Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	call_v	ground_n	pillar_n	2,288	5	9.7053	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96858	Gnōston tou Theou, k[a]i gnōston tou Christou, or, That which may be knovvn of God by the book of nature; and the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ by the Book of Scripture. Delivered at St Mary's in Oxford, by Edward Wood M.A. late proctor of the University and fellow of Merton Coll. Oxon. Published since his death by his brother A.W. M.A.	Wood, Edward, 1626 or 7-1655.; Wood, Anthony à, 1632-1695.	1656 (1656)	Wing W3387; Thomason E1648_1; ESTC R204118	76,854	234

price or value then really it is in it selfe and this is all the true power that the Church can challenge in relation unto the holy Scriptures wherefore the true Church we honour in respect of these things but we doe not adore it and make it of greater Authority then the Scriptures themselves Wherefore 3. We say that the Authority of them doth not so much depend on the Church as on their own innate light and testimony of the Holy Spirit within us their own innate light I say for saith Chamier there is in the Scriptures a peculiaris genius and strein whereby they may upon examination be easily discovered to be the Word of God as a Critick will know by the phrase and stile and the like that such a book is Lyvies such an one Juvenalls so also will a Christian upon the due search triall of the holy Scriptures by their matter Heavenly by their stile deep and by their divine phrase mysticall presently conclude that they are the Word of God and that they can have no other Author then the King of Heaven and then farther I say there is required a Testimony of the holy Spirit within us which Spirit is as I may so speake the seale unto all the rest and peculiar only to Gods Children a man may by the hearsay of the Church historically know the Scriptures but this will no more comfort his heart then the discourses concerning honey and sweet-meates will the stomacke a man may also be convicted of the truth of the Word from those arguments I pressed even now and yet he may be no more converted by them then the Jewes were at the Miracles of Christ which they knew were wrought by a divine power well then what is it that must ultimately perswade us and assure a child of God certitudine fidei with an assurance of faith that the Scriptures are the Word of God the Church that cannot for how can that infuse faith which the Scriptures every where set forth to be the Gift of God what then is it that assures us doubtlesse the Spirit of God co-working with us and upon our prayers and diligent reading and examining of the Word assuring us that this Word which was thus confirmed by miracles thus verifyed by the truth of the Prophesyes contained in it this Word that hath so perfect a consent within its self that hath so admirable efficacy upon the hearers and readers thereof that hath been so wonderfully preserved in all ages that this Word and this Word only is the Word of God and of divine authority so then the Church that can only report unto us the Spirit that doth firmely perswade us the Church that can ministerially only ingenerate an opinion in us the Spirit a Faith and certainty of the Scriptures as then men may heare a very great report of anothers worth learning and counsell and yet be never fully satisfied concerning it till they find it so to be by their own experience or as those Samaritans who did believe in part on Christ for the saying of the woman were yet notwithstanding further confirmed established in the faith of him when they heard his own words John 4. 24. in like manner though we may historically believe that the Scriptures are the Word of God because the Church saith so yet this testimony of the Church doth minister little assurance or satisfaction unto a child of God untill it be farther back't on and established by a farther testimony of the Spirit which undoubtedly must be the firmest assurance a man can have because it is that alone which doth open the eyes to behold the wondrous things of the Law Psal 119. 18. 't is that alone which leadeth into all truth Joh. 16. 13. 't is that alone which inseparably accompanys the faithfull in the Scriptures My Spirit which is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth Isa 59. 21. and therefore 't is that alone which gives strongest evidence unto its selfe speaking in the Scriptures if yee receive the witnesse of men the witnesse of God is greater saith S. Paul the witnesse of the Church is but the witnesse of men therefore the witnesse of the Spirit is greater but say they the Spirit speaketh by the Church and therefore we must believe the Church only when it testifyes of the Scriptures Whitaker answers for me that if so be the Spirit doth thus speak by the Church from whence then hath the Church this assurance but from the Spirit and so our beliefe of the Scriptures must ultimately resolve of necessity into the Testimony of the Spirit againe they say that the Church was before the Scriptures we answer no by no meanes for then how can the Word be called the everlasting wisedome of God and the immortall seed of which the Church is borne the Church was before the written Word but not before the unwritten Aske a Papist how they know that the Church is of such authority and they will prove it by the Scriptures and therefore the authority proving must needs be of greater esteem and before the authority proved but is not the Church called the pillar and ground of truth yes but what doth a candle receive any light from the candlesticke because it stickes in it what though the Church is the seat and mansion place of the Scriptures yet were it possible that there were no Church in the World yet is not the Scripture of lesse authority then now it is the Church then is only a ministeriall pillar to preserve keep and set forth the word not a fundamentall one to uphold and give being unto it and here I might wade farther into a Discourse concerning the authority of the Church and the Scriptures but it having been so fully handled already and answered by multitudes of eminent men I shall goe no farther it remaines that I should practically apply what hath been already spoken but this together with the other propertyes of Scriptures their perspicuity and perfection I shall leave to the next part This is the AVTHOVRS last Sermon that ever He preacht which was at S. Maries in Oxon. March 20. 1655. Phil. c. 3. v. 8. first part Yea doubtlesse and I count all things but losse for the excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. IN this Chapter the Apostle armes his Philippians against their false teachers by opposing his own judgement and example to their erroneous and lying suggestions There were a company of prophane persons started up in the Church of Philippi whom Paul counts no better then doggs evill workers and of the concision verse 2. who instead of circumcising their hearts went about rather to cut and rend asunder the Church these men now being left to be brought from their old fleshly confidences the workes of the Law did vaunt much of their outward priviledges and would fain slink into circumcision and other ceremoniall performances and joyne

extinguished in us as plainely appeares by the text yet so far was it dulled that we cannot by the remainders thereof either read the will of God or from it derive any comfort unto our selves For as by a dull and obscure taper we may perhaps view a body in grosse whereas we cannot through the weaknesse of the light scan each particular part of it why so here by this light of nature we may apprehend indeed God his worship in generall but we can never thereby dive more particularly into his will or those his attributes of grace pardoning mercy love unto us in Christ and the like which none can fully understād without faith in Christ in whom alone are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge Col. 2. vers 3. Wel then to draw to an head by comparing these our two estates together you may easily conceive what is meant by this naturall light or light of nature for it is nothing else but those common ordinary notions and conceits remaining in the minds and consciences of men concerning God and naturall goodnesse in the first verse it is called the truth because of those plaine convictions it hath upon the consciences of naturall men and therefore they that resist this light and walk not according unto its dictates are said to hold the truth in unrighteousnesse that is unjustly to stifle and keep under those apprehensions of God and goodnesse from appearing in their Lives or Actions And in the second of this Epistle and the thirteenth it is called the Law written in their hearts from the command awfull power it hath over the hearts of men in which it is engraven as with the point of a diamond and therefore Iamblicus an eminent Author calls it an inbred and immoveable notion Wee stile this light of nature common ordinary notions and conceipts common they are because they are congeniall and imbred in all men and ordinary because though all men naturally have some slight and catching conceipts at God yet they neither know aright who or what kind of God this is and therefore you may read Act. 17. vers 23. of an Altar amongst the Athenians inscribed Vnto the unknowne God and Christ said the Samaritans worshipped they knew not what Joh. 4. 22. Secondly we say that these notions remaine in the minds and consciences of men for first in the minds reside those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those speculative prime and fundamentall truths namely that there is a God that all effects have dependance upon some cause and the like And secondly because in the consciences of men reside those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those practicall and morall principles by which we conclude within our selves that since there is a God he is to be worshipped that we ought to do unto others as we would have them doe unto us that we ought to deale justly with all men and the like From whence it is that the Apostle saith of the Gentiles that they do by nature the things contained in the Law even the Gentiles have a naturall Law imprinted in their hearts by which they are carried unto those Common generall duties which concerne God and their neighbour which will further be cleered unto you if you consider with me the second point namely that this light of nature is in all men or rather thus that there are some Common notions of God and goodnesse imprinted in the hearts of all men even of the Gentiles There is no man so over dawbed with sin and filthynesse so benighted and overclouded with wretched ignorance but hath oftentimes the flashes and immediate representations of the Deity darting in upon him and there is noe man of soe debauched and loose a life so benummed and frozen affections but hath ever and anon the secret whips and girds of a conscience to restraine him together also with naturall Impressions of goodnesse to thaw and melt him into more ingenuity Now then that this light of nature First as it relates unto God is in all may appeare both by scripture and by reason as for scripture were there no other my text would be sufficient proof that that which may be known of God is manifest in them that is in the Gentiles and so consequently in all That which may be knowne of God whereby is implyed that there are some things concerning God above the pitch and kenne of this naturall light the mysteries indeed of the Trinity of the Incarnation of Christ and the like are Riddles unto nature neither can they ever be reacht unto by humane disquisition Yet it still remaineth certaine that that which may be knowne of God namely his being his omnipotence and the like is manifest in them In the 17. of the Acts vers 26 27 28. you may have another proofe for the Apostle there in his Sermon unto the Athenian Heathens shewing that God was not so far from them but that he might even Palpando inveniri as Beza translates it be groped after and easily found out By that little naturall light that was in them they might tracke the foot-steps of Divinity and haply find out in whom they lived moved and had their being And so in the Acts chap. 14. vers 17. 't is said that God left not himselfe without witnesse There is within us an inbred light as a domesticke Chaplaine continually to teach us and without us rain from heaven and fruitfull seasons as so many visible witnesses to take away ignorance and all excuse from us wherefore that of the Psalmist The foole hath said in his heart Psal 14. 1. must not be understood as if a wicked man for he is the foole here could quite obliterate and put out the light of nature and Knowledge of God in him for Atheisme can never find a perfect and continuall assent in the heart of man but onely that he so workes and lives without the feare of God as if he were fully perswaded that there were no God at all The reasons then to prove that the Knowledge of God is in all men Naturally may be many I shall name only two or three and let passe the common consent of all Nations Nulla gens tam barbara est saith Tully there is no nation so barbarous and destitute of Common reason as not to acknowledge a God to let passe also the Naturall discourses and ultimate resolutions of the minds of men into some Supreame cause and first Mover of all things 1. First the testimonies of the Heathens themselves do sufficiently evidence the truth 't is Pauls way of arguing with the Athenians as certaine also of your owne Poets have said we are also his Ofspring Acts 17. 28. He infers their knowledge of God and the truth of his worship from their owne mouthes and so may we also Plato calls a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a creature naturally religious and a worshiper of God yea himselfe hath written so Divinely and Reverently of God that many of the

Salvation to instruct to reprove to correct and since it hath so admirable perfection in it as to make the man of God perfect throughly furnished unto all good workes good reason then my sonne Timothy that be the times what they will be errours never so plausibly entertained and truth never so violently opposed that thou notwithstanding shouldest continue in the things which thou hast learned in the Doctrine of the Scriptures which thou hast received And this is the drift of the Apostle in this Chapter The well understanding of which together with the words read unto you will much conduce to the opening of this my present Doctrine of the Scriptures I shall therefore expound the words themselves more distinctly and in the opening of them briefely touch upon some things which I cannot handle at large and then I shall come to what I mainely intend well then here is the subject spoken of the Scripture set forth by its Author GOD by its use 't is profitable for Doctrine c. by its end which is that the man of God may be perfect c. All Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all writing for so the Word of God is called Scripture by way of eminency it is the chiefest of al other writings which are so far accounted good or bad as they come neere to or decline from this but here saith Beza when the Apostle saith all Scripture we must take heed least we understand any besides that which we call Canonicall that is such bookes which by reason of their Antiquity their argument and divine doctrine they treat of their efficacious and lively manner and method of their discourses are the Canon yea rule and touchstone by which all Doctrines and Writings whatever are to be tryed for there are other Books which either because the names of their Authors were unknown to the Prophets and Apostles are called Apocryphall or hidden which though otherwise containing many usefull profitable instructions are yet notwithstanding to be hid and laid aside when any truth comes to be tryed And therefore when our Apostle saith that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God we must exclude those Apocryphall Bookes for since they are neither written in the Hebrew tongue nor by any Prophet of which Malachy was the last nor taken notice of by Christ and his Apostles since also they containe many things absurd and contrary one to another we have reason to suspect that they were never given by inspiration of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all Scripture is inspired of God or as the word implyes breathed from God those notions words and phrases which may every where occurre in holy Writ were dictated unto the pen-men thereof by the Holy Ghost himselfe so that Prophesy came not of old time by the will of men but holy men of God spake as they were moved 2 Pet. 1. 21. wherefore we read not thus saith Jeremiah or thus saith Isaiah but thus saith the Lord and the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it but what may some say is all that is contained in the Scripture the Word of God Why then those impostures and calumnies of Sathan set down in the 3. of Gen. and 4. of Mathew those erroneous sayings of Jobs Wife unto him to curse God and dye with the like are the Word of God We answer that these and the like sayings only historically set down being abstractedly in themselves considered are not from God but then consider the truth of them and the end for which they are set down so they are As we may say that Tacitus is the Author of that whole Booke though many things in it are supposed to be spoken from other men and as the same wax though of litte worth in it selfe yet sealed and put in a bond may be of great concernement and value in like manner those speeches of Heathen Authors cited by the Holy Ghost as that of Aratus Act. 17. 28. and that of Epimenides Titus 1. 12. though of little worth as they came from such men yet being inserted into holy writ receive divine Authority and may be of great moment unto our Salvation many things there be also in Scripture which quoad praeceptum may have greater Authority then other but ratione Authoris are equall As the Commandements of the first Table are more severely enjoyned then those of the second yet the same God writ them both thus gold may be more precious then gold in weight and shape though not in purity it remaines then that all Scripture some way or other is given by inspiration of God and therefore it is all one to say the Scripture saith and God saith as may farther appeare from the 9. of the Romans 25. verse and Gal. 4 30. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable many are the commodities of the written Word for besides that it is a standing rule whereby we may try all other Doctrines as the Bareans tryed Pauls Doctrine by searching the Scriptures whether those things were so Act. 17. 11. and therefore as those that carry false and Adulterate coine about them cannot endure to heare of a touchstone so likewise those cheates in Religion the Papists will not suffer the Scriptures to be read least thereby their impostures should be laid open and their folly appeare unto all men besides this commodity I say the Apostle saith that 't is profitable 1. For Instruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the discovering that is of such things unto us which without it we could never have known there are Mysteries of Godlinesse and abscondite hidden things of God which humane reason can never unvaile or fathome that an infinite God should be cloystered up in a Virgins wombe that he should leave Heaven and lye in a Manger for the Redemption of his enemies and the like is above the reach and disquisition of a naturall understanding and therefore we must of necessity be farther enlightned by the Word of God before we attaine unto the knowledge of these things it is profitable also for instruction of us in the fall restauration of man in the Sacraments yea in all things necessary unto Salvation it instructeth and teacheth us how wretched we are by nature how happy by Grace how to beat downe principalities and powers how to want and how to abound how finally to be wise unto Salvation 2. 'T is profitable saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for reproofe there is no errour so plausibly broached so strongly fortifyed and maintained by humane reason but may be beat down and vanquish't by Scripture and therefore saith the Apostle He that is Spirituall judgeth all things yet he himselfe is judged of no man 1 Cor. 2 18. He that is rightly informed in the holy Scriptures he to whom the Spirit hath revealed the will of God and who knoweth the minde of Christ may without the assistance of forraine traditions testimonies of the Fathers and the like not