full communion with him our holiness shall consist 1 John 3.3 When he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Austin t was Austins wish to have seen Christum in carne if it were so desirable to have seen Christ in the flesh in his humbled estate how much more desirable to see him in his glorified to see the King in his glory Christ glorified and our selves as partaking with him in the same glory for we shall enter into our Masters Joy Enter into the Joy of our Lord. That as he sate down with the Father upon his Throne so we should sit with him upon his throne and this was the happiness that Job expected I know that my Redeemer lives and that I shall see him with these eyes or else we may understand it of the vision of God for it is that only that is the beatifical vision for God being the ultimate object of our faith Christ is but the intermediate object through Christ we believe in God he must be the ultimate object of our happiness and so to See is an Hebraeism and implyes both vision and fru●tion in vision for to know a thing in the most perfect way is called seeing in the Scripture 1 Pet. 1.12 The Angels desire to look into that is to have a through and a perfect knowledge of them and it implyes fruition Isa 53.11 He shall see of the travel of his soul and be satisfied Isa 66.14 Ye shall see and your hearts shall rejoyce that is of this you shall have experience and so to see the Kingdom of God is to possess it to enjoy it to have a part and a portion in it c. And this vision of God is double First fiducial which is by faith here for every believer must be first a Seer John 6.40 He that sees the son and believes in him So Mat. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Heb. 11.27 He seeing him that was invisible This is a fiducial vision and the truth is without holiness no man can thus see God But that I shall not restrain the text to Secondly beatifical that is to see God immediatly and that with such a perfect vision as the creature is capable of First to see God as he is in himself Secondly to see God as he is in your selves for our happiness consists in both these first to see God as he is in himself for we shall see him as he is this is called seeing him face to face here we see God but by Negatives via negationis as he is not denying unto God the imperfections you see in the creature I say this is rather to see him as he is not then as he is and by shadows and resemblances from the creatures via causalitatis and neither of these is to see God as he is but rather what God is not but as he is pleased to represent himself unto our faith it s by way of reflection not intuition But we shall see him then as he is that is by these helps and means and through this glass no more but immediately face to face it is true that the infiniteness of the divine nature no created understanding is able to comprehend none can know God to perfection but God himself No not the Angels in Heaven nor the man Christ Jesus but yet all the Saints shall know God and see him unto their perfection so as to make themselves perfectly happy though they can never know him to his perfection for even a glorified understanding shall be finite and that cannot be capable of an infinite object we shall see him c. that is infinite but not modo infinito and this is that which is commonly called beatitudo objectiva blessedness in the object Secondly there is a seeing of God in themselves when the Saints shall see such a perfect image of the glory of God stamped upon them that they shall see more of God manifested in themselves of all his Attributes then they can see in the best of the creatures here below more then in all the works of creation and providence beside some weak appearances there are of the divine nature revealed in the Saints here but then they shall be full and glorious they shall shine as the Sun in the Kingdom of my Father there shall be more of the glory of God stampt upon their souls and bodies then there is brightness in the Sun and this is another thing wherein the happiness of the Saints shall consist the perfection of the image of God in themselves and this is commonly called beatitudo formalis to see God in themselves and to see God in himself in this doth the fruition of God consist and the happiness of the creature for ever and holiness is the means to attain to this vision there is no salvation without it it is only the holy man shall see God and they that think to attain it any other way deceive themselves for the expression is exclusive No man be he what he will be of what estate and condition soever high or low rich or poor be his authority never so great be his profession never so glorious let him make never so fair a shew amongst men let him be of never so great fame and repute let him be never so just amongst men and of a moral carriage and a good behaviour that no man can blemish him yet is he a holy man if there be no holiness in him there is no vision of God for him he can never see God by a vision of faith here neither shall he ever see him that is enjoy him in a vision of glory hereafter here there are great shews of holiness and shadows which are not so that men do count holiness and many are cryed up for Saints in their generation or as is the foolery of this age because other men will not they will canonize themselves for Saints but there is a holiness of truth that the Apostle speaks of Eph. 4. and such a holiness it must be not in name only but in truth not in word but in power and it is observable that the Apostle here makes it exclusive but only to the last particle he exhorts you to follow peace and holiness but he adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without which there may be a seeing of God without peace that is a man may follow peace and not attain it and yet see God but without holiness none can see him it is commonly by Interpreters restrained unto the vision of God in glory and therefore so I shall consider it only at this time and the observation that it doth