Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	doctrine_n	scripture_n	tradition_n	1,683	5	8.8849	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91899	Safe conduct, or The saints guidance to glory. Opened in a sermon preached at Dunstans in the East London. November the second, MDCLIV. At the funerall of the vertuous and religious gentlewoman, Mris. Thomasin Barnardiston, late wife of Mr. Samuel Barnardiston, merchant. / By Ralph Robinson, pastor of Mary Wolnoth, Lumbardstreet, London.	Robinson, Ralph, 1614-1655.	1655 (1655)	Wing R1711; Thomason E823_7; ESTC R203376	61,656	101

Law is Light If any Doctrin of faith if any precept for Life and manners abide obscure to us it is not because the Scriptures are dark but because our understandings are blinde or because through slothsulness we neglect to use those Spiritual keys of Prayer Meditation comparing one text with another which God hath appointed as helps to unlock the meaning of his Word All the words Prov. 8. 9. of Wisdom are right to them that finde knowledge and plain to him that understandeth He is either grosly ignorant or desperately envious that chargeth the Word of God at least in the principal Doctrins thereof with obscurity God who is the great Master both of Understanding and Language knows how to speak plainly that the meanest capacity may be edified The Sun in the Firmament doth not shine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost with more clearness than the Sun of the Scriptures doth to those that do not wilfully shut their eyes against it Whatsoever is necessary is plain evident perspicuous to him that desires understanding This makes it fit to be a guide Secondly It is a perfect word there is nothing 2 It is perfect needful to be beleeved for Salvation nothing necessary to be done but it is to be found in the Holy Scriptures either in express tearms or by necessary deduction and consequence All false ways are here discovered all Sins are here forbidden all Holiness is here commanded The Prophet David tells us that The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul Psal 19. 7. and the Apostle saith that All Scripture is given by inspiraetion of God c. That the Man of God may be perfect 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. throughly furnished unto all good works and therefore is a Curse denounced against those that either adde or take away any thing from it Revel 22. 18 19. The Scripture is profitable for Doctrin for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness as the Apostle speaks and therefore perfect It proceeds from a most perfect voluntary cause and therefore must needs be exactly every way perfect The Church of God needs not the help of any unwritten mouldy Traditions to compleat the Holy Scriptures of truth We are not commanded to beleeve Human Traditions or the Doctrins of men but such things as are promulged and written by the Prophets and Apostles Those that argue without the Scriptures do but tye Ropes of Sand such Arguments have no strength in them Ego vocem magni pastoris inquiro saith Austin Lege mihi hoc de Prophetâ recita de lege Aug. lib. de pastore cap. 14. recita de Evangelio recita de Apostolo I enquire what the great Shepherd saith read me such things out of the Writings of the Prophets rehearse out of the Law out of the Evangelists out of the Writings of the Apostles whatever is not according to the Law and the Testimony is to be rejected as that that hath no light in it As the Word of God is a pure Word so it is a perfect Word because of its perfection it is fit to be a Guide Thirdly It is a sure Word it is infallible The Apostle speaking of the written Word saith We have 3 It is sure a more sure word of Prophecy whereunto yee do well that yee take heed He had been discoursing of that voyce 2 Pet. 1. 19. which came down from Heaven at the transfiguration of Christ in the Holy Mount and yet he saith That the word of Prophecy which God hath put into the hands of the Church is a more sure guide than that he doth not say a more true Word for that voyce came from the excellent glory but a more sure word All 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Revelations are to be tried by the written word of Prophecy The Apostle commands us to try the Spirits 1 Job 4. 1. We have no other standard to try any Doctrins which men pretend to bee from the Spirit but the Word of God which we are sure was indited by the Spirit and because it is the breathing and inspiration of the holy Spirit it must needs bee infallible as the Spirit is And it is a sure word in regard of the stability of it as well as the infallibility of it it is a Word that abides for ever It is Davids comfortable meditation For ever O Lord thy Psal 119. 89. Word is setled in heaven The Mountains may fail and the Hills may be removed but the Word of God stands fast for ever Thy testimonies O Lord are very sure Psal 93. 5. The Church and People of God have no other foundation for the assurance of their Salvation but the unchangeableness of Gods Nature and the certainty of his Word and being a sure Word it is fit to be a guide Fourthly It is an Uniform word The Holy ● It is uniform Scripture is in all things constant and like to it self There is no discord or jarring but a sweet Harmony and concord in all tho●e blessed writings some appearing disagreement there may seem to be but no real contradiction He that compares one place with another shall finde a sweet consent in all That there is any shadow of dissent between one text and another ariseth not from any dissimilitude of Scripture to it self but from the Readers ignorance or unexperiencedness in the word of righteousness That which is forbidden by one Prophet is forbidden by another that which is enjoyned by the Prophets is enjoyned by the Apostles in their writings The Apostle Paul proves his Doctrin concerning the Messiah out of the Prophets and out of Moses he said No other things than those which the Prophetss and Moses did say should come And the Apostle Peter in that excellent Acts 26. 22. 23. Sermon which he preached to Cornelius and his Friends shews how unanimous the Prophets were in their Writings about that Doctrin To him give all Acts 10. 43. the Prophets witness that through his name whosoever beleeveth in him shall receive remission of sins And hereby indeed it appears that the Scriptures are of Divine authority because there is such a perfect harmony in them Though they were penned by several men at several times and these distant one from another not advising or conferring one with another yet they often speak the very same words and always when they write of one subject the same sense without the least contradiction which is an unquestionable Argument to prove that they were dictated unto them by the same Spirit And because of this consent they are fit to be the Beleevers guide And as the Word of God is so fit for this work so Secondly The Spirit of God is a fit Guide This will evidently appear by the ensuing considerations The Spirit of God a fit Gu●de because 1 The Spirit makes the word plain First The Spirit of God is able to expound the VVord of God and to make it plain

Heresies of destruction as the Apostle speaks 2 Pet. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 1. The Lord will by his counsel so guide all his Saints that they shall not live and dye in any of these Heresies As there are Devilish Works so there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Devilish Doctrins or doctrins of Devils as the Scripture calls them 2 Tim. 4. 1. God will by the conduct of his grace guide his Elect that they shall not embrace these Doctrins VVant of truth will shut men out of Heaven as well as want of grace Heresie is a fruit of the Flesh as well as Drunkenness or VVitchcraft Gal. 5. 19 20 Truth is a piece of Gods Image as well as Holiness The grace of faith unites us to God but the Doctrin of faith strengthens this union so farre as any swerves from the truth hee swerves from God If that which yee have heard from the beginning shall remain in you yee also shall continue in 1 Joh. 2. 24. the Son and in the Father Eximia laus sanae Doctrinae saith Calvin VVe may from this text learn what an excellent thing sound Doctrin is in it we finde whatsoever appertains to the true injoyment of God and by it we are united both to the Father and the Son That Man of Sin is become the Antichrist not only because of false worship which he maintains but also because of the Corruption of the faith Truth is a piece of the furniture and riches of the Soul as well as Holiness A Gospel-spirit is a Spirit of a sound minde as well as a spirit of faith and love 2 Tim. 1. 7. Diseases in the head are mortal as well as Diseases in the heart Now when God promiseth to guide his people hee hath respect to this he will ingrave the truth in their mindes he will lead them in the way of truth and if at any time they turn aside to the error of the wicked his grace and his power shall recover them Secondly God will guide his people in matters 2 In matters of practise of practise his Eye shall be upon them to conduct them in the paths of righteousnesse As hee will teach them what to beleeve so hee will direct them what to practise He shall keep the feet of his Saints so Hannah 1 Sam. 2. 9. in her song of thanksgiving This promise as it refers to new obedience comprizeth these four particulars First God will let them see what is sinne and 1 God will make them know his will what is duty hee will shew them his way and make his paths plain before their face When others are in the dark they shall have the light of God upon their Tabernacles The secret of the Lord saith David is with them that fear him and hee will shew them his Covenant Psa 25. 14. God will cause them to understand and know the meaning of his Law his statutes shall not be to them a riddle or a sealed book but they shall be so plain that hee that runs may read them God will interpret the holy Commandement that they shall be able in all things necessary to salvation to understand the sense and meaning of it this is that which God promiseth 1 Joh. 2. 27. the anointing which yee have received of him abideth in you and yee need not that any man teach you God will so inlighten their minds by his Spirit that when they read the word or hear it preached they shall be able to say this is the mind of God Secondly God will give them a heart and a will 2 God will give them an heart to obey to embrace his Commandements to reject sinne and close with duty When others find their hearts rebelling against the Law they shall find their hearts ready to comply and yeeld obedience universally to it David often praies that God would incline his heart to his testimonies This God doth for every Saint he doth sweetly and yet powerfully bow the soul to a free spontaneous and ready obedience so that it chuseth the way of Gods statutes and cleaves to his testimonies This is the meaning of that gracious promise I Ezek. 36. 26 27 will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and yee shall keep my judgements and do them God doth not only lay his Commandements before a Beleevers face but writes them in his heart and then Jer. 31. 33. the Soul resolves never to depart from the obedience of them Gods Commandements at least some of them are grievous to an unbeleever but to one whom God guides every Commandement is sweet and precious he reads no Commandement but hee entertains it with that prayer of the Psalmist O that my Psal 119. 5. ways were directed to keep thy statutes This prayer God answers to every Soul that is led by him hee heals the Gangren of the corrupt will by removing the sowrnes that is upon it and by his enlarging grace enables it willingly to run the way of his Commandements so that the Beleever can say I delight to do thy Will O God yea thy Law is within my heart God bores the Ear and the Soul is no longer rebellious God orders the steps of his Saints and causeth them to delight in his way Thirdly God doth recover them from all their 3 God raiseth them when they fall falls The best of Beleevers have a spice of the Spiritual Falling-sickness they stumble and fall This promise of Divine guidance gives security of timely resurrection from such lapses It is upon Record in Scripture for the comfort of Beleevers that though Psal 37. 24. they fall they shall not be utterly cast down for the Lord upholdeth them with his hand When they sink into misery God will lift them up and when they slip into sin God will restore them He will put the bones into their places when they are disjoynted and when iniquities prevail over them he will purge them away David fell through the power of temptation but God restored him Peter sunk down through his heedlesness but God lifted him up again Noah and Lot were overtaken and ensnared but God cut the cords of the Net and set them both free As oft as Corruption casts the Saints down so often doth the grace of God set them on their feet again Beleevers have as many Spiritual resurrections as they have Spiritual deaths they have as many Spiritual awakenings as they have Spiritual sleeps Fourthly God will give them perseverance to 4 God gives them perseverance hold out to the end This promise of guidance implyes perseverance Gods guidance would be insufficient if it did not comprehend this grace It is promised to the righteous That they shall hold on their Job 17. 9. way and to them that have clean hands that they shall grow stronger and stronger God furnisheth beleevers with daily supplies of strength for their daily journyings He gives

continually guide you There are many Seducers gone out into the World there are seducing Devils and seducing Men who are the instruments of the Devil walking about to deceive the simple and which is worst of all every man hath a seducing heart of his own which without any force is ready to turn aside from the ways of truth and holiness If God do not guide us we shall eternally miscarry God threatens Moab Jer. 48. 12. to send unto him wanderers that shall cause him to wander This threatning is accomplished in our days God in his just judgement hath for our sins sent among us many wanderers We have many Spiritual Vagrants but we want a Spiritual House of Correction for the punishing of these Vagrants There are many wandring Stars in the Firmament of our Church at this time and which is and shall be for a lamentation many are misled by them There is a generation of Ranters Seekers Quakers risen up among us Prophaneness is now stampt with the name of Religion and this Religion hath many professors The holy Scriptures of God are cried down by some with much boldness The Divinity of Christ our Lord denied the Doctrin of the Trinity scorned Sabbaths Ministry and Ordinances trod under foot There are among us Jesuits who endeavour with all their might to captivate us to the Romish Idolatry and to bring us again into that bondage By reason of all these are the ways of truth evil spoken of And how much impiety of life have these wicked Opinions and Heresies introduced Pride Drunkenness Swearing Lying Cheating and all manner of ungodly practises are to be found amongst us Who can stand in such an Age if God do not guide him And therefore if you would not bee carried away with this deluge of wickedness pray pray pray that God would guide you with his unerring counsel I have done with the former Branch of the text The second Branch of the text which I called The godly mans happiness in this Life I go on to the latter which is the Beleevers happiness in the other Life this is laid down in these words And afterward receive me to glory What was needfull to be said for the opening of the words hath been already dispatched All that is now to be done is to lay down the Doctrin and it is this That those that are guided in this life by Gods Counsell The Doctrin laid down shall afterward bee crowned with glory Those that march under the Devills conduct serving divers lusts and pleasures shall take up their eternall Quarters with him in Torment but those that are led by the guidance of God shall have an everlasting habitation with him in glory Glory is that state of happinesse which the Saints The Doctrin opened shall enjoy in heaven This happy condition is represented in the holy Scriptures under severall notions It is called Rest Unto you that are troubled rest with us 2 Thes 1. 7. Peace so the Prophet calls it Isa 57. 2. He shall enter into Peace It is called joy our Masters joy Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord Matth. 25. 21. It s called Life Matth. 19. 17. And everlasting life Joh. 3. 16. It is called a Kingdome Luk. 12. 32. The Kingdome of Heaven Matth. 5. 3. It is called Salvation Heb. 9. 28. T is called a crown Rev. 3. 11. A Crown of life Rev. 2. 10. A Crown of righteousnesse 2 Tim. 4. 8. A Crown of glory 1 Pet. 5. 4 It is called refreshing Acts 3. 19. It is expressed by sitting with Christ in his Throne Rev. 3. 21. by eating of the Tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradice of God Rev. 2. 7. It s called Abrahams bosome Luk. 16. 12. many excellent names are given to it and in the Text it is call glory In the prosecution of the point I shall lay open these three particulars First I shall speak something of the nature of this Glory Secondly I shall endeavour to make good the Doctrin that they that are guided by the Counsell of God shall enjoy this glory Thirdly When it is that the Saints do enter upon the actuall possession of this glory And I shall be very brief in all these First For the nature of this glory I must premise The nature of this glory this that it is impossible for any earthly creature fully to set forth this glory to the life or to make a perfect description of it It is called unspeakable glory It is not only unspeakable but unconceivable Saith the Apostle Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have 2 Cor. 12. 4. entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him It is as possible to 1 Cor. 2. 9. Regnum Dei omni fama majus omni laude melius omni scientia innumerabilius omni gloria quae pu●atur excellentius Austin paint the glorious Sun with a coal as for any humane tongue to be able to discover perfectly this heavenly glory Should all the Angells of God set themselves to write Treatises of this glory they would not be able to eternity to tell the world perfectly how glorious it is That which I purpose to say concerning it I will sum up in these following particulars First That glory which the Saints shall be received 1 It is a compleat glory into after this life is a compleat and perfect glory It is a heaven full of glory The greatest glory which men possess in this life is but scanty and imperfect there is still something to be desired but the glory of the other life is in every respect perfect The Apostle 2 Cor. 4. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cals it a farre more exceeding weight of glory It is a weighty glory this shews the substantialnesse and solidnesse of it All the glory of this world is but a meer shadow of glory it makes some shew but it hath no weight but the glory of heaven hath substance in it And then it is a farre more exceeding weight Interpreters are troubled how to render the words Beza reads it an excellently excellent weight of glory It is a degree above the Superlative Add one Hyperbole to excellenter excellentis gloriae pondus Beza another and the glory of heaven will still exceed all expression The glory of heaven is perfect both in respect of parts and in respect of degrees There is no kind of glory there is no degree of glory which creatures are capable of but the Saints enjoy it in heaven In thy presence is fulnesse of joy Psa 16. 11. whatsoever is possessed in heaven is possessed fully There is fulnesse of knowledge fulnesse and perfection of love fulnesse of union fulnesse of communion And then it is perfect glory because it is universall The whole man is made glorious The soul the body every faculty every member is invested with that glory which is proper to each The