Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	divine_a	faith_n	revelation_n	3,458	5	9.7228	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29912	Twenty five sermons. The second volume by the Right Reverend Father in God, Ralph Brownrig, late Lord Bishop of Exeter ; published by William Martyn, M.A., sometimes preacher at the Rolls.; Sermons. Selections	Brownrig, Ralph, 1592-1659.; Martyn, William.; Faithorne, William, 1616-1691.	1664 (1664)	Wing B5212; ESTC R36389	357,894	454

Divine revelation is the stay and establishment of Faith Truths that are more obscurely delivered are liable to question and controversie but this Truth that Iesus is the Messias and the Authour of Salvation it is with all evidence propounded to us When God speaks clearly Faith believes firmly Credendum est Deo vel semel loquenti 2. This Truth 't is an immediate and first principle of Religion the grand Maxim and Oracle of Divinity Now in all professions Principles are unquestionable admit no gain-saying He that comes to God must believe 3. 'T is a fundamental Truth the first Stone that is laid in the building of the Church the main Rock upon which the whole Building rests See when Christ builds his Church he chooses this Confession Thou art the Son of the living God he layes that in the foundation Now in all buildings the foundation must be sure and immovable Here Agrippa's almost 't is too weak no here What we have heard and seen and felt 4. Errors in this are most dangerous As errors in the conception are hardly corrected so errors in this first conception of Faith Oh! these prime Truths must be firmly and strongly embraced Other consequential and secondary Truths of less evidence and necessity may admit of discussion In some Truths we may differ Salva compage fidei but in this every error is deadly In some Truths S. Paul's moderation is sweet If any man think otherwise God will reveal it to him account him as a brother But in this he that errs S. Paul's threatning is seasonable You are fallen from grace you are cut off from Christ you must dye in your sins There is a necessary Truth Maria virgo in partu There is a decent Truth Maria virgo post partum Faith puts these Truths without question 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. This is the defiance Faith gives to all the objections and cavils of nature How can God become a man the Creator a creature a Virgin conceive Get thee behind me Satan 't is without all controversie 2. By this it answers and represses the contradictions of infidelity a man's heart is hardly drawn to assent and give credit to these mysteries No Faith tramples all contradictions under foot 't is without all controversie 3. By this it overcomes the weaknesses and infirmities of Faith Faith at first hath many doubts and fears But why do thoughts rise in my heart I know he is a faithful and true witness no word is impossible to him 'T is the victory and triumph that Faith gets over all doubtings it believes stedfastly without all controversie ON CHRIST-MAS DAY The Second Sermon GALAT. iv 4 5. When the fulness of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sons WHich words set out unto us the great and gracious work of our Redemption A work undertaken and wrought by the Incarnation of our blessed Saviour The remembrance of which the Church of God doth this day joyfully Celebrate An high Festival it is and to be honoured by us whether we respect Christ and in him the mysterie of the day or respect our selves and in us the mercy and benefit which as on this day was vouchsafed to us 1. Look upon Christ and the mysterie of his Incarnation so 't is a Birth-day Feast the Feast of his Nativity And the feast of the Birth-day especially of some extraordinary and eminent person and such an one above all was the Birth of this day Pharaoh's birth-day and Herod's were nothing to it is kept and celebrated with all joyful solemnity That is the mysterie of the Text Christ made and born of a woman so it is a day of joyfulness 2. Look upon our selves and the mercy and benefit of this day that redounded to us and so it is a Feast of deliverance out of Captivity This day Christ came to redeem us that lay under the Law cast and condemned men And a day of enlargement out of Captivity that is a Feast of Iubile Such was this day No Captivity like that of ours neither the Egyptian when they were born slaves nor that of Babylon when carried away to be slaves both of them fall short of this the bondage of our birth and the slavery of our life none like to it and so no redemption to be compared to it 'T is a day much to be remembred in our generations 1. It is the day of Christ's Nativity keep it with joyfulness 2. It is a day of our enlargement out of Captivity keep it with thankfulness The Apostle then sets out unto us the happy condition that hath betided the Church of God by the coming of Christ in his Incarnation And he expresses it two ways 1. By a comparative opposition to the state of the Church before Christ's coming 2. By a positive or rather superlative illustration of the happy condition of the Church by his coming among us 1. The Church of the Jews before Christ the low condition of that is set out by three steps of depression and inferiority in respect of our state of advancement that Christ's Birth brings to us 1. Respectu Aetatis for its Age it was a Child or an Infant vers 1. A child in knowledge in growth of grace in affections a child weak imperfect unskilful 2. Respectu Conditionis for the usage and condition in which it was it was Servilis it differ'd nothing from a servant under a yoke of servitude kept in more servile fear and subjection then Christians Their spirit was the spirit of fear and bondage our spirit is the spirit of love and liberty 3. Respectu Educationis for its breeding and education it was at the command and under the institution of a curst Schoolmaster the Law and but meanly instructed acquainted onely with the first elements and rudiments of our Religion the high mysteries of our Faith not manifested to them And this threefold depression of the Jewish Church should make us look three steps lower into the sad and forlorn estate of us Gentiles and heathen for such was our original 1. Were they babes and children we far worse dead in our sins not begot again to God by any spiritual Regeneration not so much as in the womb of conception out of the Church uncircumcised Infidels 2. Were they in the condition of servants We not so much as servants strangers rebels cast-aways enemies in a forlorn condition 3. Were they kept under inferiour Tutors and Governours We far worse untaught ignorant foolish like the wild Ass without understanding without God in the world 2. The estate of the Christian Church is illustrated by a superlative eminency and advancement it hath gained by Christ's Incarnation And this benefit we gain by him is expressed in three remarkable particulars 1. The first thing remarkable in this great benefit is the Time when it was performed When the fulness

and diligence much exercise and experience to attain unto it Those Arts that have in them many abstruse mysteries are long a learning Oh! the Art of godliness the Trade of piety the Skill of living holily 't is no small matter but very mysterious The Philosopher could say of his Art Ars longa Vita brevis a mans life was too short to attain to the perfection of it How much more is this high Art of Religion the mysterie of godliness It makes David for all his learning to cry out still Teach me Instruct me Make me to understand the way of godliness S. Paul that great Proficient yet professes he fell short Phil. iii. 11 12 13. Brethren I count not my self to have apprehended I have not already attained I am not already perfect but I follow after and press forward if by any means I might attain words of striving and contention How hard a thing is it to attain even to the knowledge of godliness Then how difficult must it be to mortifie thy lusts to subdue thine appetite 'T is call'd a Crucifying Consider it you who think seven years little enough to learn any Trade of life but any little time any poor pains sufficient to learn that which the Saints were practising all their dayes Try thy strength but with one Act but with one Duty of godliness and then tell me If slubbering over a few prayers or coming to Church and yawning out an Amen half asleep half awake be likely to make thee a skilful man in this Trade of piety That 's the first Religion is the mysterie of godliness 2. The second Truth is The Mysterie and the Piety of Religion must go both together We must take both to us not onely content our selves with the mysterie of Christianity but be sure we acquaint our selves with the piety True Religion joyns both together Thus S. Paul describes Christian Religion ' T is a Doctrine according to godliness 1 Tim. vi 3. And Tit. i. 1. it is called the Knowledge of the Truth according unto godliness We may as well separate light from heat in the fire as the mysterie and knowledge of it from the piety Indeed first we must get the mysterie then labour for the piety of it First God created light so it is in mans soul. A man is sooner enlightned then sanctified The Sun enlightens in an instant but it begets heat in the Ayr by length of time but they must never be a sunder Blind Devotion would have the piety without the mysterie Oh! Zealous it would be but not with knowledge Oh! A good heart to God-wards no matter for knowledge And prophane Curiosity that would have the mysterie without the piety understand all secrets and mysteries comprehend all Truths but for the holiness of Christianity they have no list to it True Christianity joyns both together True Religion is not like the tree of Knowledge onely pleasant to the eye and a tree to be desired to make one wise Gen. iii. 6. but it must be to us as the tree of Life for Devotion and Practice Religion is not placed in the upper region of the Brain but in the Heart the seat of affection the fountain of action 'T is a sanctifying Truth Holy Father sanctifie them through thy Truth not enlighten them onely Ioh. xvii 17. There is not any Truth so mystical and contemplative but must be drawn into practice There is no mysterie in Scripture but hath its piety As there is not any creature but it is for some use it is not onely beautiful but useful Non tantum visu delectat sed usu prodest so there 's no Truth in Religion but we may and must extract from it Piety Some Truths at first sight seem but dry as to this but as the Licorish stick at first looks like any weed but chew it and you suck sweetness so those mysteries that seem to be most remote from practice have a juice and sap of piety to be suck'd out of them If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them Joh. xiii 17. This man shall be blessed in his deed Iam. i. 25. See how Christ checks Curiosity and turns all to Practice Lord are there few that be saved And he said unto them Strive to enter in at the strait gate Luk. xiii 23 24. 1. Piety 't is the end of Christianity 'T is mysterium practicum Not a Science in contemplation but an Art of doing not to make us the wiser but the holier 2. Piety 't is the best keeper of this mysterie The knowledge of Religion 't is a precious Jewel see the Cabinet S. Paul tells us of wherein it must be kept Holding the mysterie of Faith in a pure Conscience 1 Tim. iii. 9. Wouldst thou not erre concerning the Faith Take heed of making shipwrack of a good Conscience Knowledge in this vessel is like the Manna in the golden-pot it is kept sweet In a prophane heart it is like Manna in other vessels that stank and putrified God takes away natural knowledge if we abuse it and live not accordingly When they knew God and glorified him not as God God gave them over to errour and never would call them to the knowledge of the Gospel Rom. i. 21 c. As we try vessels first with water if they will hold and keep it sweet then we pour wine into them They who corrupt natural knowledge God will not trust them with this mysterie Take heed thou divide not the piety from the mysterie In all Truths labour to be better In any mysterie make S. Peter's collection If these things are so What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness We have seen the quality and condition of this mysterie It is a mysterie of godliness Now follows IV. The infallible undoubted certainty of this mysterie It is beyond without all controversie There is a double Certainty 1. A certainty in the thing it self 'T is a most grounded Truth Heaven and earth may sooner fail then the least particle of this Truth It hath the Power and the Truth and the Faithfulness of God nay his Oath to establish it 2. A certainty of perswasion at this the Text ayms See with what confidence and assurance S. Paul seals up this great Truth ' T is without controversie Observe True Faith embraceth these heavenly Truths with all assurance and strength of adhesion and fulness of perswasion 'T is the nature and office of true Faith in matters of God to breed all possible assurance 'T is a Seal He who receives God's testimony of his Son hath set to his Seal that God is true Ioh. iii. 33. Philip shews the assurance of Faith which he requires of the Eunuch Acts viii 37. If thou believest with all thine heart that Iesus is the Son of God Especially in this Truth Iesus God-Incarnate Faith breaks through all controversies and unquestionably must believe 1. This Truth is clearly revealed in Scripture And

must be provided for with fruitfulness That 's the second Not Spirituali annexum That 's the Kind I come II. To the Parts of them 1. It is Spirituale donum Seek and labour for spiritual enablements The inclinations of nature must be strengthened and elevated with gifts of grace The weightiest employments require the greatest enablements Those three great Callings Kings Priests Prophets they were all anointed to signifie that large measure of grace that those Callings required Nay the High-Priest had all the holy oyl poured out upon him to signifie his Calling required plenty of grace the inferiour Servitors were but onely sprinkled in a sparing manner Indeed to be gifted and fitted by the holy Spirit 't is the only comfortable assurance to thy conscience of thine inward Calling Gods Seal set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without which the warrant of the Church 't is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Ink and Paper as S. Paul distinguishes And yet how many run before they be sent suing like Ahimaaz to the Ioabs of Israel But what if I run though they have no tidings Who if they were questioned whether they have received the Holy Ghost in some competencie of gifts must return the answer of those uncatechiz'd Novices Act. xix We know not whether there be any Holy Ghost yea or no. No God never employs but he always enables as Saul did with David when he sent him to fight he put on his own Armour he will strengthen thee with his own Spirit to discharge His business That 's the first Spirituale donum 2. Is Spirituale ut officium Seek and labour for spiritual employments And indeed Donum obligat ad officium the conferring of a gift it is the exacting of a service 'T is like Press-money if once thou receivest it thou art bound to do service Thou art a servant and thou must and thou hast a Talent and thou mayst be profitable to thy Masters advantage To have the first Spirituale donum without this second it is to no advantage Donum in habitu 't is Talentum in sudario Donum in exercitio 't is Talentum in mensario it gains and increases Donum in habitu 't is a Candle in a bushel exercise and employ it 't is set on a Candlestick Without exercise and practice saith S. Bernard thou art Lux modii with it thou art Lux mundi Not onely the mispending but the neglecting of this gift condemns thee S. Paul bids Timothy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fire goes out for want of blowing as well as with quenching Mettal not onely wears out by use but is eaten with rust And what saith S. Iames The rust of your gold shall witness against you not onely the mispending The rust of our gifts as well as the mis-using shall rise up and condemn us To be able to preach and not to perform it S. Augustine counts it like the sin of Onan Maledictus qui non suscitat semen in Israel praedicando Christum generare Christianum Art thou invited to preach and yet refusest Art thou shod with this preparation of the Gospel and yet refusest when the Church calls for thine help thou shalt be discalceatus in Israel If thou wilt not raise up seed to thy elder brother Christ the Church may pull off thy shoes and spit in thy face Nè sis in eorum numero quorum pedes sunt speciosi 'T is S. Augustine's Allegory That 's the second Spirituale ut officium 3. Spiritualem potestatem Labour for and desire onely spiritual power and authority As in the first Donum obligat ad officium so here Officium disponit ad potestatem Our authority and power is onely spiritual The weapons of our warfare are divinitùs potentia Thus S. Chrysostom magnifying and preferring his spiritual power To a King are bodies committed to a Priest souls they fight with sensible armour we with spiritual They fight against Barbarians I fight against Devils as he speaks elswhere his doctrine is to him as fire and sword The censures are onely spiritual that the Church inflicts This thunder of the Church like that from Heaven melts the metal meddles not with the sheath works upon the soul. And yet what a stirr keeps that Priest of Rome for his temporal Power to be joyned with spiritual Joyning with his Pastoral Staff an Imperial Sword as we see some Rapiers sheathed up in Staves in censuring of the Church wishing as Balaam did in beating of his Ass I would my staff were a sword in my hand for then would I kill thee And yet we exclude not all temporal power as utterly unlawful 'T is not a consequent from our spiritual but yet it is compatible with it Christ doth not command it but the Prince may conferr it Onely of our selves 't is meerly spiritual That 's the third part Spiritualem potestatem a spiritual authority I come briefly to the Third Object propounded to them and that is Prophecy And by it I conceive with Expositors not any extraordinary miraculous Revelation but an ordinary set course of preaching and interpreting and opening the Mystery of the Gospel in S. Pauls description A speaking to men to edifying to exhortation and comfort And then take notice of the nature and honour of this holy function Preaching 't is Prophesying 1. It is loco Prophetiae 't is in the room and stead of Revelation and Prophecy As the Israelites were first fed with Mannah afterwards that ceasing they fed on the fruit of the Land Prophecy now ceasing we must wait for no more Visions but rest our selves on the set word of God See this observable in the closure of both the Testaments Malachi the last of the old Prophets shuts up the Old Testament with this Seal Remember ye the Law of Moses my servant which I commanded to him in Horeb for all Israel with the Statutes and Iudgments till Elias comes there were no more Prophets till Iohn at Christs first Coming S. Iohn the last of the Apostles he seals up the New Testament with the same Closure no more additions to the New Testament till Christs second Coming We have Moses and the Prophets Christ and the Apostles in stead of Revelation It is loco Prophetiae 2. It is aequale Prophetiae 't is as good as Prophecy of the same nature springing from the same Fountain and Original As the fire on the Altar though maintained and fed with ordinary fewel yet is counted heavenly because the first Original of it was from Heaven The Scriptures contain fully the marrow and pith of all former Prophecies in the Old Testament As at the first Creation the Lord made an extraordinary light but after conveyed it into the body of the Sun and Moon and all light now arises from them so in the beginnings of the Church God set up an extraordinary light of Prophecy now he conveys it all into the body of the Scripture comprehending all saving truths that they reveal It is aequale

Prophetiae 3. It is melius Prophetiae it is better then Prophecy The ordinary Word especially of the Gospel is more excellent and useful then extraordinary Revelations under the Law 1. Ratione certitudinis Saint Peter calls the Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a surer word then a voice from Heaven As the motion of a star is more certain and regular then an extraordinary Comet 2. Ratione claritatis The Gospel is more clear and evident then either Prophecy or Priesthood in the Old Testament That was but Lucerna saith S. Peter this is Lucifer that was but like a Candle this like the Day-star springing in our hearts The clearness of the Old Testament it was but splendor vultus the face of Moses did onely shine in his Revelations the clearness of the New Testament is splendor pedum their very feet are glorious that preach the Gospel The shining of the Old Testament was splendor in velamine as S. Paul observes the very clearness of that was hidden and vail'd over with much obscurity Christs shining in the New Testament 't is far more evident 't is velamen in splendore his very garments are clear and glorious as the Sun The clear preaching of Christ made Iohn the Baptist greater then the Prophets the meanest of our Calling greater then Iohn the Baptist. This evident preaching and pointing out Christ makes some of the Fathers compare Prophets to Cocks the nearer the Sun-rising the lowder they crow The nearest to Christ makes the clearest preaching 3. Ratione perpetuitatis Preaching is better then prophesying in the lasting continuance and perpetuity Prophecy it is but temporary as a Candle in S. Peter's account Lucerna accendi debet extingui potest saith S. Aug. A Candle it is soon put out The Ministery of the Gospel is as the Sun in the Firmament not to be darkned till the last day 'T is an everlasting Gospel Rev. xiv 6. Preaching and Baptizing have a Patent of eternity Lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the world Matth. xxviii 20. Thus S. Gregory compares miraculous gifts in the Infancy of the Church to a Childs Standing-stool when the Child is grown and strong that 's taken away God hath withdrawn these extraordinary Supportments in this grown age of his Church That 's the third it is melius Prophetiae 4. Let me add one Parallel more 'twixt Preachers and Prophets and that by way of Exhortation Saint Augustine discoursing of the state of the Patriarchs that their whole carriage and life was full of mysteries concludes Primorum patru●… dico non tantum linguam verum etiam vitam fuisse propheticam illudque regnum Hebraeorum magnum quendam fuisse Prophetam their Common-wealth was a Prophet it was so full of Mysteries As they in Mysterie so now in Morality should not the lives of our Preachers should not the state of our Churches even in this sense prophesie equal and parallel them in sanctity and piety prophesying in our lives preaching in our examples every action to be a doctrine the whole carriage of our lives a continued instruction to those that behold us not onely by speaking but even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Na●…ianzen professes of his own endeavour When we are silent by example edifying non tantum lingua sed etiam vita fuit prophetica So much for the Objects Now follow Secondly the three Acts 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Act of Prosecution 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Act of Emulation 3. In 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Act of Election 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That inferrs these Particulars 1. Ex parte Objecti 1. Distantiam Objecti Distance and Remoteness This heavenly grace 't is not inbred or hard at hand presently attained to 't is remote it requires prosecution 2. Difficultatem Objecti 't is beset with Difficulties it costs much pains and striving 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implies hardship and extremity If by any means I may attain saith S. Paul 3. Excellentiam Objecti Rareness and excellency It must sure be some excellent thing that deserves so much pains in prosecuting and obtaining a precious pearl that is worth so much inquiring Charity 't is a remote 't is a difficult 't is an excellent endowment Consider it 2. Ex parte actus It implies two things 1. Intensionem actus Intension and vehemency 'T is an act vehement and violent Saint Chrysostom observes upon these words of S. Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 persequens Ecclesiam justitiam that S. Paul was as violent and extreme for as against Christ in prosecuting as in persecuting 'T is a vehement intension 2. Extensionem actus Extension and continuance it holds out gives not over S. Paul in Philip. iii. expresses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that signifies the last girds and stretchings out of the body at the end of a race for fear of falling short That 's the extension 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That 's the second act an earnest desire upon a comparative emulation of other mens gifts Aemulamini that implies 1. Agnitionem profectus alieni an ingenuous acknowledgment of another mans Proficiency 2. Confessionem defectus proprii an humble confession of his own deficiency 3. Desiderium imitationis a strong endeavour to imitate and equal them 3. In 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there 's the third act Eligite an act of choice and election And that implies two things 1. Non posse omnia we are put to our choice ingross all gifts we cannot God will have a necessitude and dependency of one anothers graces S. Paul forbids those uncharitable terms of one member to another I have no need of thee and I have no need of thee arising from conceit of self-sufficiency That 's the first Non posse omnia 2. Velle meliora make choice of the best the most glorious to God the most profitable to his Church the most comfortable to thy self and that 's Prophecy Let us beseech him who is the Father of lights from whom proceeds every good and perfect gift that he would pour out his Spirit upon all flesh that our old men may prophesie and our young men see Visions And He make us faithful dispensers of his manifold gifts to the building up of his Church in Charity and Unity through Him in whom he vouchsafes them to us Iesus Christ our Saviour To whom c. A SERMON ON I. Epist. of S. JOHN v. 3. For this is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous WE Love him because he loved us first saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. iv 19. Our love to God being but a reflexion of those beams of love which he first casts upon us An evident proof of this we may see in this Apostle He was our Saviours beloved Disciple the choise Favourite among all the Apostles one that enjoy'd the greatest portion of