Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A97266
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Self-examination with the likeliest means of conversion and salvation, or, haypy [sic] and welcome advice, if it meets with a soul ingenious : the which being thought (by many) worth the transcribing, at no small charge, is now published for the good of all / by R. Junius.
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Younge, Richard.
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1663
(1663)
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Wing Y181A; ESTC R43839
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23,147
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32
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witness And how could this be were it not for the foregoing Reasons Neither could men else but hate sin and love holiness For besides that any rational man would rather go to Heaven and be saved than to Hell and be damned even Plato a meer Heathen could say that vertue if it be clearly discerned moves great love and affection And that in case a vertuous soul could but be seen with corporal eyes it would ravish all men and set their hearts on fire with love and admiration of the same CHAP. IV. BUt you will ask me who are such as may properly becalled Christians Answ Those that are rightly so styled do in some measure walk according to the rules and precepts of the Gospel as these and the like though with much infirmity Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart mind and strength and thy neighbour as thy self Matth. 22.37 39. Whether ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you even the same do ye unto them Mat. 7.12 c. He walks not according to the rudiments of the World neither does he follow the example of the greatest number nor the greatest men nor the greatest Scholars any farther then they follow Christ But he serves God in spirit according to Christs Gospel for so far forth as he can he lives and believes and hears and invocates and hopes and fears and loves and worships God in such manner as his Word prescribes without addition or diminution And having so done and performed his utmost not to deserve by it but to express his thankfulness to Christ that hath done and suffered so much for him he confesseth himself an unprofitable servant and that in all he comes far short of performing his duty Luke 17.10 If you would have a full and compleat Character of such an one for your imitation and direction or for a pattern to know believe and live by read The whole Duty of a Christian lately Printed for Mr. Crips In the mean time know that we are not born but new born Christians by the immortal seed of the Word and the Spirits powerful working with it And when any one is new born it will appear by this Regeneration or new birth is a creation of new qualities in the soul as being by nature onely evil disposed In all that are born anew is a change both in the judgement from error to truth and in the will from evill to good and in the affections from loving evill and hating good to love good and hate evil in the whole man from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God Nor is there one of that small number whom Christ hath chosen out of the World but is able to say I bless God his Word and Spirit hath wrought in me such a change and strange alteration that it hath opened mine eyes that were blind before inclined my will to obedience which before was rebellious softned my heart sanctified and quite changed my affections So that I now love that good which before I hated and hate that evil which before I loved and am delighted with those holy exercises which heretofore did most displease me and am displeased with those vain pleasures and filthy sins which in time past did most delight me and accounts the same such a mercy that no tongue is able to express it CHAP. V. BUt to bring this home to our selves Are none Christians but such as imitate Christ and endeavour to make the Gospel a rule for them to walk by then in the first place they that are in their judgments affections and actions quite contrary to Christ and the Gospel are far from being Christians And of this number are all Drunkards Swearers and Cursers and the lascivious and voluptuous all Adulterers and Fornicators all covetous unjust and unmerciful men all Seducers false Teachers and such us err in Fundamentals or hold damnable Opinions all ignorant persons that know not God nor the very first principles of Christianity which every one must of necessity know or he cannot be saved Isa 27.11 Hos 4.6 2 Thes 1.7 8. Prov. 19 2. John 3.19 and the number of these are numberless all the rebellious and disobedient all lyars flatterers and time servers who like those Chaldeans Dan. 3.7 would worship a golden Image rather then for-go their immunities all open or secret enemies to the power of godliness as scoffers at holiness and haters of the good who are not a few all Idolaters railers the fearful and unbelieving Sorcerers c. who shall every one if they repent not have their part and portion in the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death as the Holy Ghost witnesseth Rev. 21.8 1 Cor. 6.9 10. All these I say shew by their works that they serve not the Lord Jesus but their Father the Devil and therefore ought not to be owned as Christians For what saith the Apostle his servants we are to whom we yield obedience Rom. 6.16 See more Gal. 5.24 2 Pet. 2.19 Matth. 6.24 Luke 1.74 75. So that it is an infallible argument if we observe and obey Christs precepts we are his Servants if Satans commands we are his subjects and slaves Men may pretend what they will but we are bound to believe the God of truth and what saith Saint John He that pretends interest in God or Christ and keepeth not his commandments is a lyar and the truth is not in him 1 John 2.4 5. and in the third Chapter and eight verse he affirms plainly that all wilful sinners are the Devils servants And indeed let men flatter themselves or pretend what they will it cannot be denied but the fruit tells best the name of the tree The conversation above all shews who carries the bridle of the will whether God or Satan And did not men purposely shut their eyes stop their ears and harden their own hearts lest they should see and hear and so be converted as our Saviour himself speaks Matth. 13.15 they could not but know that the whole Bible beats upon this It is St. Pauls everlasting Rule Rom. 6.16 Ye are his servants to whom ye obey And St. Peters infallible Doctrine 2 Pet. 2.19 Of whom a man is overcome unto him he is in bondage And St. John In this are the children of God known and the children of the Devil Whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God but of the Devil 1 John 3.8 10. And after this manner does our Saviour reason with the Jews John 8.33 to 48. See then whose commands ye do Gods or Satans if Satans then saith St. John Let no man deceive you through vain words for he onely that doth righteousness is righteous and he that doth unrighteousness is of the Devil 1 John 3.7 8. Now what can be spoken more express or more full to the point in hand Nevertheless as the