Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	christian_a	good_a	great_a	1,012	4	2.0712	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A48382	Stephanos pistou, or, The true Christians character & crown described in a sermon at the parish church of St. Botolph, Bishopsgate, July 15, 1669 at the funeral of Mr. William Cade, deputy of that ward / by John Lake.	Lake, John, 1624-1689.	1671 (1671)	Wing L198; ESTC R26150	20,722	50

scorn or pity the strict Professours of it as men soberly and gravely beside themselves and erect in their own fancies a kind of Spiritual Bedlam for them Yet these fools for Christ will be found the onely wise and happy men when Hell shall be no longer a painted Fire nor Heaven a fools Paradise but weeping and wailing shall put scoffing out of countenance and the scorner's chair become more uneasie than Phalaris his Bull they that sate in it shall gnash their teeth and become their own Tormentors to see those religious sneaks crowned with majesty and glory whom they had so much derided and despised Why then Opus deterret mercedem vide Doth the work affright you consider the reward If the way seemeth irksome and unpleasant the end is blissful and happy Look not upon what you are called to do and suffer but beyond both to the glorious reward and faint if you can 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pro. 10.7 Sept. ANd now what have I been doing all this time but presenting our deceased Brother before you In shewing what you should be I have only shewed what he was and in shewing what you shall be I have shewed what he is And by a meet application of generals to particulars you may read it over in him We live in an age wherein we may too truly complain with the Psalmist Ps 12.1 The faithful are perished from the children of men and out of that small remnant which was left we have now lost one that might have stood for a great many A faithful man and a faithful Christian One that according to the impress of that Company to which he was a good benefactor weaved truth with trust and in so close a web that nothing could divide betwixt them He was faithful to God and to the interests of Religion A man of a sober piety and well tempered zeal One that affected Religion for it self leaving the empty pomp to those that blaze more but burn less and was content to be what they desire to seem That talkative Religion which spendeth it self in hearing much speaking more and doing nothing he was not emulous of but of the active and operative and instead of speaking great things did live them Whilst others were carried about with every wind of Doctrin he held fast the Profession of his Faith and died in the Communion of that Church in which he was born and did the publick Worship reputation by his constant and regular attendance upon it He was faithful to the King as every man that is faithful to God must and will be for Christianity hath adopted Alliegeance into the Family of Religion twisted piety with loyalty and owneth no man as a good Christian who is not a good Subject also and such therefore was he One that submitted himself to every ordinance of man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Lords sake and served the King with as much earnestness and diligence as others oppose him He was also faithful to his neighbour One that did affirm truth perform promises keep contracts that was humble peaceable just merciful that obliged all injured or offended none and if all were like to him the word of a Christian might be as of old it was the greatest solemnity of stipulation in the world He was none of those half-faced Christians that clash the two Tables one against another and break the second with the first who set up the duties of piety for a blind that they may violate those of justice and charity more secretly and securely He was none of those that make long prayers the preface to devouring of Widows houses and fasting twice a week the cover for their dishes full of extortion and excess None of those in short that sue out a divorce betwixt piety and probity and when they are less than Heathens will be more than Christians Though he could not make our Saviour's challenge Which of you convinceth me of sin yet good old Samuel's he boldly might Whose oxe have I taken whose ass have I taken or whom have I defrauded or oppressed and all that knew him would be his compurgatours Trace him through all relations and conditions and there are few which he passed not through amongst you and you will scarce find a stain much less a blemish upon his memory And as God who to encourage virtue oft-times giveth it the earnest of its reward in this life had raised him to a considerable height so he did not look from that height with scorn on those below him but only shed the influences of it with more advantage upon his friends and relations to whom he was a common store-house And if it be a piece of gross infidelity not to provide for a mans own it must be a piece of exemplary Christianity to provide so well for other mens for which cause I doubt not but God hath given him a place and a name better than that of sons and daughters Is 56.5 And for those that have sustained so great a loss in him God for his sake will be ready to supply it out of his own Fulness and they have one friend more in heaven though they have one fewer upon earth But though his goodness was thus diffusive to his friends and relations yet it was not confined to them As the bowels of many poor blessed him whilst he lived so he hath besprinkled all places to which he related with some dews of charity at his death And as he did wisely and faithfully employ that Talent of wealth which God had entrusted him withall so likewise did he employ all his other Talents of parts and power and practical prudence whereof he was a great Master to their proper ends and intents whereby he became singularly useful in his place yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a common good And as the whole City did partake the influences of his industry authority and fidelity so this Parish above all whereof he might justly be called the Publick Parent And now nothing was left but that he should be faithful to himself and his own soul and knowing this to be his interest as well as his duty herein he exercised himself to have always a conscience void of offence towards God and towards man He regulated his affections moderated his passions restrained his members from being weapons of unrighteousness and kept himself unspotted from the world In fine so had he governed the whole course of his conversation that as nothing infamous or scandalous appeared to others so his own conscience did not accuse or upbraid him but humbly acknowledging his other defaults and defects he blessed that Grace which had preserved him from the gross pollutions of sin and though he had as all have more than enough to speak him frail man yet nothing in the least to debauch him either into Beast or Devil But because it is the last Act which crowneth all the rest As living so dying he retained his integrity and his Graces shined most when he was about to set and his light increased not his shadow Then you might behold conspicuous in him a patient submission under Gods mighty hand an humble resignation to the Divine Will and a truly Christian deportment in all You might behold much pious devotion ardent zeal heavenly delight stedfast hope in Gods mercy discover themselves and make him shine through the Cloud In token that heaven was his center the nearer he came he moved the faster towards it And therefore he was frequent in communicating the Holy Eucharist as the antepast of it and the Viaticum of eternal life When scarce able to speak he would yet spend his dying breath in exhortations and admonitions to those about him and was willing therein to give up the Ghost that he might be indeed faithful unto death Thus lived thus dyed our faithful friend and brother And now no man will make question but God hath given him the crown of life who is not either an Infidel himself or believeth God to be worse than one If God be faithful i. e. if God be God so good and faithful a servant as he was must be entered into his Masters joy I leave him therefore to the enjoyment of it and leave you to the imitation of so excellent virtue till God in his own due time shall crown you with him and both you and he shall be forever with the Lord. FINIS