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	speak_v	word_n	6,852	5	4.5022	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A27259	Psychomachia, or, The soules conflict with the sins of vain glory, coldnesse in professing Christ, envie, photinianism (of the last resurrection), ingratitude, unpreparednes to meet the Lord, revenge, forgetfulness of God : pourtrayed in eight severall sermons, six whereof were delivered at St. Maries, and Christ-Church in Oxford, and two at Sherburn in Glocestershire / Henry Beesley ...	Beesley, Henry, 1605-1675.	1656 (1656)	Wing B1691; ESTC R13325	163,090	260

And he knew how dangerous it was to rivall with the Almighty in glory by accepting that horrible courtesie It was the flattery of others Acts 12.22 that made Herod guilty of blasphemie in that overstrained complement The voice of a God and not of a man and yet he is fain to recant it himself by dying the wormes by a mortal demonstration soon confute his divinity Verse 23. and without the help of a Surgeon present him an unfeigned skeleton before the eyes of his kind murtherers So that you see this outward basenesse and infirmity was necessary in our Apostle to raise the conceits of his beholders unto the true Authour of his miracles But though God magnify his power in the weakness of his creatures would you beleeve that he should practise this strange mystery on himself and that he should magnify his power by his own infirmity And yet behold the eternal Son of God effecting the wonder of our redemption in the form of a servant Phil. 2.7 and triumphing over Satan in the infirmities of our nature Rom. 8.3 assuming the likeness of our sinful flesh that he might condemn sin in the flesh and by tasting of death himself Heb. 8.9 1 Cor. 15.54 Eo de honestamento corporis maximé laetatur ut de Sertor Salust Gal. 6.17 swallowing up death in victory And might not Paul glory in his infirmities that were enabled by the sufferings of his Saviour To be like great personages even in miseries is a graceful adversity How proud is the souldier of that wound that resembleth him with his General almost thanking his misfortune for advancing him to so worthy a danger And can he lesse exult in his sufferings that bears in his body the marks of the Lord Jesus Besides it may seem too that God himself alloweth this honest ostentation in his servants when by the consent of Schoolmen all the Martyrs shall appear in the Church triumphant bearing the signes of their Christian wounds about them as if so many speaking testimonies of their godly courage that what here they endured in behalf of their Saviour may be there an addition to their glory And how eminently shall his body then glister with skarres that left here no place for a new wound that by a valiant emulation did not so much imitate as repeat our Saviours sufferings In stoning in whipping in watching Verse 25. in fasting in perils of his own nation in perils among the Gentiles in perils in the City in perils in the wilderness in being haled from one Magistrate to another from Lysias the chief Captain to Felix the Governour Acts 23.26 25.12 from Festus to Caesar in being falsely accused and pronounced innocent by his Judges nay to make up the resemblance he wanted not a blow from the High-Priest nor an Ecce homo behold the man so as he may be well applauded with that elogie of Salvian Salvian de Gub. lib. 3. Singularis Domini praeclarus imitator An excellent disciple of a singular Master that walking in the steps of his leader hath made him plainer as it were and more significant by his footing and may well bespeak your imitation as he did sometimes the Corinthians 1 Cor. 11.1 Application Be ye followers of me even as I also am of Christ By the example of his sufferings we are summoned to a warfare and who would refuse to follow his Captain in that way which he hath traced out by his own blood Our fighting is suffering and who is so weak but can do this nay weaknesse is our onely strength for when we are weak then are we strong Chap. 12.10 The mind is more able to endure the encounter when its domestick enemy the flesh is brought into subjection and by the discipline of a strict life is taught more readilie to obey her injunctions Aphor. Hippocr In bodily diseases when the sicknesse is in its vigour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the great Physitian a sparing diet is mainly requisite that the strength of nature may be wholly employed on the maladie and it is no less important in the conflicts of the soul which becomes more vigorous by abstinence as thereby uniting her forces Chrys●st and refining her self from the earthly contagion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith St. Chrysost This is a resplendent victorie this is the triumph of the Church thus the devill is vanquished whilest we are afflicted and takes the foile by our miseries by our fasting he is made hungrie by our thirst he faints chased he is by our persecution and disarmed by our nakedness Thus is the Lord of Hosts pleased to fight his battel by our infirmities and from the victorie of our sufferings to erect a trophie to his glory Even so Lord evermore arm us with thy self against all assaults of sin and Satan that by the power of thy Cross and Passion we may advance thy glorie here against the kingdom of darknesse untill by the power of thy resurrection we shall be advanced to thy Kingdom of glorie For thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glorie for ever AMEN SERM. II. JOH 12.42 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him but because of the Pharisees they did not confesse him lest they should be put out of the Synagogue NOthing is more incredible to the depraved nature of man then the mysteries of his salvation He could easily beleeve the father of lies in the plot of his captivity but can hardly beleeve the God of truth in the counsel of his deliverance To perswade so strange a conceipt the Almighty must take paines with his creatures and that word which onely spake mans creation must himself become man to preach his Redemption Luke 18.8 But shall the Sonne of man find faith on the earth behold the barbarousnesse of infidelity Joh. 1.11 He came unto his own and his own received him not and yet the main business of his doctrine was to exhort a beleefe and that doctrine canonized with miracles the infallible testimonies of a deity such miracles as were not so much the labour as the property and emanation of his person Zanch. de trib Elohim l. 3 c. 3 nor were wrought by the dispensation of a greater power but by his own vertue and auhority which was common to the fellowship of the Trinity in which he was not the instrument but the partner and differed from his Father not in power but in the order of working which the devils by a sharper Philosophy perceived to be above the contrivance of nature Vid. Iud. viv in 9. de Civ Dei cap 21. and as if by preaching the Gospel of our Saviour they would condemn the stupid Jewes usurp S. Peters very confession Thou art Christ the Son of the living God Matth. 16.16 But this degenerating stock of Abraham children of his flesh Not his faith in a Sceptick madness will neither credit their ears in the words

in the Schools of the Prophets for the edifying of Gods people This course so established by God in the Old Testament Christ re-established in the New by giving as for the first time Apostles Prophets and Evangelists so for the last Pastours Eph. 4.11 and Teachers to continue successively for the works of the ministery unto the worlds end Etiam hodie clamat Iohannes exemplo verbo vocis suo tonitruo deserta nostrorum concutit peccatorum Ambros The world hath ever will ever have need of those that bring the good tidings of peace not onely for such as come out of darknesse to be converted from the errour of their wayes but the children of light too otherwhiles have need to hear of their sins being remitted and themselves restored to the favour of God upon their repentance and for this purpose saith the Apostle God hath given to us the ministery of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.19 to be Embassadours for Christ and in his stead to beseech and pray men to be reconciled unto God An Embassage of so high concernment as could hardly be believed if it came onely from the mouth of man But that we have Christs warrant for it He that heareth you Luke 10. ●6 heareth me and whosesoever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them For what he said unto his Apostles in this kind Id ad totum liturgorum nationem refertur it belongeth to all the nation of Ministers If Tertullian had not said it we have no reason to doubt thereof but for those last words of the Commission M●t. 28. ult I am with you alway even unto the end of the world whereby not only those that were sent vivâ voce to teach all nations but all faithfull Ministers that ever should be in every age are promised to have the presence of Christ that is the assistance of his Spirit unto the enlarging of his Church Such honour hath God vouchsafed to men and many times to the meanest of them to make them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 6.1 workers together with himself to the work of salvation Posset quidem è coelo ipso loqui aut Angelos mittere sed in eo magis nostri rationem habuit quod per homines nostri similes compellat ut eorum voce magis familiariter nos ad se adjiciat Calvin in Isai Hyperius meth theol l. 3. c. 12. not but that he can do it of himself without Ministers as he can work without meanes either of word or of Sacrament This is confessed that thus he can do and doth many times how and when to him seemeth good and thus he can speak immediately by himself or can employ the tongues of Angels to make known his pleasure but that were not so expedient for us as may be seen by the Jewes who having once heard the voyce of God Ezod 20.19 Heb. 12.19 entreated to hear no more of that but that Moses the man of God might impart his commands unto them It is mercy in God then to condescend so far unto us as to make choice of men like our selves to be his messengers and to employ them as his own mouth to speak unto his people And it will be duty in us H b. 12.25 2 Cor. 4.7 not to refuse him that speaketh thus from heaven nor to esteem the treasure lesse that is presented in earthen vessels lest for our want of reverenee herein the heathen rise up in the day of iudgement and condemn us Even Eglon the Moabite Judg. 3.20 See this f●lly asserted by Mr. Heron in the Preachers plea in medio when he heares of a messenger from God riseth our of his throne and that is no other which is spoken in Gods name agreeable to Scripture the sound is Mans the substance and tenour thereof is Gods and the Embassage is not his that delivers it but the Kings or States in whose name it is spoken And so we to acknowledge the great King of heaven in his Vox clamantis and to receive it 1 Thes 2.13 not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God But a Caveat withall unto Gods Ministers that they speak in their Sermons 1 Pet. 4.11 as the Oracles of God that is the sound wisdom of Gods word not the fond conceits of their owne braines much lesse that which is repugnant to Scripture as schisme sacriledge resisting of Magistrates Certainly this is none of Gods voyce it is Vox Rugientis 1 Pet. 5.8 the voyce of the Roaring Lion rather or the hissing of the Serpent It was his practice from the beginning to be a Preacher of disobedience Our first parents found it so by wofull experience and we have felt the like sad effects from his Ministers now whereby there is heard nothing almost but Vox lugentis the voyce of many a one crying indeed in another sence many a Rachel weeping for her children Ierem. 31. Our Country is even become that Rachel 2 This Vox clamantis relates unto the person of him that cryeth Lucas Brugensis Hic enim spiritu virtute Eliae praeditus fortissimè impietatem insectatus est constantissimè Christi praeconem egit ut nemo esset qui se excusare posset quòd clamantem non audisset and so the Hebrew seems to favour it kol●koreh in the Prophet the crying voyce implying the boldnesse and liberty of Iohn that he shewed in his preaching That openly without fear of men or respect of persons he rebuked the people and proclaimed the Messiah In discharge whereof he so behaved himself that he took for his title Vox clamantis I am the voyce of one crying as if he were nothing else but a voyce exciting to repentance and amendment of life as indeed every thing almost about him may seem to have done somewhat that way Tertullian de pallis Ipse habitus sonat his apparel diet his place of abode were as so many Sermons of mortification even to look on him was to hear him preach though he opened not his mouth he taught by his actions the most effectuall way of preaching Again in regard of those unto whom he cryed his crying implyeth their spiritual deafnesse and hardnesse of heart that such they were as Stephen after called them Act. 7.51 stiffe-necked and uncircumcised in heart and eares The world was ever will ever be sick of this disease the voyce of a Cryer is no more then needs Against crying sins we may be allowed to be Boanerges Mark 3.17 to come with the thunder of the law when the soft voyce of the Gospel will not be heard It was the way that God himself took to procure audience unto his Sonne speaking in so loud a voyce that the Auditours said it thundered Ioh. 12.29 And Gods true * 1 King 21.27 Luke 3.20 servants have never forborne to thunder in effect against what is unlawfull

the reall efficiencie of inward vertue victoriously taming the repugnancie of their wills and by courteous violence determining them to an actuall beleefe without which secret intelligence many were present at the same excitements and were not moved to beleeve Iohn 2.11 Luke 16.31 1. Cor. 3.7 Auribus apertis surdi erant videbant et caeist abant Their suspended senses had not the power to acquaint their soules with the truth of those occurrents And as this spirituall direction was diversly communicated some were induced to beleeve at one Sermon nay one saying of our Saviour and some onely beholding the least of his works as the metamorphosis of water into wine When others like unto Dive's Brethren would not be perswaded though Lazarus arose from the dead So vaine were the diligence of the Gardiner in planting and watring unlesse the Creator by his influence bestow the blessing of encrease you have heard what benefits God hath conferred on these Rulers that by the gift of illumination more highly advanced them above their peeres then their dignities advanced them above the people But will ye hear what these Rulers returne unto God They are so far from the endeavour of requitall that they will not acknowledge his favours so far from the solemnity of thankfullnesse that fearing as it were to be endited of their conversion they dishonour this his supreme mercy with speechless ingratitude They received this Christ by the hand of faith But because of the Pharisees they did not confesse him which is the silence of these Rulers and comes next to be published second part If that distinction in Clemens be right of a twofold confession Heraclean apud Clem. Alexand. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The one in beleeving the other in uttering they had already confessed him with their heart and can their tongue then deny the naturall duty of confession Speech is the delivery of the soule and brings forth to the life of knowledge those conceptions of the mind which by concealment had either perished in the womb or swell'd into an irksome timpany Mat. 24.19 Isid Pelusi●●a Epist lib ● 21● Do generat A●im lib 1 ap 8. whose unhappy Bearers may feare in some sense that * Ve praegnantibus of our Saviour so as Pelusiot expounds it of those which are onely big with good notions and cannot deliver them But what Aristotle observeth of other Creatures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the smallest are most fruitfull because the substance of their growth is consumed in the supply of generation The custome of mankinde hath translated on themselves among whom many times the least in dignity more abound in goodnesse bestowing their vacancie ●rom honours in the practise of vertue when the great-ones like that Indian fig-tree in Athenaeus which though of faire and goodly dimensions Athen. de ipnosoph lib 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sup. v. 12.13 yields little fruit as rioting all its sap into blossoms so they lavishing out in luxurie and vaine flourishes prove barren in the works of pietie Neither need we be troubled for an instance If we looke but a little back in story we finde the unregarded multitude in a publick procession going forth to meet our Saviour and with trophies of palme-branches mystically preluding the triumph of his resurrection when these Pythagorean Rulers in a cowardly dumbnesse suppresse their applause and afford nothing to entertain him beyond a courteous opinion Thus is he requited that left the glory of heaven to take penance in flesh the service of Angels to be the servant of men Not to be acknowledged by those whom he came to redeem by those who expected the ransom of his blood to satisfy for their guilty soules the guiltinesse whereof had they rightly considered they would rather have been ashamed of their sins then their Saviour which debased him thus low in compassion to procure their expiation Or had they rightly considered the worthinesse of that duty which so unworthily they declined they would not have needed any other encouragement to embolden them confession is the honour of a Christian whereby God makes man the witnesse of his truth Calvini hom 2. de ferenda persecut and the patron of his cause and in this vouchsafed excellence preferres him before the Angels in dignity An honour that raised the Baptist so neare to the son of God Io. 1.8 Math. 11.11 as it is possible for the sons of men witnesse that of the Evangelist He was not that light but which is next unto it was sent to beare witnesse of that light In regard whereof Christ was pleased to honour him with that high testimony That among them that were born of women there arose not a greater then John the Baptist But certainly had they duly weighed the necessity of this duty the whole world would have proved too weake an Oratour to have tempted them to so foule an omission by which wilfull defect of theirs their faith did but serve to aggravate their guilt and in being enlightened Christians they became onely more knowing offenders No lesse severe is the judgement of Prosper Prosper that not to confesse truth is equally pernicious as not to beleeve it Tam reprobi sunt qui verum quod credunt non loquuntur quam qui verum quod loquuntur non credunt And some men are so much offended at their silence In hoc ingressu fidei si proficerent c. A●gustin in locum Minut. Felix that they will not allow them a saving faith Or if because of St. Austins authority they afford them a beginning of faith they accuse them of stifling it in the beginning like cruell Parents that fearing shame or the like inconvenience paricidium faciunt antequam pariunt murther their issue before the delivery as no lesse cruelly do these with their faith In whose hearts had is lively resided as it seemed onely pictur'd in their brains it could not but yeild some signes of life at least breathe our into expression for our of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh as spake the mouth of truth it selfe Which natural correspondencie Nature seems to have intended in that elegant structure Mat. 12.34 by which the tongue of all visible parts is rooted nearest unto the heart Charron de sag lib. 1. cap. 11. as if thence receiving the juyce of knowledge it should spring forth in the fruit of utterance Which the Symbolical Priests of Isis implyed in their doctrinall emblem presenting each votarie with a branch of the Persean tree whose leaves and fruit are said to resemble the heart tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut in Isi de as Plutarch gives the moral of it for man cannot be more divinely employed then in speech concerning God But the Royal Prophet more clearly evinced it by his practick Enthimem Psal 116.10 Psal 39.3 I beleeved therefore have I spoken concluding it necessary that when his heart was hot within him

to be as children tossed to and fro and carried about with every whifling wind of doctrine H ● 1● 23. by the slight of men but to hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering for he is faithfull that hath promised M ●● 5.1●.1● a blessed reward to all that suffer for him and his righteousnesse even a crown of glorious immortalitie Heb. 12.3 And lest we be wearied and faint in our minds consider we him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himselfe and yet this notwithstanding gave not over to do the the worke he had in hand but as for this cause he came into the world that he might bear witness unto the truth J ● 1● ●7 so when he was to leave the world 1 T●● 6.13 he witnessed as saith the Apostle before Pontius Pilate a good confession and confirmed the truth of his doctrine by a dolorous 〈…〉 9 and bloudy death Quantaflibet nobis anxietatem pateras vitae praesentis propinet afflictio c. as Sydonius exp●esseth let the world present us with never so great a Cup of afflictions it is but litle if we remember how much our Saviour dranke at the Cross Nor should we need any other cordial to refresh us in our suffrings but that wherewith Peter is said by Clemens Clem. strom 7. to comfort his wife when he saw her led to martyrdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remember the Lord whose Disciples if we be we must not think to speed better then our master No he tells us it is enough for the Disciple that he be as his Master Math. 10.25 and we to hold our selves highly honoured to drink of that cup wherein he hath drank before us nay to rejoyce in as much as we are partakers of the sufferings of Christ 1 Pe● 4. ●3 that when his glory shall be revealed we may be glad also with exceeding joy for if we suffer with him we shall reign with him If we follow him by the way 2. Tim. 2.12 Phil. 3.10 of his Cross being made conformable unto his death it will bring us where he is to be partakers of his glory But that is a vobis datum est too we cannot have it of our selves it must be given us in the behalfe of Christ not onely to beleeve on him but also to suffer for his sake Phil. 1.29 Unto him then to make our humble request O Blessed Jesus Author and finisher of our faith who hast given us the grace to beleeve on thee Hebr. 12.2 give us also the courage to confesse thee and as thou hast enlightned our mindes with the knowledge of thy truth so enflame our affections with the zeal of it that whether by life or by death we may glorifie thy name and nothing be able to separate us from the love of thee for thou onely art Holy Rom. 8.35 thou onely art the Lord thou onely O Christ with the Holy Ghost art most high in the Glory of God the Father AMEN SERM. III. Matth. 20.15 Is thine eye evill because I am good IT is pitty that goodnesse should give an offence or be troubled to justify her worthy proceedings and yet such is her fate with evill men that make * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Perynd py●h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vertue the ground of their hatred and disparage it all rhey can with foule Menand detraction you have here the truth of this complaint represented in a parable the parable of an housholder that hired labourers into his Vineyard who for giving alike wages unto some that came last is blamed by the first of dealing unjustly but innocence is never unprovided of reasons either for the defence of her selfe or the conviction of gain-sayers It was his bargain he saith with them he had agreed for so much and so they could demand no more then besides what he gave was his own and therefore why not as much to these as to themselves and none to controll him for it and thus having cleared himselfe from their false imputation he now charged them with a fault indeed their envious repining and this occasioned by his good deeds there eye was evil because he was good In which words he so reprehends their envie as he seekes to amend it and this by displaying unto them the state and condition of that wicked passion Division 1. In the Organ and instrument by which it worketh Oculus the Eye 2. In the nature and qualitie of which it consisteth Malus Evil. 3. In the motive and occasion from which it proceedeth Quia ego bonas sum because I am good These parts ad oculum the text presents from thence we have the draught or portracture as it were of a picture laid before us and that so accurate as none can presume to mend it our labour is onely to fill up each part as the grace of God shall enable us desiring there be in none here present an Evill Eye Mat. 6.23 to sensure the limners imperfections but in all a single eye to make the best use of them for the amending of their own I begin with the Organ or instrument of envie that is the Eye Part 1. The Instrument MAn at his creation was an uniform and entire his creatur soul and body like a wel tun'd instrument sounded nothing but the praise of his maker and his own felicitie but being once subdued by sin he fel at discord with himselfe laboured his own destruction And as in the besieging of a City those Forts and Bulwarks that lately defended her but now surprized by the Enemy help to better and demolish her 〈◊〉 122.3 so in ruining of man built once as a City that is at unity in it selfe those members and faculties that were the chief agents of his happinesse became now the Engins of his misery I will instance onely in the eye a member abounding with so much excellency and withall so much iniquity that I know not whether it may more invite your admiration or your sorrow An Organ so divine that the misticall Egyptians could not find a fitter hieroglyphick to expresse the divine all-seeing providence C●rl Rhod. lib. ● cap. 28. But the Stoicks unable to satisfy their wondring without the help of idolatrie entitled it a very God as if to be sure of a present deitie they would have their Heaven of Gods about them But without such wild Hyperbole's it is praise enough that which may consist with pietie and for this we find an instance in St. Chrisostom Chrysost ad Antioch h●● 11. who chose this part above the rest to assert the power and wisdome of God that from so vile a matter as earth which affordeth brick and tiles could extract so goodly a piece as is the eye that for its majestie strikes an awfulnesse in the beholders and besides endued it with such vertue as within so narrow a compasse to comprehend so many objects