Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	content_n	glory_n	great_a	29	3	2.0646	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78006	Christ the Sts advantage both in life and death. A sermon preached at the funerall of Ms Elisabeth Coke, wife to Colonell Tho. Coke of Pebmersh, Esquire. By Thomas Burrough, preacher of the Gospel at Pebmersh in Essex.	Burroughes, Thomas, b. 1611 or 12.	1646 (1646)	Wing B6130; Thomason E1200_3; ESTC R208763	15,668	69

mouth Cant. 1. v. 1. The sweet intimations of CHRIST'S love to the soule are good more then wine better then what-ever else can comfort For CHRIST to take the soule into his banquetting-house Cant. 2. v. 4. to communicate unto it largely the rich graces and treasures of his blessed Spirit to leade it as it were by the hand into his privie chambers and let it take a view of those jewels and precious things laid up for his people to refresh the soule with those spirituall consolations which exceed all outward troubles and to spread his banner or flagge of defence over the foule a banner against sinne Sathan and the world and this banner to be Love all this the love which CHRIST beareth to the foule This this so ravisheth the foule that shee is sick of love faint and sick with desire of enjoying more communion with CHRIST As Daniel when hee had recei ed abundance of revelations was faint and sick with desire of more cleare knowledge of his visions and of the Churches deliverance Dan. 8. v. 27. so the soule that hath once throughly tasted of these sweet consolations is sick after more communion with CHRIST crying out with the Spouse Stay mee with flagons c. Cant. 2.5 with the flagons of the wine of grace and spirituall consolations which Christ reacheth out to the soules of his REAS. 3. Because CHRIST onely can fit a Christian for all estates and conditions for all changes and alterations CHRIST can teach the soule humility in prosperity patience in affliction yea not onely so but also to rejoyce and glory in tribulations To glory is to have a kinde of insulting over them to live above them to undervalue them to set light by them And not onely to triumph over some light trials but even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in pressing afflictions in tribulations Roman 5. ver 3. The presence of CHRIST carrieth the soule above all the troubles of the world and sets it upon that rock that is higher then all outward discouragements 'T is CHRIST alone that can teach the soul how to rest content in every condition I have learned saith Paul and surely it is a blessed art in whatsoever estate I am therewith to be content Philipp 4.11 But this knowledge hee tels us hee obtained from CHRIST I can doe all things through CHRIST that enableth mee REAS. 4. Because CHRIST onely can sweeten death and enable the soule couragiously to encounter that enemy which Aristotle calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The most Terrible of Terribles and Bildad one of Jobs friends The King of terrours when Sathan as usually hee doth in his last and greatest assault sendeth in his accusations like the waves of the sea or like Jobs messengers one in the neck of the other seeking to swallow up the soule in the gulfe of utter despaire presenting unto the soule as it were in one view the sight of the sinnes of her whole life together with all the aggravating circumstances Now it is CHRIST alone that can and at this time usually doth step in and rescue the soule taking away the captive out of the power of the enemy CHRIST now smileth upon the soule letting her feel the sweetnesse that redoundeth to the beleever by his bitter sufferings Hee enableth the foule by faith to cast anchour in heaven to stay it selfe upon the alone and all sufficient merits of the LORD JESUS And now the soule dares challenge death hell and Divels Who can lay any thing to the charge of GOD's Elect 'T is CHRIST that died yea rather that is risen againe for their justification USE 1. The first Use wee desire to make of this point may be to discover the vanity of all other comforts All comforts without CHRIST are but seeming comforts they are at the best but bitter-sweets there is farre more gall then honey in the best of them All other comforts without CHRIST are but like a lamp without oyle or a bone without marrow Without CHRIST the soule meeteth with emptinesse in the greatest worldly fulnesse 'T is CHRIST that filleth all in all Ephes 1.23 He putteth fulnesse of content and satisfaction into all the things that his servants enjoy The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soule Prov. 13.25 If hee have much hee blesseth GOD for it and laboureth to improve it to his glory if little hee is thankfull for it and content with it Godlinesse carrieth a selfe-sufficiencie along with it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Timoth. 6. ver 6. Other things without CHRIST may carry a shew of happinesse in them but indeed and in truth there is no true reall content and soule-satisfying comfort to be found in them The glory of the greatest that want CHRIST doth many times decay before them at the utmost it dyeth with them when they goe from their house to the grave their glory shall not descend after them It is not the quintessence of all things here below without the fruition of CHRIST with them and in them that can make a man happy Men doe but dreame of a contentednesse in them They are but a meer image and representation All worldly pomp is but a phantasie Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 25.23 These things are not so excellent as men think them to be But truely happy and assuredly blessed is that soule that enjoyeth communion with the LORD JESUS CHRIST that can truly say with Paul CHRIST is to mee both in life and death advantage USE 2. Secondly This may be an Use of Instruction to teach Christians seriously to take notice of the happy estate and condition of every soul reconciled to GOD in CHRIST The LORD JESUS is all the sweetnesse that the soules of his can desire Hee is honey in the mouth musick in the eare and a Jubilee in the heart saith Bernard Look upon one of GOD's reconciled ones in his most afflicted estate when hee is most estranged from all worldly comforts yet in the midst of all his outward wants and sufferings hee is truely happy by enjoying communion with GOD in CHRIST Let a mans outward condition be what it can yet in enjoying GOD the soule enjoyeth what-ever is necessary and conducible to her comfort and happinesse All comforts are in GOD as in the fountaine and spring all are primarily in him That which the Apostle speaketh to this purpose a Corinth 6. ver 10. is a strange Paradox to a naturall man As having nothing and yet possessing all things In enjoying GOD the beleever enjoyeth all even in that GOD who can not onely command but also create comforts Although the Lord many times leadeth his people into the wildernesse yet even there will hee speake comfortably unto them Hos 2. vers 14. GOD usually giveth in most of himselfe to his when they are most destitute of outward comforts The LORD dealing in this regard with his people as Physicians with their Patients who keep their choycest cordialls for

fainting fits Thousands I am confident of imprisoned and plundered Saints can experimentally speake to the truth of this It is but the fulfilling of that promise of him who is Truth it selfe who hath engaged himselfe to be present with his in their greatest streights When thou passest thorow the waters I will be with thee and thorow the rivers that they shall not overflow thee When thou walkest thorow the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee Isai 43.2 Whither will the childe feare to goe whilest it is in the fathers armes Though I walke thorow the valley of the shadow of death saith David yet will I feare none evill for thou art with me Psal 23.4 CHRIST's presence maketh amends for all Hee is so eminently and transcendently good that what-ever is wanting in the creature is supplyed out of his blessed selfe If food be wanting to his to feed them if clothes to cover and keep them warme yet hee is equivalently good yea better to them then all these or whatsoever else they can stand in need of O stand still then and seriously take notice of the happy estate of a soule reconciled to GOD in CHRIST all outward troubles cannot hinder his joy nor stoppe the entercourse of love betwixt CHRIST and his soule Hee liveth above all troubles His life is hid with CHRIST in GOD Coloss 3. vers 3. Hee liveth where hee loveth his conversation is in heaven Philip. 3. vers 20. All the enemies in the world cannot take away his joy Hee may lose house goods lands friends but still hee hath his portion GOD is the strength of my heart and my portion for even Psal 73. ver 26. All the powers of hell and all the enemies in the world are not able to take away his comfort They may strip him naked of all the comforts of this life yea they may if the LORD permit take away life it selfe but yet they cannot take away CHRIST who is the life of his life and the joy of his soule Here is a true beleevers conquest His jewell his treasure his best and greatest comfort both in life and death cannot be taken away Enemies may separate betwixt the body and the soule but never betwixt the soule and CHRIST USE 3. Thirdly This may discover unto us the desperate folly of those who are sollicitously carefull after the things of this world and in the meane time altogether carelesse concerning that which they ought principally to labour after never truely seeking after communion with GOD in CHRIST Of such wee may justly take up that complaint Yee will not come unto mee that yee might have life John 5. vers 40. They will not come to CHRIST they will not beleeve in him they will not roll themselves upon him for life and salvation They will not kisse the Sonne they will not have CHRIST to reigne over them To such I may say in the words of the holy Spirit Why is there a price put into the hands of fools seeing they have not an heart to it Why doe such lay out their money for that which is not bread Isa 55. ver 2. for that which will not comfort in time of need Why is the blessed free and gratious tender of CHRIST so slenderly esteemed and ungratefully refused This this will prove The condemnation That men love darknesse rather then light John 3. ver 19. How shall this muzzle the mouthes of all impenitent sinners that have lived in these Gospel times who have neglected so great salvation as hath been held forth unto them How unutterably miserable shall the condition of such be When the LORD JESVS shall bee revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not GOD and obey not the Gospel of our LORD JESVS CHRIST 2 Thess 1.7 8. USE 4. Fourthly The Use of this in the last place shall be for exhortation to exhort every one of us that as wee desire to finde any true solid soule-satisfying comfort either in life or death so to labour now to get a title and interest in CHRIST Strive to be found in CHRIST not having any righteousnesse of your owne but that which is through the faith of CHRIST the righteousnesse which is of GOD by faith Philipp 3. ver 9. Endeavour to get strong evidence to your soules that you are Christ's and hee yours Get the love of CHRIST shed abroad in your hearts that your soules may be heated with the reflection of this love Pray that your soules may be arrested with the love of CHRIST with such a love as the Spouse mentioneth Cant. 8. vers 6. A love as strong as death that conquers the greatest giant and mightiest Monarch A zeale for CHRIST as inexorable as the grave that the coales thereof may be fiery coales scorching coals This love will facilitate the greatest difficulties and make the Saints not to love their lives unto death This hath made the holy Martyrs kisse the stake and joyfully embrace the flames This made that blessed Ignatius when hee heard the lions roare that were purposely kept hungry to the end they might more eagerly devour him cry out O that I were with those beasts that are prepared for mee whom I desire should soon make an end of mee but if they should refuse to touch my body as through fear sometimes they have abstained from some of the Saints I would provoke them to fall upon me Others have said Racks strappadoes torments are but a play to us Flames of fire have seemed to them no lesse pleasant then beds of downe Thus have these blessed soules beene warmed yea inflamed with love to CHRIST The heat and strength of this love hath also moved the Saints lying upon their death-beds even as it is reported of the Swanne to sing before their death and to allure their soules as it were to hasten out of their bodies with old Simeon to cry out LORD now let thy servant depart in peace Luke 2. vers 29. And with good Hilarian These seventy yeeres and upwards thou hast served the LORD therefore now goe forth O my soule with joy They know right well that though they die yet the sting is pulled out and death to them is but a passage to a better life Hence it is that they welcome death as that blessed harbinger of their soules eternall happinesse This hath made them look upon the day of death as the day of harvest to the husband-man as the day of deliverance to the prisoner as a day of marriage to the Bride Upon this day have the Saints looked as a day of exultation and triumph over sinne death and hell O death Where is thy sting O grave Where is thy victory 1 Corinth 15. ver 55. It hath made them to long to be dissolved and to bee with CHRIST which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 farre farre the better Philip. 1.23 As a Reverend Divine that I have read of who the day before hee died called earnestly for the Bible saying Come oh come death approacheth let us gather some flowers to comfort this houre Another Oh what an happy change shall I make from night to day from death to life from a troublesome world to an heavenly rest Thus have many blessed Saints even longed for death and rejoyced at the very approaching of it which they could never have done had they not assuredly knowne that they should be exceeding gainers by their change had they not confidently beleeved that when these earthly tabernacles should be dissolved they should have a building of GOD not made with hands c. Oh how doth it concern us especially in these cloudy dayes to strive for interest in CHRIST Therefore as ever you desire to finde any comfort in these sad times especially at the hour of death when all other comforts shall take their leave so labour to get a tirle and interest in CHRIST that with Paul you may be able to say CHRIST is to mee both in life and death advantage NOw concerning this Gentle-woman whose death we have all cause to lament being one who was in an especiall manner instrumentall to the glory of GOD. Although I have ever hated flattery yet where I finde much of GOD I desire to speak something to his glory Many things worthy of imitation have I being much conversant with her observed in her A briefe account of some of them I shall in a word or two hint unto you First Shee was very conscientious in observing the Lords day Secondly Shee was principally carefull over the soules of her children and servants in her husbands absence A lively character of a truely vertuous wife When should the Moon shine bright but in the absence of the Sun Thirdly The cause of GOD and the welfare of his people were most deer unto her In a word Such was her demeanor in her whole conversation that I could easily be eloquent in speaking of her but I must set bounds to my selfe God hath taken her from us I must speake no more to her neither shall I for the present speak any more of her But oh that what I have or deservedly might have spoken of her might provoke others to emulation that you would strive to walk in her pathes that you might hereafter partake of her Crown I shall conclude in the words of the Apostle in the same Epistle wherein I began Phil. 4.8 Finally brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are of good report if there be any vertue if there be any praise think on these things FINIS