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	house_n	pillar_n	3,545	5	10.4316	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A94169	The greatnes of the mystery of godlines; opened in severall sermons by Cuthbert Sydenham teacher to a Church of Christ at Newcastle upon Tine.	Sydenham, Cuthbert, 1622-1654.	1654 (1654)	Wing S6296; Thomason E1499_1; ESTC R203682	101,615	278

THE GREATNES OF THE MYSTERY OF GODLINES Opened in severall Sermons BY CUTHBERT SYDENHAM Teacher to a Church of Christ at Newcastle upon Tine LONDON Printed by W. Hunt for Richard Tomlins at the Sun and Bible neare Pye-Corner 1654. TO THE Right Worshipfull William Johnson Maior of Newcastle With the Aldermen Sheriffe Common Councell and the rest of that famous Corporation Honoured and Beloved IT is not any vaine desire to appeare in print that I present you with these sheets but these two reasons have prest me thereunto First because I cannot now preach to your eares I would leave something before your eyes that might quicken up your spirits to a holy remembrance of what you have formerly heard for carefull and observant reading doth imprint with more efficacy that which it may be did but passe more transiently thorough the eare besides in reading a man may dwell on a nation untill he hath suckt the spirits of it and yet not lose the next which in hearing is hazardous so that primarily my uselessenesse to you through sicknesse in preaching hath provoked me that if possible I might be a little usefull to your soules by this 2. I have attempted this worke to leave a character and testimony of my deepe sence I have of your great favours to me you have nursed me as a Parent his Child Now what have I to present you with but even this spirituall mite which is seconded with many desires for your eternall welfare and this I must say that I beleeve never more respects have been shown by any Corporation in England to the most grave and worthy Preachers among them than you have shewn to me unworthy me Thus I have given you a short account of what moved me to this enterprize I hope it will be candidly interpreted among you I have only one thing to adde which all the Nation may take notice of and wonder concerning your happinesse that these nine yeares when all the Nation have been in a puzzle about errors sects and schismes even almost to bloud you have sate as in a Paradise no disturbances in your Pulpits no railings or disputings Presbyterians and Independents preaching in the same place fasting and praying together in heavenly harmony expressing nothing but kindnesse to each other in their meetings ready to help each other and as for the errours of the times that have disturbed so many Towns in England it may be said of Newcastle as of Ireland the Aire is so pure no such venemous creature can live there and this hath been through the power of the Gospell and your carefull Government Now the Lord make you reach after immortality take heed of this evill world Oh that you may further prize and profit by that precious Gospell which shines among you and may this little Treatise adde one cubit to your stature in grace how will it rejoyce the soule of him who is From my sick Chamber in Axe-yard in Kingstreet in Westminster Yours to serve you in Gospell if ever God recover my strength Cuthbert Sydenham To the ingenuous godly Reader ALL I have to entreat thee in the reading of these sheets is first that thou wouldst no● look on it as a bare Treatise wherein things are only opened and demonstrated but as Sermons where the same things must sometimes be repeated and often inculcated to worke the notions if possible into the spirits of men Secondly that thou wouldst do thy selfe and me so much right as to correct what thou findest amisse and especially there is need of thy charity in reading this book for in expressing such high and great mysteries the least omission or addition of a syllable yea of a letter may make it blasphemy to the Reader I have found out some which I point out before thee p. 44. for very read every p. 45. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 67. for God did manifest himselfe r. God did not p. 69. for nature r. heart p. 77. for dwelling r. dreadfull p. 93. for when r. were p. 94. for you r. gone p. 96. for wise r. wisdome p. 97. for your death r. only you p. 119. for expression r. impression p. 145. read the foure first verses warily p. 183. for take r. took p. 144. leave out very p. 190. for Iews r. Gentiles Other things I entreat thee to correct thy selfe and where the sense failes to helpe it with charity the Lord give an understanding heart and a discerning eye to dive into the mysteries of the Gospell this is the desire of him who is Thine in the Gospell C. S. The Greatness of the Mystery of Godlinesse opened in severall Sermons SERMON I. 1 TIM 3.16 And without controversie great is the mystery of Godlinesse which is God manifested in the flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles beleeved on in the world and received up into glory THe Apostle in this Chapter sutes his Exhortation to the divers Offices in the Church and laies down their particular qualifications who shall be fit for such places God never cals any to places but he fits them and he would have us looke to whom he hath qualified It is not enough that men have publike vote for publike places but they must have sutable endowments a Bishop that is a Pastour must be blamelesse v. 2. So he that thinks to act for God must have qualifications from God Gods Call hath ever his blessing and assistance Now that Timothy might take speciall notice of this he tels him that he writ these things on purpose that he might know how to behave himselfe in the Church which he cals the house of God and the pillar and ground of truth ver 15. that is that which holds forth truth as the pillar doth the light that is set on it The Apostle laies the weight of his worke and all the Ministers of the Gospell and heightens their Calling from the preciousnesse of the truth that is to be manifested by them and at last breakes forth into the great truths which they are to manifest which are undeniably the great Mystery of Godlinesse in the world God was manifest in flesh c. So that this is the sum of all Pastors and Teachers and Elders and all Office of the Church had need be men peculiarly qualified that they may behave themselves as becomes them in the Church for that is as a Pillar of truth and the great Mystery of Godlinesse is opened among them they are to hold forth that Godlinesse which is a great Mystery And it is as much as if he had said Timothy I write these things to thee and all the Ministers of the Gospell that they looke to themselves for a great charge is committed to them to be as pillars in Gods House and to carry forth the greatest mystery in the heaven and earth that upon which depends the great weight of Salvation Oh if these that are to dispense the Gospell did