Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	faith_n	life_n	word_n	4,700	5	4.1090	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19697	The vvay to a blessed estate in this life. By Ezekel Culuervvel.	Culverwell, Ezekiel, 1553 or 4-1631.	1623 (1623)	STC 6118.4; ESTC S109140	5,124	21

THE VVAY TO A BLESSED ESTATE IN THIS LIFE BY EZEKEL CVLVERVVELL LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for William Sheffard and are to be sold at his Shop at the entring in of Popes-head Alley out of Lumbard-streete 1623. THE VVAY TO A BLESSED ESTATE IN THIS LIFE THAT which our Lord Iesus from Heaven writ vnto the Church of Sardis Rev. 3.1 Thou hast a name that thou liuest but art dead may be truly spoken of the greater sort of not-counterfeit Professors of the Faith in our time for it is cleare by the Text that this is not spoken of hypocrites who are starke dead but of such who having some life remaining in them are in a dead sleepe Many drowsie professors for these of whom I speake take good paines to keepe vp a name of Christianitie both in the exercises of Religion and in their outward behauiour though in both there be much sayling but in very truth there is but a little life of faith and loue in all their Profession as may appeare in their cold and vncomfortable prayers in their wandering and drowsie hearing of the Word and vnfruitfull receiving of the Sacraments and much more in their abuse and neglect of the secret exercises of Prayer reading and meditation by themselues and conference with others seldome deepely bewayling their estate lesse reioycing in the assurance of their salvation by Christ as seldome delighting in God with a zeale to set forth his glory in every part of their life Though this be the state of the greater part of those that haue some truth of grace in them yet may we say againe A few worthy that there are with vs as in the Church of Sardus a few names that haue not defiled their garments that is doe liue vnrebukably and walke worthy their holy calling having a sweet feeling of Gods favour vnto them and so can boldly come vnto him in time of need with assurance that he doth graciously respect them their prayers and vnfeigned obedience who likewise doe more delight themselues in God then in all earthly things accounting it their greatest griefe to offend him and greatest ioy to please him possessing their soules with confidence and patience in their greatest trialls looking for the appearing of Christ This is that blessed estate to be inioyned in this life What a blessed life here may be attained which God hath prepared though in divers measures for the faithfull all which may well bee contained in this short sentence of the Psalmist Psal 37.4 Delight thy selfe in the Lord and he will giue thee thy hearts desire which I doubt not but all true Christians when they haue well considered it would be glad to attaine vnto Desired by many not attained But either through ignorance of the way how to attaine it or through negligence not putting in practise what they know they spend many yeares either securely or vncomfortably seldome attaining to that heauenly feasting which if they were wise might be their daily refreshing How this life is attained whose estate I much tendring doe endevour to shew them how this happie life may be attained which I conceiue to be onely by a more plentifull feeding vpon Christ by faith It is without question that all and every part of our spirituall life is in Christ of whose fulnesse we receiue grace for grace and this is as cleare Ioh. 1.26 that we receiue no grace first or last from Christ but by beleeving in which respect Christ is truly and principally said to be our spirituall food Ioh. 6.27.35 and beleeving to be the true feeding vpon him Which being so 34. it necessarily followes that feeding seldome or weakely we cannot haue much spirituall strength and otherwise feeding plentifully and soundly we shall be fat and flourishing in grace and so attaine vnto the blessed life spoken of How to feed oft in the day on Christ For the better vnderstanding and practising whereof this is specially to be considered How every true beleever may daily yea oft in the day by faith feed vpon Christ that so he may receiue from him all spirituall nourishment for his refreshing and strengthening to every good worke This is done by setting before vs those sweet promises which God hath made to vs for the strengthening of our faith in all our necessities and so particularly to apply them to our selues Whereby we may comfortably assure our selues that we shall enioy that which God hath promised Wherein we are first to get the true meaning of that which is promised Secondly To see we haue a good warrant that this is promised to vs that therevpon we may conclude we shall certainly enioy that which God hath promised seeing he is faithfull who hath promised But seeing this is not well conceived by many Example I will make it plaine by example 1 Cor. 1.30 it is said But of him are yee in Christ Iesus who of God is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption In which is as much sayd as may be conceived or desired the meaning whereof is that every true beleever is by Gods spirit made a living member of Christ Iesus from and in whom he is made by God a true partaker of all things needfull to salvation that whereas he is by nature foolish guiltie filthy and in bondage now in Christ he is made perfectly wise righteous holy freed from all his enemies and so restored to full happinesse This promise of God being clearely vnderstood must now be applyed particularly by every beleever to himselfe thus Seeing God who is all-sufficient and faithfull that in his Word which is Truth it selfe promised these great benefits in which all are contained to every true beleever therefore I who doe truly though weakely beleeue in Christ may boldly assure my selfe that all these be mine and therefore I shall not want any thing needfull for my present comfort or eternall happinesse Which whosoever doth daily practise in this manner to maintaine and increase his faith by application of this and all other of Gods promises he shall daily more and more enioy in this life that blessed estate wee speake of Pray for faith But for as much as faith is the gift of God and we cannot further beleeue then wee be drawne by Gods spirit therefore wee must ioyne often and fervent prayer that God by this meanes would increase our faith This may seeme easie to be performed Not easie but vpon better triall it will not be found so easie to doe it effectually for besides our owne great vntowardnesse to beleeve I cannot thinke of any dutie wherein our common Adversary will vse more cunning and diligence to hinder vs then in this either by keeping vs from rhe worke or beguiling vs in it whereby it comes to passe that very few doe to any good purpose practise the same Two chiefe letts Amongst many lettes which hinder the faithfull practise hereof I

obserue these two in two divers sorts of beleevers The former in those 1. Not prizing Christ in two divers sorts of beleevers The former in those who not sufficiently feeling their wants and too much contented with their estate doe not so prize Christ and this blessed estate in him as may moue them to take this paines and therefore neuer reach vnto this growth in grace wherevnto they might come if the fault were not in them selues The other let is in those who highly prizing the benefit 2. Our vnworthines and earnestly labouring for it are by the sense of their owne vnworthinesse so kept downe ' that they cannot with any hope looke vp for so great a blessing Remoue of the first let For the remooving of both these lettes the first sort are to bethinke themselues what an vncomfortable account it will be when God shall call them to it to see how many yeares they haue spent with little growth in grace either to the glory of God or good example to others or to the peace of their owne soules Whereas on the other side they might haue attained vnto such a sweet life as would haue beene a heauen vpon earth namely To reioyce alwayes in the Lord. Of the second let For the other poore soules who are kept downe with the sense of their owne vnworthinesse they are to know that all Gods promises are free and vndeserved so as no vnworthines ought to hinder them from beleeving yea rather they that haue the most sense of their owne vnworthinesse haue most incouragement to beleeve for that voice of Christ Mat. 11.28 Come vnto me all you that are weary and heavie laden and I will ease you serue not onely for our first conversion but in all our distresses whatsoever throughout the whole course of our life Satan will beguile If any escape both these lets and goe about this worke then will Satan vse all his skill to beguile both sorts such as are weake and heauie hearted Some that they beleeue not soone discouraged he tempts and perswades they labour in vaine and doe not beleeue when indeed they doe as shall appeare Others that they haue more faith then they haue The other sort who are too well conceited and light hearted Satan labours to perswade that they haue more faith then indeed they haue and that their case is better then in truth it is It shall be therefore the wisedome of all who will not be deceived carefully to examine and try themselues which that they may the better doe let them consider of these markes that follow whereby either sort may certainely iudge of themselues Foure markes of faith not seene For such as conscionably endevour to nourish their faith in such manner as hath beene shewed and yet finde no comfort but feare they doe not beleeue when as indeed they doe these are to discerne their faith by such secret operations as doe certainely shew faith to be there though it be not seene namely An vnfeigned griefe for the want of faith 1. Griefe for want of faith with an vncessant indevour for the attaining of it Againe A reverent esteeme of God and hearty affection of vnfeigned loue to him which cannot be without some former apprehension of Gods loue to them which is in many though they see it not And lastly A tender Conscience 4. A tender conscience fearing to displease God even in smaller matters which others little regard Whosoever shall find these fruits which cannot come but from faith may certainly know that there is a roote of faith grounded in their hearts though they see it not No fruits no faith But such as haue no feeling of their faith and see no such effects in their liues haue iust cause to thinke that they haue no faith at all Notes of true and false comfort As for the other sort who are too well perswaded of themselues that they finde comfort in meditating on Gods promises whereas indeed they deceiue themselues and haue not that faith they imagine as their fruits doe shew This may be discerned by these notes 1. True is hardly got First True comfort is vsually very heardly gotten with much prayer and labour and it is oft a long time before this be felt therefore they who vpon their first thoughts on these promises finde comfort that they haue part in them may so farre mistrust all is not sound till they shall see some better proofe thereof which if they doe not but for all this will be confident that all is well it is to be feared their comfort is not sound 2. Feare of deceit For this is another propertie of that true comfort which springs from faith especially in young and weake beleevers that they so highly valewing the benefit are very fearefull of being deceived and must see good evidence before they will be perswaded that they haue this saving faith 3. Poore in spirit mourne and lowly Whereof if they shall be perswaded yet therwithall is ioyned such a feeling of the weakenesse of their faith and so of all grace as makes them poore in their owne eyes and mourne for their wants thinking lowly of themselues and more highly reuerencing the graces of God in others Whereas they who be deceived are as the Laodiceans rich and wanting nothing and so be merry and too light hearted thinking too well of themselues and too slenderly of others better then themselues 4 Hunger and labour for more Another sure marke of sensible faith and comfort is this That they that haue tasted of it can never be satisfied but still hunger and labour for more none more diligently vse all good meanes to grow in grace then they Even as the strong and most healthfull bodie doth feed better then the weake and sickly But such as being well satisfied with that they haue and feele no hunger nor labour for more it is evident their faith and comfort are not good 5. Answerable obedience To proceed and not to gather all that might be added hereto this shall serue for all That as like fire like heate so like faith like life great or small So that where there is strong faith there must needs be great obedience and therefore whosoever hee be that is carelesse of his conversation and barren in the fruits of a holy life his faith must needs be weake if not dead Wherefore to conclude I advise every one who by these markes shall discerne himselfe to be deceived with fancie in stead of faith to goe about this worke more seriously and to lay a better foundation of faith and not to say he hath found comfort till he can bring good witnesse thereof Which whosoever shall neglect shall in the end to say no more lament his folly when he who seeing his errour shall more carefully and constantly put in practise this maine dutie of daily feeding vpon Christ shall grow in grace and attaine to that blessed life here whereof we speake besides eternall life the full reward of all his labour FINIS