Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	deed_n	light_n	manifest_a	2,272	5	9.7572	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A74995	A glass of justification, or The vvork of faith with povver. Wherein the apostles doctrine touching justification without the deeds of the law, is opened; and the sence in which gospel-obedience, as well as faith, is necessary to justification, is stated. Wherein also the nature of that dead faith is detected, by which multitudes that hope for salvation are (as is to be feared) deceived; and the true nature and distinguishing properties of the faith of Gods elect, is handled. Finally, the doctrine of the imputation of faith for righteousness is herein also briefly discussed; and the great wisdom and folly of men about the proof of their faith, touched ... By William Allen, a poor servant to the Lord Jesus.	Allen, William, d. 1686.	1658 (1658)	Wing A1065; Thomason E948_7; ESTC R207578	191,802	230

in point of Estate it 's an ill sign that those men are behind-hand in the World and that they themselves are under jealousie and suspition that in case they should narrowly look into things and come to ballance their accounts they should not find all things well And so between hope and fear presuming the best they blindly go on till Suits and Arrests make them thorowly sensible of their bad condition And truly when men are backward and indisposed to cast up their Accounts and to see how matters stand with them in this great concernment of their Souls and to be curious and exact in it but go on from year to year carelesly presuming the best it 's a thousand to one but they are spiritually Bankerupts in a breaking condition which when death comes to Arrest them it may be they shall perceive unless carried away in a spiritual Lethargie which is worst of all Solomon saith He that despiseth his wayes shall dye Prov. 19.16 He that makes light how things stand with him which yet do exceeding neerly concern him such as are matters of eternal life and death it 's next to a demonstration that eternal ruine and destruction are not far from that man unless he recover himself from that careless posture Whereas on the contrary as men that are thriving in the World and in good case in point of Estate take pleasure in casting up their Estates So he that doeth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God Jo. 3.21 But however let things be how they will be as bad with you as Jealousie it self can suspect yet there 's reason why you should make the more hast to find out the worst because as yet there is opportunity of keeping all from going to ruine of mending a bad Estate of coming to understand things that belong to your peace Now is the accepted time now is the day of Salvation 2 Cor. 6.2 the door is not yet shut the Market-day of the Soul is not yet over Christ is yet calling upon such as have thought themselves rich and abounding in Goods and to have need of nothing and yet upon tryal have been found miserable and poor and blind and naked he is yet calling upon them to buy of him gold tryed in the fire that they may be rich and white raiment that they may be clothed and that the shame of their nakedness may not appear Rev. 3.18 Truly I exceedingly fear that that which was the case of this Laodicean Church is the condition of vast numbers of Christians by profession in these dayes who think all is very well with them in that they have some knowledg of the Scriptures and a beleef of the Gospel touching Christs dying for sinners and being the Saviour of Man-kind and because they frequent the places of his publick worship and in a formal though liveless powerless way perform some duties when as they in the mean time are workers of iniquity in bondage to their lusts have no experience of the new birth or work of Regeneration in their Souls presuming it may be to the sad deceiving of their Souls that they were Regenerate and born again in their Infant Baptisme but indulge themselves in such things as please the flesh thinking that Christ as he is able so will be willng to pay all their scores as long as they do but depend upon him for it But alass such if they will be but perswaded to try themselves by that Doctrine of Faith here laid before them they will find themselves in an ill case O but let not that discourage any to be trying how it is with them the Lord is calling upon you saying Awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Ephes 5.14 Though you have been all this while asleep and have dreamed you have been believers and that you are justified when it 's no such matter like the hungry man the Prophet speaks of Who dreameth and behold he eateth but he awaketh and his Soul is empty or as when a thirsty man dreameth and behold he drinketh but he awaketh and behold he is faint and his Soul hath appetite Isai 29.8 Yet now if with this jogg you may be but awakened out of this sleep and so come to see that that which pleased you so was indeed but a dream Christ is ready to give you light not only in making known to you the true and certain terms of his Salvation but also in shewing you how you may be indued with power and strength to observe the same and finally to attain Salvation it self which through your mistakes hitherto you have been in great danger to miss of he will guide you with his counsel and afterwards receive you unto glory Psalm 73.24 Only be diligent in this work make no longer delay thou art not master of thy time and thou knowest not what a day may bring forth remember it is for thy life the life of thy Soul there 's no dallying and trifling in matters of this moment What man is he that expects shortly to be tryed for his life this mortal life who out of the sence of the consequence of it is not restless in his labours pains and endeavours day and night till if such a thing be attainable he have got together the evidences of his defence and hath put himself into a good posture of vindication And shall men be penny-wise and pound-foolish shall they be solicitous about a mortal temporal life which for ought they know shall expire with the day of their tryal and shall men be rechless negligent and careless in their preparations and provisions for such a tryal wherein their everlasting condition life or death lies at stake God forbid Therefore I beseech you in the Name of the Lord and for the sake of your Souls that you give your selves no rest till you know what ground you stand on till you come to know that your plea and defence which you have to make in the great day of your tryal before Christ the Judge of Quick and Dead is such as will then carry the Day on your side Sect. 2 You may know now how things will go with you then when that great and notable day of Judgement and Tryal comes You have the rule of that dayes proceeding before you now The word which Christ hath spoken the Doctrine which he either by himself or his Apostles hath delivered the same shall judge you that 's it by which you shall be tryed in that day John 12.48 That word which you read that Word which you hear from day to day that 's it by which you must stand or fall So that if you will but make a business of it by laying things together and comparing one thing with another Scripture with Scripture and the temper of your heart and tenour of your life therewith you may be able to Prophesie upon supposition that

say that love covereth a multitude of sins Prov. 10.12 1 Pet. 4.8 and so it does as in other respects so when such applications proceed from Soul-love as by which a man is converted from the error of his way and so his sins come to be covered or not imputed by God James 5.19 20. Sect. 10 2. And where mens souls are loved and their salvation longed after which is the best kind of love and the most God-like there there will be a great deal of care and tenderness used that nothing be done or spoken that may prove a snare a stumbling-block or an occasion of sin to others and to hide such things from them as through their weakness might harden them against any good or in any evil wayes And therefore those that are enriched with this love are wont to consider not only what is in it self lawful for them to do but how it will stand with the edification of others and what use they are like to make of it The Apostle saith that Knowledge puffeth up but love edifieth 1 Cor. 8.1 Knowledge where it is alone by it self without love makes men lofty and disdainful towards others But love edifieth that is it disposeth the person in whom it is to use his knowledge in such a way as will tend to or at least consist with the edification of others and not their prejudice It is a fine expression which we have to this purpose 1 Cor. 13.4 where he saith that Charity is not rash so it is in the margine is not puffed up It is not rash no it is a tender grace it makes a man look about him before he does many things and to consider where they may light and whereto they may tend and what use may be made of them and is wonderful fearful of doing any body any harm in the affairs of their souls Upon account whereof their own liberty and outward accomodation many a time suffers suspension as it fell out in the holy Apostle Pauls case who would take no money of some Churches but rather labour with his hands when he perceived his taking of money which was otherwise lawful for him would not tend to the furtherance of the Gospel in mens souls 1 Cor. 9.14 15 18. 1 Thes 2.6 9. 2 Thes 3.8 9. The like was about eating and not eating of meats while the lawfulness and unlawfulness thereof was under disputation and is concluded to be against the law of love for men to use their known liberty in such things when the use of it shall endanger a Brothers edification or probably betray him into any sin I may not insist at large on these things or descend further to particulars but only give general hints See 1 Cor. 8.9 13. and 10.23 33. Romans 14.13 23. Sect. 11 3. Furthermore If Faiths contemplation upon the love of God to men imprints the similitude of his love upon the soul as I have formerly shewed it does Then as it fils the soul with the love of pity and compassion to sinners in conformity to Gods love and compassion towards them which I have shewed already so does it also dispose the soul to a love of complacency delight and dear affection towards all the Saints in conformity to Gods love to them who taketh pleasure in his people Psal 149.4 The Father he loves the Saints because they love his Son which is the delight of his soul Joh. 16.27 For the Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me and have beleeved that I came out from God And without doubt every one whose Soul cleaveth to Christ out of the knowledg and sence he hath of the worth and loveliness of him and of the great benefit that comes by him cannot but take pleasure in all those that are true lovers of him and faithful and cordial Friends to him As it is the property of Saints to love the Saints so it is upon Christs score they do it because they love him and Christ loves them Mark 9.41 For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name because ye belong to Christ verily I say unto you he shall not loose his reward Plainly implying that expressions of love from one Christian to another where the love is right Christian indeed proceed toward them upon the account of that near relation they have to Christ because they belong to Christ When men are loved because they do what they do for Christs name-sake or out of Friendship to him then are they loved with a right spirit of love indeed 3 John 6 7 8. It 's common among men where one does truly and entirely love another there to love and respect the Children and Friends of such for their sake And so it is in these matters of spiritual affection and relation He that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him 1 John 5.1 the child for the Fathers sake and because of that resemblance of the Father which is found in the child And if the love which is wrought by Faith be delighted with the Saints because of their friendship to Christ then the more any man shews himself a friend to Christ in keeping his commands shewing forth his virtues pleading his cause and propagating his truth the more is he prized and truly esteemed by such as have this love truly wrought in them 2 Jo. 1.2 Whom I love in the truth and not I only but also all they that have known the truth for the truths sake which dwelleth in us Mark It 's the property of all that have known the truth to love such as are the friends of Christs truth for the truths sake whose part they take Sect. 12 4. And this love and dear affection to the Saints for Christs sake where it is indeed will shew it self in acts of real kindness and friendship to them as occasions and opportunities do occur which is called A loving not in word and in tongue but in deed and in truth by which men may know themselves to be of the truth and shall assure their hearts before God 1 John 3.18 19. If they want brotherly admonition reproof instruction exhortation or comfort for the healthful and flourishing estate of the inner man they are ready to minister to them in these according to their ability Which when faithfully done Christ takes as a real demonstration of love not only to them but also unto himself as that which contributes towards his design of saving men and nourishing and cherishing his Church and the supplying of his absence and the doing of that for him which he would do himself if he were present John 21.15 16. Lovest thou me feed my lambs Lovest thou me feed my sheep As if there were no way wherein he could better express his love to Christ then by ministring soul-food to his sheep that follow him The lips of the righteous feed many c. Prov. 10.21 Sect. 13 5. The same love also puts them in

Luke 18.5 or at the best to allay the clamour of Conscience The Apostle clearly supposes that men may give Alms upon such termes that their very giving shall rather demonstrate them to be covetous men than charitable else what does he mean when he sayes that he took such and such course about the Collection in the Church of Corinth for other poor Saints that it might proceed from them as matter of bounty and not of covetousnesse 2 Cor. 9.5 And that he had herein an eye upon niggardlinesse in giving we are induced to beleeve by the very next words verse 6. But this I say that he which sows sparingly shall reap sparingly and he which soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully And therefore when there is so great a disproportion between mens giving and their ability to give both in respect of number and quantity of their gifts as is too common among men their alms-Alms-deeds will never amount unto a proof of the truth reality or sincerity of their Christian love but rather on the contrary prove an argument of the want of that grace For whence proceeds this straitnesse of hand if it be traced but from narrownesse and straitnesse of heart and that from want of love for it is the very nature of love where it is to open and dilate the heart as the Sun does the pores of the earth which till it comes is contracted and shut up And this illiberal temper in men as it argues want of love in them so it argues want of Faith too the mother of love For whence proceeds that undue sparing and saving and lothnesse to part with any thing considerable but from a secret distrust of wanting that themselves which others call for from them If men could but beleeve and be thorowly perswaded that it is the surest way not only to provide themselves baggs that wax not old a treasure in Heaven but also to secure themselves and Children too from want and poverty here on earth they would as freely part with their money in a way of charity for so much as were meet for them to give as now they do in their Trades in hopes of defending themselves from want If such Scriptures were but turned into Faith which declare the man blessed that considereth the poor and that the Lord shall deliver him in time of trouble and preserve him alive and make him blessed on earth Psalm 41.1 2. that say the liberal man deviseth liberal things and by liberal things he shall stand Isa 32.8 The liberal soul shall be made fat and he that watereth shall be watered himself Prov. 11.25 He that hath pity on the poor lendeth to the Lord and that which he hath given will he pay him again Prov. 19.17 He that giveth to the poor shall not lack Prov. 28.27 Thou shalt surely give him and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him viz. the poor because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works and in all that thou puttest thy hand unto Deut. 15.10 And God is able to make all grace abound towards you that ye alwayes having all sufficiency in all things may abound to every good work 2 Cor. 9.8 I say if these and many like Scriptures were but turned into Faith they would be counted being lived to in a way of mercy liberality and bounty a thousand times better security against want than all mens pinching and sparing in their deeds of charity is like to be Prov. 11.24 There is that scattereth and yet increaseth and there is that with-holdeth more than is meet but it tendeth to poverty It 's certainly mens unbelief that binds their hearts and binds their hands from bounteous acts they must have Gods to go before them something to trust to which they see and therefore they think the deminishing of their wealth by giving will be a weakening of the prop upon which they lean And therefore these lean starved Sacrifices and niggardly Alms-deeds proceeding as they do from mens diffidence and distrust can never possibly amount unto an evidence of the goodness of their Faith It concerns every one therefore as they prize the clear evidence and proof of the sincerity of their Faith and Love to proportion their Alms-deeds in some good measure suitable to their estates as that without which such evidence and proof is not to be had Nor do I say that it is the only thing by which such assurance is to be had for the Apostle supposeth that men may possibly cut large morsels out of their estates to supply the poor and yet be void of true Christian charity when he saith Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and have not charity it profiteth we nothing 1 Cor. 13.3 But that proportionate distribution I speak of in conjunction with other effects of those graces will reach it though nothing that I know without this will it being an express duty Him to whom much is given of him much is required Luke 12.48 But rather give Alms as you are able so it is in the margin and behold all things are clean unto you Luke 11.41 Vpon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him 1 Cor. 16.2 Then the Disciples every man according to his ability determined to send relief unto the Brethren which dwelt in Judea which also they did Acts 11.29 Sect. 16 I cannot indeed by any rule certainly determine what proportion of his Estate or the Income of it a man as a Christian is bound ordinarily to disburse in a way of charity and that which makes this the more difficult is the great variety of circumstances that do attend mens outward conditions here in the world both in respect of their estates themselves and the necessary occasions of issuing of them forth in a way of ordinary expence As for example one man it may be hath five hundred by the year revenue and no Child another but one hundred and yet hath five or six Children Now n such a case it seems no wise reasonable to think that the same proportion suppose it to be an eighth tenth or twelfth part of a mans Income which would be it may be sufficient for the one would be sufficient for the other also And the reason of the difference is because the one hath neither the like necessary occasion of expence for the present but what is voluntary and matter of his own election and choice nor the like necessary occasion of increasing his Estate by way of future provision for Relations as the other hath but may with much more ease and reason part with a fourth or fifth part of his Income in way of charity than the other may with a tenth or twelfth For as it is neither necessary nor good Christian-like for men to advance in the costliness of their way of living to the utmost of their Income when their Estates are