Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	father_n	son_n	spirit_n	9,815	5	5.8235	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90280	Of the divine originall, authority, self-evidencing light, and povver of the Scriptures. With an answer to that enquiry, how we know the Scriptures to be the Word of God. Also a vindication of the purity and integrity of the Hebrew and Greek texts of the Old and New Testament; in some considerations on the prolegomena, & appendix to the late Biblia polyglotta. Whereunto are subjoyned some exercitations about the nature and perfection of the Scripture, the right of interpretation, internall Light, revelation, &c. / By Iohn Owen: D.D.	Owen, John, 1616-1683.	1659 (1659)	Wing O784; Thomason E1866_1; Thomason E1866_1*; ESTC R203092	144,024	386

that Number Sect. 14. This I say is the summe of this Doctrine as it is delivered unto us in the Scripture Here Reason is entangled yet after a while finds evidently that unlesse this be embraced all other things wherein it hath to do with God will not be of value to the soule this will quickly be made to appeare Or all that Communion which is here between God and man founded on the Revelation of his mind and will unto him which makes way for his Enjoyment in Glory there are these two parts 1 Gods gratious Communication of his Love Goodnesse c. with the fruits of them unto man 2. The obedience of man unto God in a way of Gratitude for that Love according to the mind and will of God revealed to him These two comprise the whole of the entercourse between God and man Now when the mind of man is exercised about these things he finds at last that they are so wrapped up in the Doctrine of the Trinity that without the beliefe receiving and acceptance of it it is utterly impossible that any interest in them should be obteined or preserved Sect. 15. For the first or the Communication of God unto us in a Way of Love and Goodnesse it is wholly founded upon and enwrapped in this Truth both as to the eternall Spring and actuall Execution of it A few instances will evince this Assertion The Eternall fountaine of all Grace flowing from Love and Goodnesse lies in Gods Election or Predestination This being an Act of Gods Will cannot be apprehended but as an eternall act of his Wisdome or Word also All the eternall thoughts of it's pursuit lye in the Covenant that was betweene the Father and the Son as to the Son 's undrtaking to execute that Purpose of his This I have at large elsewhere declared Take away then the doctrine of the Trinity and both these are gone There can be no purpose of Grace by the Father in the son no Covenant for the putting of that purpose in Execution and so the foundation of all fruits of Love Goodnesse is lost to the soule Sect. 16. As to the Execution of this Purpose with the actuall dispensation of the fruits of Grace and Goodnesse unto us it lyes wholely in the unspeakable Condescention of the Son unto Incarnation with what ensued thereon The Incarnation of the Eternall Word by the Power of the Holy Ghost is the bottome of our Participation of Grace Without it it was absolutely impossible that man should be made partake● of the favour of God Now this enwraps the whole Doctrine of the Trinity in it's bosome nor can once be apprehended without it's Acknowledgment Deny the Trinity and all this meanes of the Communication of Grace with the whole of the satisfaction and Righteousnesse of Christ falls to the Ground Every Tittle of it speakes this Truth And they who deny the one reject the other Sect. 17. Our actuall Participation of the fruits of this Grace is by the Holy Ghost We cannot our selves seize on them nor bring them home to our owne soules The impossibility hereof I cannot now stay to manifest Now whence is this Holy Ghost Is he not sent from the Father by the Son Can we entertaine any thought of his effectuall working in us and upon us but it includes this whole Doctrine They therefore who deny the Trinity deny the Efficacy of it's operation also Sect. 18. So it is as to our Obedience unto God whereby the Communion betweene God and man is compleated Although the formall object of Divine worship be the nature of God and the Persons are not worshipped as Persons distinct but as they are each of them God yet as God they are every one of them distinctly to be worshipped So is it as to our faith our Love our thanksgiving all our Obedience as I have abundantly demonstrated in my Treatise of distinct communion with the Father in Love the Son in Grace and the Holy Ghost in the Priviledges of the Gospell Thus without the Acknowledgment of this Truth none of that Obedience which God requireth at our hands can in a due manner be performed Sect. 19. Hence the scripture speakes not of any thing betweene God and us but what is founded on this Account The Father worketh the Son worketh and the Holy Ghost worketh The Father worketh not but by the Son and his spirit The Son Spirit work not but from the Father The Father Glorifieth the Son the Son Glorifieth the Father and the Holy Ghost glorifieth them both Before the foundation of the world the Son was with the Father and rejoyced in his peculiar worke for the Redemption of mankind At the Creation the Father made all things but by the Son and the Power of the Spirit In Redemption the Father sends the Son the Son by his owne condescention undertakes the worke and is incarnate by the Holy Ghost The Father as was said communicates his love and all the fruites of it unto us by the Son as the Holy Ghost doth the merrits and fruits of the mediation of the Son The Father is not knowne nor worshipped but by and in the Son Nor Father or Son but by the Holy Ghost c. Sect. 20. Upon this discovery the soule that was before startled at the Doctrine in the notion of it is fully convinced that all the satisfaction it hath sought after in it's seeking unto God is utterly lost if this be not admitted There is neither any foundation left of the communication of love to him nor meanes of returning Obedience unto God Besides all the things that he hath been enquiring after appeare on this account in their Glory beauty reality unto him so that that which most staggerd him at first in the receiving of the Truth because of it's deep mysterious glory doth now most confirme him in the embracing of it because of its necessity Power and heavenly Excellency Sect. 21. And this is one Argument of the Many belonging to the things of the Scripture that upon the Grounds before mentioned hath in it as to my sense and Apprehension an Evidence of Conviction not to be withstood Sect. 22. Another consideration of the like Efficacy may be taken from a briefe veiw of the whole Scripture with the designe of it The consent of parts or Harmony of the scripture in it's selfe and every part of it with each other and with the whole is commonly pleaded as an Evidence of it's divine Originall Thus much certainly it doth evince beyond all possible contradiction that the whole proceedeth from one and the same principle hath the same Authout and He wise discerning able to comprehend the whole compasse of what he intended to deliver and reveale Otherwise or by any other that onenesse of Spirit designe and ayme in unspeakable variety and diversity of meanes of it's delivery that absolute correspondency of it to it's selfe and distance from any thing else could not have been attained

not how built we know not upon what foundations that we intend in the Assignation of our receiving the Scripture to be the Word of God to the effectuall worke and witnesse of the Holy Ghost Sect. 5. Two things then we intend by this VVorke of the spirit upon the mind of man 1. His communication of of spirituall Light by an act of his Power enabling the mind to discerne the saving Truth Majesty and Authority of the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is a blindnesse a darknesse upon the minds of men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that not only disenables them from discerning the things of God in their certainty Evidence Necessity and beauty for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also causes them to judge amisse of them as things weake and foolish darke unintelligible not answering to any Principle of Wisdome whereby they are guided 1 Cor. 2. Whilst this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abides on the minds of men it is impossible that they should on any right abiding foundation assent to the Word of God They may have a prejudicate opinion they have no faith concerning it This darknesse then must be removed by the Communication of Light by the Holy Ghost which work of his Illumination is commonly by others spoken unto and by me also in another place Sect. 6. 2. The Holy Ghost together with and by his worke of Illumination taking off the perverse disposition of mind that is in us by nature with our Enmity to and Aversation from the things of God effectually also perswades the mind to a receiving and admitting of the Truth Wisdome and Authority of the word Now because this perverse disposition of mind possessing the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the soule influences the Will also into an Aversation and dislike of that Goodnesse which is in the Truth proposed to it it is removed by a double act of the Holy Ghost § 7. 1. He gives us Wisdome Understanding a spirituall Judgment whereby we may be able to compare spirituall things with spirituall in a spirituall manner and to come thereby to a cleare and full Light of the heavenly Excellency and Majesty of the Word and so enables us to know of the doctrine whither it be of God Under the benefit of this Assistance all the parts of the Scripture in their Harmony and Correspondency all the Truths of it in their power and necessity come in together to give Evidence one to another and all of them to the whole I meane as the mind is enabled to make a spirituall Judgment of them § 8. 2. He gives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spirituall sense a Tast of the things themselves upon the mind Heart and Conscience when we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 senses exercised to discerne such things These things deserve a more full handling and to be particularly exemplified from Scripture if the nature of our present designe would admit thereof Sect. 9. As in our naturall Estate in respect of these things of God the mind is full of vanity darknesse blindnesse yea is darkness its selfe so that there is no correspondency between the faculty and the Object and the Will lies in an utter unacquaintednesse yea impossibility of any acquaintance with the life power savour sweetnesse relish and Goodnesse that is in the things proposed to be known and discerned under the darke shades of a blind mind so for a removall of both these the Holy Ghost communicates Light to the Understanding whence it is able to see and judge of the truth as it is in Jesus and the Will being thereby delivered from the dungeon wherein it was and quickened a new performes its office in embracing what is proper and suited unto it in the object proposed The Spirit indeed discovereth to every one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the counsell of his will but yet in that way in the Generall whereby the Sun gives out his light and heate the former making way for the latter But these things must not now be insisted on Sect. 10. Now by these works of the Spirit He doth I say perswade the Mind concerning the Truth and Authority of the Scripture and therein leave an Impression of an effectuall Testimony within us And this Testimony of his as it is Authoritative and infallible in its selfe so of inconceivably more Efficacy Power and Certainty unto them that doe receive it then any Voice or internall Word boasted of by some can be But yet this is not the work of the spirit at present enquired after Sect. 11. 2 There is a Testimony of the spirit that respects the object or the Word its selfe and this is a publick Testimony which as it satisfies our soules in particular so it is and may be pleaded in reference unto the satisfaction of all others to whom the Word of God shall come The Holy Ghost speaking in and by the Word imparting to it Vertue Power Efficacy Majesty and Authority affords us the Witnesse that our faith is resolved unto And thus whereas there are but two heads whereunto all Grounds of Assent do belong namely Authority of Testimony and the selfe Evidence of Truth they do here both concurre in one In the same Word we have both the Authority of the Testimony of the spirit and the selfe Evidence of the Truth spoken by him yea so that both these are materially one and the same though distinguished in their formall conceptions I have been much affected with those verses of DANTE 's the Italian Poet which some body hath thus word for word turned into Latine larga pluvia Spiritus sancti quae est diffusa Super veteres super novas membranas Est syllogismus qu● eam mihi conclusit Acutè adeo ut prae illa Omnis demonstratio mihi videatur obtusa The spirits communication of his owne Light and Authority to the Scripture as Evidences of its originall is the Testimony pleaded for Sect. 12. When then we resolve our faith into the Testimony of the Holy Ghost it is not any Private whisper Word or voyce given to individuall Persons It is not the secret and effectuall perswasion of the Truth of the Scriptures that falls upon the minds of some men from various involved considerations of Education Tradition and the like whereof they can give no particular account It is not the effectuall work of the Holy Ghost upon the minds and wills of men enabling them savingly to believe that is intended The Papists for the most part pleading about these things do but shew their ignorance and malice But it is the Publick Testimony of the Holy Ghost given unto all of the Word by and in the word and its own divine light Efficacy and Power Sect. 13. Thus far then have we proceeded The Scripture the Written Word hath its infallible Truth in its selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 17. from whence it hath its Verity thence it hath its Authority for its whole Authority is founded in

another Treatise declare do manifest this Truth Sect. 8. That surely then which shall administer to all and every one of them equally and universally satisfaction as to all these things to quiet and calme their spirits to cut off all necessity of any further Enquiries give them that wherein they must acquiesce and wherewith they will be satiated unlesse they will cast off that Relation and dependance on God which they seek to confirme and settle surely I say this must be from the all seeing all-satisfying Truth and Being and from none else Now this is done by the doctrine of the Scripture with such a glorious uncontroleable Conviction that every one to whom it is revealed the eyes of whose understanding are not blinded by the God of this world must needs cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have found that which in vaine I sought elsewhere waxing foolish in my imaginations Sect. 9. It would be too long to insist on the severalls take one instance in the buisinesse of Attonement Reconciliation and Acceptance with God What strange horrible fruits and effects have mens contrivances on this account produced What have they not invented What have they not done What have they not suffered and yet continued in dread and bondage all their daies Now with what a Glorious soule appeasing Light doth the doctrine of satisfaction and Attonement by the bloud of Christ the son of God come in upon such men This first astonisheth then conquereth then ravisheth and satiateth the soule This is that they looked for this they were sick for and knew it not This is the designe of the Apostles discourse in the 3 first Chapters of the Epistle to the Romans Let any man read that discourse from v. 18. of chap. the first and onward and he will see with what Glory and Beauty with what full and ample satisfaction this Doctrine breaks out Chap. 3. v. 22 23 24 25 26. Sect. 10. It is no otherwise as to the particulars of present Worship or future Blessednesse this meets with men in all their wandrings stops them in their disquisitions convinces them of the darknesse folly uncertainty falsenesse of all their Reasonings about these things and that with such an Evidence and Light as at once subdues them captivates their understanding and quiets their soules so was that old Roman World conquered by it so shall the Mahumetan be in Gods good and appointed time Sect. 11. Of what hath been spoken this is the summe All mankind that acknowledge their dependance upon God and Relation to him are naturally and cannot be otherwise grievously involved and perplexed in their hearts thoughts and Reasonings about the Worship of God Acceptation with him having sinned and the future Enjoyment of him some with more cleare and distinct Apprehensiōs of these things Some under more darke and generall notions of them are thus exercised To extricate themselves and to come to some issue in and about these enquiries hath been the great Designe of their Lives the Aime they had in all things they did as they thought Well and laudably in this world Notwithstanding all which they were never able to deliver themselves no not one of them or attaine satisfaction to their soules but waxed vaine in their imaginations and their foolish hearts were more and more darkened In this estate of things the Doctrine of the Scripture comeing in with full unquestionable satisfaction to all these suited to the enquirings of every individuall soule with a largenesse of Wisdome and depth of Goodnesse not to be fathomed it must needs be from that God with whom we have to doe And those who are not perswaded hereby that will not cast Anchor in this harbour let them put to sea once more if they dare turne themselves loose to other considerations and try if all the forementioned perplexities do not inevitably returne Sect. 12. Another consideration of the Doctrine of the Scripture to this purpose regards some particulars of it There are some Doctrines of the Scripture some Revelations in it so sublimely glorious of so profound and mysterious an Excellency that at the first proposall of them nature startles shrinks and is taken with Horrour meeting with that which is above it too great and too excellent for it which it could desirously avoid and decline but yet gathering it selfe up to them it yeilds and finds that unlesse they are accepted and submitted unto though unsearchable that not only All that hath been received must be rejected but also the whole dependance of the Creature on God be dissolved or rendred only dreadfull terrible and destructive to nature its selfe Such are the Doctrines of the Trinity of the Incarnation of the son of God of the Resurrection of the dead of the new birth and the like At the first Revelation of these things nature is amazed cries how can these things be Or gathers up it selfe to Opposition this is babling like the Athenians folly as all the wise Greeks But when the Eyes of Reason are a little confirmed though it can never clearly behold the Glory of this Sun yet it confesseth a Glory to be in it above all that it is able to apprehend I could manifest in particular that the Doctrines before mentioned and severall others are of this importance namely though great above and beyond the reach of Reason yet upon search found to be such as without submission to them the whole comfortable Relation between God and man must needs be dissolved Sect. 13. Let us take a view in our Way of one of the Instances What is there in the whole Book of God that nature at first sight doth more recoyle at then the Doctrine of the Trinity How many do yet stumble fall at it I confesse the Doctrine its selfe is but sparingly yet it is clearly and distinctly delivered unto us in the Scripture The summe of it is that God is one His nature or his Being one That all the Properties or infinite Essentiall Excellencies of God as God do belong to that one nature and Being This God is infinitely Good Holy Just Powerfull He is eternall omnipotent omnipresēt these things belong to none but him that is that One God That this God is the Father Son and Holy Ghost which are not diverse names of the same Person nor distinct Attributes or Properties of the same nature or Being but One Another and a Third all equally that One God yet really distinguished between themselves by such uncommunicable Properties as cōstitute the One to be that One and the Other to be that Other and the Third to be that Third Thus the Trinity is not the Union nor Unity of three but it is a Trinity in Unity or the Ternary number of Persons in the same Essence nor doth the Trinity in its formall conception denote the Essence as if the Essence were comprehended in the Trinity which is in each Person but it denotes only the distinction of the Persons comprised in

whom I know not I can with due consideration and doe utterly deny The searcher of all hearts knowes I lye not And what should possibly infect me with that leaven I neither professe any deep skill in the Learning used in that worke nor am ever like to be ingaged in any thing that should be set up in competition with it nor did ever know that there was such a Person in the world as the chiefe Authour of this Edition of the Bibles but by it I shall then never faile on all just occasions to commend the Usefullnesse of this worke and the Learning Diligence and paines of the worthy Persons that have brought it forth nor would be wanting to their full praise in this place but that an entrance into this discourse with their due commendations might be liable to misrepresentations But whereas we have not only the Bible published but also private opinions of men and collections of various Readings really or pretendedly so we shall see afterwards tending some of them as I apprehend to the disadvantage of the great and important Truth that I have been pleading for tendred unto us I hope it will not be Grievous to any nor matter of Offence if using the same Liberty that they or any of them whose hands have beene most eminent in this worke have done I doe with I hope Christian candor and moderation of spirit briefly discover my thoughts upon some things proposed by them Sect. 4. The renownedly learned Prefacer unto the Arabick Translation in this Edition of it tells us that the Worke of translating the Pentateuch into that Language was performed by a Jew who took care to give countenance to his own private opinions and so render them Authenticke by bringing them into the Text of his Translation It is not of any such Attempt that I have any cause to complaine or shall so doe in reference to these Prolegomena and Appendix only I could have wished with submision to better Judgments be it spoken that in the publishing of the Bible the Sacred Text with the Translations and such naked historicall accounts of their Originalls and preservation as were necessary to have laid them faire and open to the Judgment of the Reader had not been clogged with disputes and pleas for particular private opinions imposed thereby with too much advantage on the minds of men by their constant neighbourhood unto canonicall Truth Sect. 5. But my present considerations being not to be extended beyond the concernement of the Truth which in the foregoing discourse I have pleaded for I shall first propose a briefe abstract thereof as to that part of it which seemes to be especially concerned and then lay downe what to me appeares in it's prejudice in the Volumes now under debate not doubting but a fuller account of the whole will by some or other be spedily tendred unto the Learned and impartiall Readers of them The summe of what I am pleading for as to the particular Head to be vindicated is that as the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament were immediatly and entirely given out by God himselfe his mind being in them represēted unto us without the least interveniency of such mediums and Waies as were capable of giving change or alteration to the least iota or syllable so by his Good and mercifull providentiall dispensation in his Love to his Word and Church his whole Word as first given out by him is preserved unto us entire in the Originall Languages where shining in its owne beauty and lustre as also in all Translations so farre as they faithfully represent the Originalls it manifests and evidences unto the consciences of men without other forraigne help or assistance its divine originall and Authority Sect. 6. Now the severall Assertions or Propositions contained in this position are to me such important Truths that I shall not be blamed in the least by my own Spirit nor I hope by any others in contending for them judging them fundamentall parts of the faith once delivered to the saints and though some of them may seeme to be lesse weighty then others yet they are so concatenated in themselves that by the removall or destruction of any one of them our interest in the others is utterly taken away It will assuredly be granted that the perswasion of the coming forth of the Word immediately from God in the way pleaded for is the foundation of all faith hope and obedience But what I pray will it advantage us that God did so once deliver his Word if we are not assured also that that word so delivered hath been by his speciall care and providence preserved entire and uncorrupt unto us or that it doth not evidence and manifest its selfe to be his Word being so preserved Blessed may we say were the Ages past who received the Word of God in its unquestionable power and purity when it shone brightly in its own glorious native Light and was free from those defects and corruptions which through the default of men in a long tract of time it hath contracted but for us as we know not well where to lay a sure foundation of believing that this Book rather then any other doth conteine what is left unto us of that Word of his so it is impossible we should ever come to any certainty almost of any individuall VVord or expression whither it be from God or no far be it from the thoughts of any Good man that God whose Covenant with his Church is that his Word and spirit shall never depart from it Isa 59. 21. Math. 5. 18. 1 Pet. 1. 25. 1 Cor. 11. Math. 28. 20. hath left it in uncertainties about the things that are the foundation of all that faith and obedience which he requires at our hands As then I have in the foregoing Treatise evinced as I hope the selfe Evidencing Light and power of the Scripture so let us now candidly for the sake and in the persuit of Truth deale with a mind freed from prejudices and disquieting Affections save only the trouble that arises from the necessity of dissenting from the Authors of so usefull a worke addresse our selves to the consideration of what seems in these Prolegomena and Appendix to impaire the truth of the other Assertions about the entire preservation of the Word as given out from God in the copies which yet remaine with us And this I shall doe not doubting but that the Persons themselves concernd will fairely accept and weigh what is conscientiously tendred Sect. 7. As then I do with all thankfulnesse acknowledge that many things are spoken very honourably of the Originalls in these Prolegomena and that they are in them absolutely preferred above any Translation whatever and asserted in generall as the Authentick Rule of all Versions contrary to the thoughts of the Publisher of the great Parisian Bibles and his infamous hyperaspistes Morinus so as they stand in their aspect unto the Appendix of various Lections there are