Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
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A39227
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The harmony of the Gospels in the holy history of the humiliation and sufferings of Jesus Christ from his incarnation to his death and burial published by John Eliot ...
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Eliot, John, 1604-1690.
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1678
(1678)
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Wing E512; ESTC W4384
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172,517
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138
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above others where the same word in the Original is used Gal. 1.14 and he was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel a very learned Doctor Act. 22.3 The matter of our learning is chiefly the Scriptures that is the book above all books to train up youth in the knowledge thereof as Timothy was 2 Tim. 3.15 The next book to that is the book of Gods creatures the works of God where all the liberal Arts are to be found and learned And the next books are the books labours and works of learned men and especially of holy men who lay open the Treasures of wisdome and knowledge which are laid up in Jesus Christ laid out displayed and revealed in the Scriptures and explained to our Capacityes in the Books and labours of holy and learned men That Jesus according to his humane nature increased in wisdome is here testifyed of him as his body and Soul grew in capacity to receive more and more addition of wisdome so the Holâ— Ghost filled him more and more with wisdome when he was a Child he was filled with wisdome Luk. 2.40 according to the measure of his capacity and as he grew up his virtue was more and more exerted and he was still more and more filled and increased in wisdome Jesus was full of grace and as the habits were drawn out by new Objects into act so his wisdome increased The means that Jesus Christ usâ—d were those above named Luk. 2.46 he was among the Doctors both hearing them and asking them questions And no doubt such as taught in the Synagogues where he lived had him to be their frequent if not constant hearer And that Jesus did read the Scriptures there is no doubt to be made of it because he hath commanded us to search the Scriptures wherein he was so expert that Luk. 24.27 beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself That Jesus meditated and prayed which are two exercises of the Soul so neer of kind that they are seldome asunder especially when we meditate on Religion the Scriptures And how abundant our Lord Jesus was in prayer is greatly witnessed in the Gospels Thus Jesus Christ hath set a pattern to all scholars and Christians who all are the Scholars of Jesus how we may increase in wisdome Wisdome entereth into the Soul by degrees so it entered into the soul of Jesus because he increased in wisdome We find two kinds of soul food milk for Babes strong meat for men Heb. 5.14 and Jesus Christ made use of both these kinds of Soul food the Scriptures are the purest spiritual milk in the world 1 Pet 2.1 2. the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby such babes as are born of the Spirit by receiving into their Souls the ingrafted word they relish no food but such as is grounded upon and deduced from the Scriptures such was the food that Jesus fed upon whereby he was filled with wisdome we see that Jesus Christ hath sanctified Schools of learning and all good means of education of youth in knowledge and wisdome and did perfectly fulfil the Law of God therein for us 5. He increased in stature As his Age and Years came on so his humane nature grew he grew up a comelâ— young man well featured and proportioned in all his limbs unto that measure of stature that was appointed to him of God his body visibly grew as his Soul grew invisibly unto that glorious measure which the Lord had appointed for it to attain unto Though the carnal persecuting world vexed and incensed by his holiness and faithful ministry were blinded with the black smoak of envy and his person obscured by poverty and a low condition and therefore saw no beauty nor any thing desireable in him yet in Gods eye he was his pleasant Child and in the Churches eye he was a glorious person we beheld his glory the glory of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and Truth Joh. 1.14 6. He increased in favour both wi h God and man he was a very gracious holy youth a young man eminent in Religion eminent in Sabbath worship in Synagogue worship in Family worship in Temple worship all his converse and discourse was holy heavenly and religious he behaved himself in all things as a darling Child of God And in his converse with men he was of a civil kind courteous and affable conversation so that all Gods people did love him honour him and reverence him in their hearts though the wicked and prophane contemned him yet in their consciences they could not but have a reverent esteem of him So he grew in favour with God and man Thus he lived and carryed himself until he was about thirty years of Age. In this course of his Earthly pilgrimage he had opportunity to obey God in all the Commandments of the Law The whole System of the obedience of man in walking towards God in holiness according to the first Table of the Law and in righteousness towards man according to the second Table of the Law was performed by him and he never failed in one jot or Tittle of the Law but did perfectly fulfil it Such particular commands as his Sex or calling c. gave him not opportunity actually to perform those hâ— did virtually and habitually perform and that was acceptable to God for Adam if he had stood in Innocency should not personally have performed the Commandments peculiar to Children yet should acceptably have fulfilled the whole Law And the times that Jesus lived in were such trying times as did put him often upon most eminent acts of obedience 〈◊〉 he came to the Church of the Jews when they were at the worst that â—ver they were and under the deepest degree of Apostacy which filled all men with tryals and temptations and rendred it a difficult work to keep true and upright in his obedience to God Yet Iesus kept his integrity without the least spot blemish or stain 1 Pet. 2.22 23. he came also at a time when the Jews were subdued by and subjected unto the Roman power which condition did render the times very difficult to keep a good Conscience and to walk with God in truth and sincerity Yet notwithstanding these and such like difficulties Jesus Christ held fast his integrity and walked in all obedience to God and towards all men with perfect Innocency In this course of his humane life he perfectly fulfilled the Law of God And all this he did as our Saviour and Mediator and Surety The first Adam ought to have fulfilled the Law but he did not he fell into sin before he had kept the Law therefore Jesus Christ the second Adam he undertaketh to perform that which he left unperformed he hath perfectly fulfilled the Law by his active obedience this perfect obedience of Jesus is imputed unto believers and God doth account it unto us as if we had
Spirit Job 32.8 there is a Spirit in man and it is called the Spirit of a man Prov. 18 4. he will hear his infirmity by a stout and gallant resolution he will bear any thing from the hand of man as we see our Indians will unto which they are trained up from their Child-hood and it is infusâ—d into them as an honourable Character of a man of courage but a Spirit wounded by God who can bear The Spirit of a man is that part of Gods Image or likeness in a man that fitteth him for action his Spirit doth exert and draw him forth to action and judgeth of his action when he hath done it Job 32.18 I am full of matter the Spirit within me conâ—traineth me Psal 39 2 3. my sorrow was stirred my heart was hot while I was musing the fire burned then spake I with my tongue and when he hath acted his Spirit judgeth of his action by the rule Prov. 20.27 the Spirit of a man is the Candle of the Lord searching to the bottom of the belly The Spirit of a man naturally is carnal and unsanctified 1 Thes 5.23 sanâ—tifie you throughout in body Soul and Spirit that which is called the Spirit of a man is chiefly as I conceive Conscience because conscience constraineth us to action and judgeth of our action when it is done by carrying it to the Rule and glass which is Gods Candle a wounded Spirit mentioned Prov. 18.14 is a wounded Conscience Zeal is acted partly in Conscience which exerteth action Joh. 2.17 the zeal of thy house hath eaten me up This zealous Spirit maketh a man devout to God in all dutyes of the first Table just loving and benificent to man in all duties of the second Table Conscience is called the spirit of a man because it is one chief seat in a man where the ruling spirit of a man sitteth abideth and acteth The spirit dwelleth in the whole man in every faculty especially in the Will Conscience and Vnderstanding All mankind are secretly acted by a spirit either good or bad the carnal sort are acted by the Devils spirit Eph. 2.2 the spirit that acteth in the Children of Disobedience Thus it is ordinarily though Gods Spirit may sometimes break in yea effectually in such as shall be saved But the Godly are acted by the good Spirit of God Rom. 8.11 13 14. if the Spirit dwel in you he shall quicken you And if through the Spirit ye mortifie the deeds of the flesh and as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God One chief seat or residence of the Spirit of God is the Conscience where he sitteth and overlooketh the understanding the will the affections the passions and all the figments and imaginations And hence Conscience chiefly raiseth the spiritual War and sets all grace into action against all sin The evil Spirit that ruleth in the carnal hath his chief seat in imaginations figments affections and Lusts and the smoak of them blindeth the understanding yea and conscience too perverteth the will and all the powers o the soul and inclineth them to evil continually and by those doors he creepeth in yea sometimes breaketh into the hearts of the godly Thus we see why Conscience may be called the Spirit of a man and so the Spirit of Iesus and of Iohn may be their Conscience in a good part Q. 2. What is it to be strong in spirit A. To be full of Grace Zeal and Courage for God so Jesus Christ was Joh. 2.17 when he was eaten up with Zeal for the purity of Gods house and instituted Worship Act. 6.10 Steven was so full of the Spirit of grace and zeal in conscience for the Gospel of Jesus Christ that none was able to gainsay or resist him viz. with Scripture and reason but with rage and stones about his ears they did resist him till they had killed this blessed Martyr Jesus was strong in grace and zeal and as he grew in years and as his humane nature grew in capacity so this Spirit grew in him strong in Spirit the word which the Holy Ghost useth signifieth a growing in strength as the word is used 1 Cor. 16.13 quit you like men and be strong c. very fully is it expressed in that Text Eph. 3.16 that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man and thus did this blessed child Jesus wax strong in Spirit in his Child-hood he grew up to be a mighty powerful gracious zealous child 3. The third branch of the description of this holy child Jesus is in these words filled with wisdome wisdom is that part of Gods Image in man whereby he is capable of and furnished with diâ—ine knowledge and undersâ—anding to be furnished with all the intellectual virtues and that not onlâ— in knowing the rules of Art but especially the Rules of Râ—ligion in the knowledge of the Scriptures 2 Tim. 3.15 from a Child thou hast knownâ—th holy Scâ—iâ—turâ—s which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Jesuâ— Christ Iesus Christ received his Fulness from God and out of his Fulness we all recei e he is full of grace Joh 1.14 when the word dwelleth richly in us Col. 3.16 it filleth us with wisdom so it dwelt in Iesus and inriched him in all wisdom as the vessels of nature grâ—w greater in capacity so the indwelling Spirit of God did fill them unto all fulness This is as the child whom Solomon describeth Eccles 4.13 a poor wise child 4. The fourth branch of the description of this holy â—h ld Iesus the grace of God was upon him that word upon him sheweth the meaning partly to be that visible port and outward carriage the demeanour of his person in his conversing with men This outward grace is that part of Gods Image which shineth in the gravity and Authority of his port gestures and actions which command acceptation Deut 33.24 acceptable to his brethren so was Iesus Christ Math. 7.29 he spake as one having Authority Mark 1.22 and Luk. 4.32 his word was with power Ioh. 7.46 neâ—â— man spake as he speaketh Ioh. 18.6 as soon as he said I am he they went backward and fell to the Earth good gesture good voice good speech gentle grave loving behaviour such things make up this outward grace of God in which some persons both men and women are eminent So was Iesus Christ and yet more may be meant by that word Object But here is a great Obiection Isai 53.2 c. he hath no form nor comeliness no beauty that we sâ—ould desire him Answ So Iesus Chriâ—t was in the worlds eye Isai 53.3 despised rejected of men but in the Church sâ—ye that looked by faith and love he was far otherwise Joh 1.14 we beheld his glory as the glory of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth Tâ—is â—â—orâ—ous person thus