Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	church_n	holy_a	word_n	6,560	5	4.2187	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A05590	The gushing teares of godly sorrovv Containing the causes, conditions, and remedies of sinne, depending mainly upon contrition and confession. And they seconded, with sacred and comfortable passages, under the mourning cannopie of teares, and repentance. By William Lithgovv.	Lithgow, William, 1582-1645?	1640 (1640)	STC 15709; ESTC S108580	48,504	102

soile more blest was once than Greece Have I said Athens beene the mother nurse Of lib'rall Airts and science Natures light And now my Carcase beares the vulgar curse Of Spartaes scorne and Lacedemon spight Shall malice tread on vertue shall disgrace Of neighbours hate on my gold tresses trace Though thirty one Invaders on me prey Each one triumphing in anothers ill Yet flexe I not though forc'd for to obey No pride shall presse my patience nor good will Gaine me to flatter Nor puft Tyrants shall Bruise me in pieces though I suffer thrall Yet was her Virgine body made a Whoore To ev'ry proud Insulter and her fame A Strumpets voice Whom Mars did once defloure And turning Harlot robd her Vestall name The Victors glutting on her vanquishd spoyles Made griefe guide sorrow Fortune fixt her foyles In this digression take a morall note From slaughterd Athens now a village left That all beginnings not their endings quote Have floorishd faces from their spring-tyde reft Their Medium is not long the morne is all And then their end in lumps of fragments fall What once was Ilium Tyrus now calld Sur And Ninivie whose ruines are ruind Seven ported Thebes rich in silks and Furre And Carthage Africks glory now declind Nay save of three some monuments are showne The other two their seats are hardly knowne So Antioch whence sprung the Christian name And Sions Dame Judeas sacred citie Yea Alexandria famous in her fame With Babylon the remaindure of pittie Though not like Jericho a lumpe of stones They 're but rent relicks of their former ones A wondrous thing of Nature I observe When Xerxes cross'd the Hellespontick sea In greatest grandure then begunne to swerve From Princely courage staid dexteritie Where when the Pontick waves with troups were cled Of numbers numberlesse and he the head Then brust he forth in teares and wept amaine Gazing on thousands which his puissance brought And said This sight and all this glorious traine Within an hundred yeares shall come to nought I weep said he 'cause nothing here can stay But like full streames they slide and steale away My horse my Chariots Engynes men of warre And Souldiers strong shall all dissolve in dust My spight 'gainst Greice and their imperious jarre My greed of honour their revenge injust Which Sardis bore Shall eftsoone be as they Had never beene so mortall things decay Thus mournd this Pagan King whose rule may learne Most moderne Tymes to waile like consequence For in which Mappe true judgement may discerne That ancient dayes had full experience Of natures frailtie changings mortals being Whose restlesse course was sight-lost shadows flying So day and night on two extreames depend Either to lengthen or to shorten prest The restlesse tides like alterations spend By Cynthias waxing waining is exprest The seasons runne foure times the yeare about And are renewd ay as their times go out No state doth solide stand Man most mutable In fortune or himselfe each leaving other He carelesse fled from meanes If disputable His meanes are fled from him to court another What 's mine to day to morrow may be thine And what 's thine now next day it may be mine Nor is their health in beauty nor in strength Of body soundnesse Subject to disease Is ev'ry creature young and old at length Shall feele infirmities Natures worst unease Graft in corruption None can sicknesse shunne But he must suffer ere his glasse be runne Such sowre flagelloes are the rods of nature To whippe the childe of lust with sound correction Cause why they 're Moulds where grace renews each creature And makes chastisements signifie affection Nay they 're preparatives against sterne death Beene fenc'd with patience flankd about with faith All which denote men should not fixe their hearts On transitorie things or trash below All under sunne in whole in rest or parts Are Emblemes of inconstancie I know Man Beast and Tree Wealth Honour Health and Fame Are but crost Changelings of this changing Frame What 's heere beholde but toyle and worldlie losses Sinne shame and sorrow trouble griefe and scorne Spight strife and malice ignorance and crosses Adversities sterne face friendship forlorne Pryde flankd with povertie Tyrants infliction Of gall'd oppression to adde distresse affliction Such passive moods are frequent growne that now Old crazd calamitie begins to quiver Both rich and poore live timerous and how The one to keep what 's got The others feaver Burnes for to get the first fears losse and trembles The seconds patience with content dissembles In Citie Court and Countrey here 's their fall Deceit deceives them with deceitfull stings But most in royall Mansions there 's the gall Where Sophistrie speaks two contrary things And neither thinks to do Here flattrie stands To blinde the truth there ambodextrate hands Then blest are they who live at home in rest And neither follow Court nor courtly toyes That life is sweet and of all lives the best For homely Houlds are chargd with privat joyes Most Courtiers mouthes seeme kind with hearts as hollow As derne Sybillas Hall which few can follow To day they smile and promise what you would And fill stress'd suppliants with inunding hopes To morrow as unkinde and frozen cold And tramp in dust their suiters sad-sought scopes Unlesse their palmes you oynt with sov'raigne ore Your suite is lost and you left to deplore The very Dunse that yesterday was base When having got an office looks as hie As skie-set clouds then will cast downe his face And squinke acquaintance to have courtesie This Ruffian who did homage thee before Now thou must beck to him and him implore Tell Courtiers of repentance they will mock And turne their teares in taunts and scoffing jests He who feares God they hold him as a block Its vice and foolerie their conceit digests They never dreame of judgement nor of death But spend in complements their flattering breath Let none mistake nor misconstruct my minde I meane of Courts in generall all where There 's good and bad in any hollow kinde Both men and beasts in this may claime their share A Savage I have found as kinde in part As best thought Christians save the noble heart All I desire and what my soule can wish Is that the truth may stand and vertue flourish Lo there 's the daintie of an holy dish To feed poore soules and humble ones to nourish And for this cause each one should pray with other Gods word may prosper and his Church our mother Lord spread the Mantle of thy mercy round About the borders of her glorious shrine Enlarge her power let earths remotest bound Stand for the limits of her light divine That thou who on bright Cherubins doth ride May guide and guard the beauty of thy Bride I 'le dive no more in sinne and crooked wayes Of rotten nature which corruption brings Nor from the worlds example draw these strayes Of th' head-strong multitude confusion

twisted branch Which on thy roote my hopes must humbly twine For in thy sap my sin-galld wounds I 'le quench No balme of Gilead to that Balme of thine O! better things than Abels blood it speaks It saves the world and Mans salvation seeks How sacred were these teares fell from thine eyes When for Jerusalem thou wept so sore Mercy did plead deploring their disease For pitties sake thou didst their well implore A kindnesse passing love when for thy foes Thou wept and cryde for prophecying their woes That spikenard oyle which on thy feet was spred Doth represent to me that bloody balme Which on the crosse from thy left side was shed To slay the power of sinne make Satan calme O! let that oyle by grace sinke in my soule To heale my sores and cleanse mine errours soule Breake downe the rock of my hard flinty heart Let moisture thence ascend to my two springs The head contains these Rills let them impart Signes of contrition godly sorrow brings O! happy stoods of ever-springing joyes That in the midst of weeping can rejoyce When pale remorse strikes on my conscience sad Mov'd with the lapse of my relapsing sinne Faith flees above and bids my soule be glad Where mercy enters judgement comes not in One sigh in need flowne from a mourning spirit Thou'le not reject being cast on Jesus merit Come gracious God infuse in me full grace Wrought by thy Sprite my souls eternall good Let mercy plead 'gainst justice Lord give place The way is thine my right rests in Christs blood Come pardon my misdeeds release my smart Then quicken me with a relenting heart Whilst I conceive mans frailnesse weake by nature How wretch'd he is how prone to fall or sinke Of all thy works the most rebellious creature Clog'd with ingratenesse ever bent to shrinke What thing is man think I thou shouldst regard him And with a crowne of glory to reward him Thus pausing too on long eternall rest That boundlesse time which no time can containe How rich thinke I these soules be and how blest In time strive here that endlesse time to gaine Strivethen poore soule to claime and climbe this Fort For faith and violence must force Heavens Port. O Lord how wondrous is thy powerfull love Whose mercies farre above thy works excell Who can thy secret Cabine reach above Or sound these deeps wherein thy counsels dwell When thou for man turnd man and suffer'd death To free slaine man from thy fierce judgements wrath Thy wayes are all inscrutable to Man For who can dyve in thy profounding love Whose kindnesse is unspeakable and whan We would most comprehend we least approve Thy wayes thy works so farre excell us men The more we strive to know the lesse we ken To look on Heavens rich star-imbroidred coat That Cannopy of silver-spangled skie The glorious firmament clear without spot The Sphearick Planets as their orders lye The worlds two lamps erect'd with mareveilous light And Elements which blinde our dazeling sight Darknesse and light all quarters and their Climes The rolling Axletree supporting All The Airts and seasons in their severall times This ovall Orbe fenc'd with a glassie wall These revolutions from proud Planets fall Portending Comets Mans prodigious thrall The rolling seas against the stars that swell Their reeling tides their turnes and quiet rest These Creatures and hudge Monsters therein dwell Nought here on earth but that shape there 's exprest Their exhalations earths concavities And shoare-set bound all wonders to our eyes These phisnomies of men their variant faces Show the Creators wisedome in creation Not one like other in forme nor in graces Manners condition qualitie nor station O strange Mans frame should thus all times be showne By gifts and Vults divers'd yet clearly knowne These birds aetheriall glyding fowles that flee To court the clouds alwhere the aire about Which nest the Rocks steep walls and springing tree Whose names and kindes none yet could all finde out Each keep their office set by natures stamp And live and die within thy boundlesse Camp That influence which man beast hearbs and trees Draw from the silver Phebe of the night The signes coelestiall aspectives to disease The Starres so different in their glorious light Time that was creat first and last shall be And ev'ry creature in their own degree How marveilous great art thou almighty God! Who by thy word wrought all and it was done Thou spreadst thy works the Heavens and earth abroad No part left vaste that can creation shunne O! what is foolish man the childe of lust That should not in this great JEHOVAH trust Dull are my senses any way to think My blind capacitie can well conceave The supreame providence by natures wink And bound his boundlesse pow'r unlesse I rave Like who can once exhaust the Occean dry No more can I in his great grandure pry A king command'd a Philosophick man To shew him what was God and what his might He strove and faild and said He could not scan That greatnesse which excelld best Natures light The Pagan king admird and yet this wretch Confess'd there was a God in power rich To show us there 's Deitie all things ascend And mount aloft as vapour smoake and fire The trees grow upward waves when tost transcend All birds and fowles aetherially aspire So words and voices still their ecchoes raise And man whose face is made on heaven to gaze There 's nought but worms and beasts which sight the ground But all denote their great eternall Maker Yet man wretch'd man is earth ty'd and fast bound To things below whereof he 's still partaker Nay worse then beasts he 's choak'd with worldly cares And kills his heart with greed his soule with snares What are the humours of our foggy braines But stupid thoughts conceiv'd of doubts and feare Best pregnant wits suspition quells their straines The wise the worldlings have their Emblemes here A shadow without substance I finde man Nay worse than Baalams Asse the truth to scan He sinne reprov'd yet never sinn'd himselfe But wofull man can both rebuke and sinne That which his words most hate becomes the shelf Whereon his inward lusts fall deepest in Mans lips are snares his lips both false and double His tongue a sting begets both shame and trouble O heavie lump the carcasse of disease O Masse of ill the Chaos of corruption O Microcosmos of infirmities O rotten slyme the pudle of inruption I mean mans stinking flesh who can expresse The worst its best is but base filthynesse A plunge of carion clay a prey for wormes A faggot without mercy for Hells fire A gulf where beats sterne deadly boystrous stormes A whirlewinde for Airts of each attire Wherein combustion sprung from contrare wills Makes thoughts arise like waves surpassing hills And what 's our beauty but a flash-showne show For when at best its filthy vile and base The nose the mouth our

a strong excuse He knowes I know enough that can misknow The thing he knowes it s well in knowing so Well said Alphonso knowledge to expone That all what we could learne by sight or show By airts by science by books to study on Was the least part of that we did not know All what we know we know but in a part And that failes oft corruption rules the heart What thou canst know another doth know more And what he knowes is but a glimpsing glance Who perfect is nay none who can deplore His weaknesse ruld by counsell not by chance Mans knowledge like the shade is swallowed soone That hangs between its substance and the Moone He knowes the ill and in that knowledge rude And cleaves to vice as wooll and briers are knit Resolv'd to erre misknowing what is good Rejects his soule then in a frantick fit Neglecting God neglects his owne salvation And quaffing excesse drinks his owne damnation How Lord these faults behelpd teach me to mourne That being humbled I may call for grace Let men presumptuous gainst thy judgements spurne And in the pudle of their labours trace Save thou my soule for now my quivering heart 'Twixt feare and hope stands trembling at sinnes smart A second Jonah from thy voice I flee And with shrunke Peter I thy name deny I Ahab-like keep spoiles of sinne for me And harbour lust in Lots ebrietie These lookes that fell from Sion on a Pond Were not so foule as mine nor halfe so fond Unworthy I to lift mine eyes above Or that the earth should beare me undevour'd Nay nor my friends on me to cast their love Nor saints pray for me hath the truth deflourd Yet what God will it needs must come to passe He looks on what I am not what I was Let grace take roome that mercy soone may follow Renew my sprite O cleanse my heart from ill Thy blood can purge me though my guilt be hollow Faith and repentance have a piercing will Infuse thy power Lord strengthen me to turne Once to rejoyce and never more to mourne As Daniel with thy servants three forsooke To feed on Babels delicates and wine But water and poore pulse they gladly tooke And yet their faces did for beauty shine Lord grant with them all worldly snares I may Forsake and learne to trace thy law thy way That kingly beast or beastly king expos'd Seven yeares to fields nev'r faild so much as I Nor these five kings by Joshua enclos'd Brought forth and foot-neckd shamefully did die Nev'r vex'd him more for they their lands defended Than I am griev'd for having God offended That Goshan flight to a desartuous soile Through uncouth way deep seas laid up in heaps Nev'r reft from Egypt such a swallowed spoile With greater right for now my soule it weeps Then Gods just judgements might on me befall Unlesse his mercy soone prevent my fall These wandrings long which Israel did recoyle Tost to and fro in vast Arabian bounds Full fourty yeares they spent for twelve dayes toyle Starv'd slaine and quell'd still galld by savage wounds This crosse they bore for grieving God so oft But ah my sinnes for plagues do cry aloft Now having seene rude Lybians nak'd and bare Sterne barbrous Arabs savage Sabuncks od Sword-sweying Turkes and faithlesse Jews alwhere Base ruvid Berdoans godlesse of a God Yet when from me on them I cast mine eye My life I finde farre worse then theirs can be The rustick Moorish sterne promiscuous sexe Nor Garolines idolatrizing shame The Turcomans that even the Divell doe vexe In offring up their first-borne to his name Nor Jamnites with their foolish Garlick god Are worse then I nor more deserve thy rod Yet Lord with Thee there 's mercy and its true Thou art not wonne with multitude of words Its force of tears from us thy pitie sue Which thou regards and pardon us afords For words are formed by the tongue but tears Speak from the heart which thou most kindlie heares Use then few words O silly soule but weepe This is the heavenly language and strong voice That calls to God for he our teares shall keep Fast bottled in his pittie Makes the choise Of teares few words let sighs and sobs display Thine inward grief then tears beginne to pray Lord thou wouldst not to Herod speak nor yet Would answer Pilat urgd by humane power But soone thou spoke when weeping women set Their eyes on Thee and streames of teares did powre These Judges sought advantage for thy dittie But Sions daughters weept for Thee in pittie These great mens words did reach but to thine eares But their warme drops did pierce Thee to thine heart Lord thou takes care on them and on their teares Who mourne for others when the righteous smart But farre more pittie on the sinfull soule That mournes for sinne and wailes her errours foule Oh! that my head were waters and mine eyes A source of teares to weep both day and night The peoples sinnes with theirs mine owne disease Which greater growes than I to beare have might Such flouds of teares would then my grief disclose In airie vapours flanck'd with watrie woes This world 's a valley of perpetuall teares And what 's the Scripture but a springing well Of gushing teares flow'd from remorse and feare● For godly sorrow must with Mourners dwell And who can mourne unlesse that grace begin To worke repentance this grief expiats sin All night could David wet with tears his couch And Prophets for the faults of Israel mourne But ah good God when shall mine eyes avouch Such happy teares that may with Thee sojourne If not thy judgements yet thy gracious love Might melt mine eyes and Ponds of sorrow move Thou saidst I will compassion have on all That pleaseth me compassion for to show Be pleas'd thy love may me redeeme from thrall Free will to pardon thine the debt I owe How soone soev'ra sinner should repent him Thou swore in truth thou wouldst no longer shent him Lord grant my minde may second these my words And not invent more then I practice can If I deficient prove good will afords My sacrifice obedience is the man Did not Abraham this point paternize Whose purpose was held for a sacrifice David resolv'd on Sions lower flat To build a Temple for the living Lord A daughter cloure joynd with Jehosophat Benorthd with Moriahs squink devalling bord The Lord accept'd the minde his thought was to it And said Thy sonne but not thy selfe shall do it The widows myte was thankfully receiv'd Good wills a sacrifice this seldome failes The will although the purpose be deceiv'd Is not to blame the good intent prevailes The Lord accepts even of the least desire We have to serve him though we faint or tire When Jacob had twice ten yeares Laban serv'd Yet Laban would have sent him empty gone But he who serves the Lord though he hath swerv'd Shall not misse

fabrick Angels singing musick To lure our soules to take coelestiall physick ●hen come stress'd thou who loaden is and weary ●nd here refresh thy fatigating soule ●ake haste and come and now no longer tarry ●est others barre Thee from Bethesdaes Poole When grace would touch thy sprite thy heart is troubled But be not slow lest losse on losse be doubled ●onsider Lord these times wherein we live ●d harken to thy chosen deare Elect ●t Israel joy and thine enemies grieve ●o time good God their sacrifice neglect But heare and help them guard them round about With heavenly hosts and thine Angelick rout Looke downe on thy stress'd Sion and her teares And bottle up her woes within the Urne Of thy remembrance Grievous grow her feares By Wolves in Lambskins topsolturvie turne Most fearfull seeme these whirlewindes of time Bred from the base seditious dregs of slime Such wound her sides but can not dimme her light The blood of Saints is her espousall seed When darkest stormes would theat to bring downe night Thy Spouse triumphs in Christ her soveraigne head No winde so high nor wave so great but grace Can calme sterne blasts when thou seest time and place When Man is snard by sinne and seemes as lost Then God drawes neare and makes his Sprite prepare The soule for grace So when forlorne or crost Christs Church appeares that even her Saints despaire Then comfort comes the Lord will not exile her Nor let the spight and craft of men defile her Pure like the gold is she and christall cleare White as the snow and sweeter than the hony Thy virgine Spouse most neare to Thee and deare Is farre more precious than ten Worlds of money The silver-fornace tryde is not so fine Nor halfe so sweet tasts Rethimosean wine Lord looke upon her crosses and relieve Her troubled Saints for Thee and for thy Sonne She springs through briers and mongst sharpe thorns doth liv● Like to the Rose in midst of thistles wonne Her bloudy foes confound protect her Saints Erect maintaine their zeale Lord heare their plaints Faire is thy sister sweet thy Spousall love Her sent is bundled Myrrhe fixt on her breasts She 's thine cled with thy power thine harmelesse Dove For in the Garden of thy grace she feasts Come clasp her in thine armes come gracious Lord And shew thy Virgin Queene misericord Red shines the blush of Sions fragrant flowres Greene spring her boughs like Liban Cedars tall Swift flee her wings to court her Paramours Knowne to her friends but never knowne to all Whose purple Roabes are pure and finer farre Then Tyrians wore ere they were sackt by warre Like the Apple in midst of Forrest trees Thy Welbeloveds so 'mongst sonnes of Men The fairest 'mongst Women with radiant eyes Would succour have to save her from the Den Of darknesse black Lift up thy face and see The spices and ripe fruit of her fig-tree Whose breasts are like two twinnes 'mongst Lillies fed Her rosie cheeks more brighter than the Sunne One marke she beares that in the soule is bred Another badge lasts till our glasse be runne The thirds a sparke that mounts to Heaven above The light of Saints the love of endlesse Love Her richest garment truth and righteousnesse And that 's broudred with mercy grace and peace ●aithfull in all and patient in distresse Constant to stand unchangeable of pace And yet her beauty Heavens no fairer fixe Than mens tradition would the same ecclipse She 's Catholick now not ty'd to a place As Jewrie land where God was onely knowne Christs Church points forth the Universe for grace Came with th' Evangel peace to Pagans showne The Gentiles then were call'd as well as Jews For mercy came with Jesus Gospell news And yet there many darknesse love than light For sinne craves silence and umbragious places The cloud 's their covert and their friend the night The day their foe their Darling obscure faces Thus blinde inveigling vice turnes darknesse darke For jet-black sin can dim their foggy warke Too many darknesse love so sinne provides That blinded eyes must follow blinde tradition Blinde are they bred but blinder far their guides Who maske poore Ignorants with superstition Whose Church maintaines false miracles and treason Blood murther incest powder plots and poyson Besides this Church idolatrous and drunk With indulgence and pardons Policies At Limbus forgd Absurd for gaine and sunk In Purgatories avarice and lyes There other orient Churches erre and fall From Gospell truth they know it not at all The Aethiopian Abbasins the Moore Aegyptian Gopties Chelfanes Georgians Greeks Nostrans Syriacks Jacobines what more Grosse Armenians th' Amaronite that seeks Talp-drawne ignorance all of which do swerve Tradition is the mistresse whom they serve I could dive here in their distract'd conceit And blinde surmises sowne these parts abroad But I suspend yet here 's a dangerous state To cast opinions on the face of God Their Patriarchs like themselves do play the foole That will not square Religion with Christs rule O! if I could with Jeremie lament The worlds great errours and my fallings too And with grievd Ninivie in time repent Lest with my slippings justice me undo Thrice happy were I in this resolution Ere death enhaunce my life bring dissolution Yet soule despaire not God is mercifull Long suffring patient full of kinde compassion His love to Man is passing plentifull Whose grace and mercy flow on our confession For if one teare for sinne fall from our eyes He 's pleas'd to pardon our infirmities How gracious then is God how rich I say Is Christs redemption fraught with saving bloud If we have faith in him if we can pray And lift our eyes fixt on the holy Rude And then to suffer in our zeale those pangs Our Saviour thold in this our welfare hangs My merit is thy mercy that 's the end Although good works they are the way to heaven Yet not the cause why I may there ascend That in thy love remaines makes mine oddes eaven For if thou hadst not dyed what had I beene And if not risen what had my soule seene Thou wilt not gracious God break the bruisde reed Nor quench the smoaking flaxe for said thou hast That if our sinnes were dy'd in scarlet red Thou'le make them white as snow to let us taste Of grace and gladnesse 'Cause the broken heart Thou'le not reject contrition would convert Lord thou ordaind that death no flesh should shunne Cause why it was the doome and curse of sinne And so the punishment of thy deare Sonne Which for our sakes thy judgements cast him in That as the Divell prevailed by a Tree So by a Tree his power should vanquish'd be Then let the sight of thy transgressions rude Draw drops of teares from thine inunding eyes Since they did draw so many drops of bloud From thy Redeemers wounds thy soule to ease And looke what David said in faith and feare His sinnes were heavier