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	true_a	worshipper_n	2,259	5	11.6610	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A68204	Spirituall preseruatiues against the pestilence. Or Seuen lectures on the 91. Psalme First printed in Anno. 1593. And now reuised, corrected, and published, as generally for the instruction of ignorant people: so specially for the confirmation of the weake seruants of Iesus Christ; descibing the most diuine and most soueraigne preseruatiues against the pestilence. By H. Holland. Hereunto is added a sweete prayer of M. R. Greenhams, neuer before published.	Holland, Henry, 1555 or 6-1603.; Greenham, Richard.	1603 (1603)	STC 13589; ESTC S117101	86,406	214

faith that albeit all the world went from God in these extremities to many vnlawfull meanes yet he would sweetly rest in God and seeke for lawfull meanes onely here hee speakes of euery other faithful beleeuer as of himselfe that he also must haue this particular faith For a man must not onely haue faith concerning Gods prouidence as at other times but I must also beleeue that God in this speciall visitation hath a most speciall care of me and hath commanded his Angels to watch ouer me And for this cause all the promises are particularly applyed to this beleeuer from the beginning to the ende of this Psalme verse 3. Surely he will deliuer thee from the s●…are c. verse 4. Hee will couer thee with his wings and his truth shall bee thy shield verse 5. Thou shalt not be afraid c. verse 7. A thousand shall fall at thy side and it shall not come neare thee verse 8. Thou shalt onely see the reward of the wicked verse 11. Hee will giue his Angels charge ouer thee to keepe thee verse 12. They shall beare thee c. verse 13. Thou shalt walke vpon the Lion c. Wherefore thou must striue to haue this particular and speciall faith in troubles The 10. verse seemeth vnto me to containe this argument Hee that with all good conscience watcheth ouer his wayes and so endeuoureth with all his might to walke with his God in sinceritie of life and soundnesse of heart hee shall be deliue●… redin the Pestilence Thou art one of them which striue with all good conscience to serue the Lord thy God and doest endeuour that no cause be giuen that thy father now in his anger shall s●…ite thee with the Pestilence Therefore hee will deliuer thee THe Lord saith in an other place that when the dayes of famine come he will not famish the soule of the righteous and to the true worshipper which serueth him in truth of spirit he saith The Lord shal blesse thy bread and thy water I will take away all sicknesse from the mids of thee The Prophet here teacheth vs as the Apostle that Gods children must auoyd all occasion of sinne or to speake yet more strictly as the holy spirit speaketh all shadow all likenesse or appearance of sinne So some godly Interpreters vnderstand that place The Psalmist as I iudge here compareth vs to wise and faithfull children which are most watchfull least by any the least meanes they giue cause of offence to their good parents And surely all arguments of our heauenly fathers loue and mercie considered in our election creation redemption regeneration adoption continuall preseruation euerlasting saluation we are of all other the most foolish and vnkind childrē if we study not chearefully to obey and carefully to auoyd the offence of so mightie so louing so gratious and so bountifull a father vnto vs. Againe if this watchfulnesse must be found alwaies in vs how much more euen then when our almightie Father in the continuance of his anger as Ieremie saith consumeth his enemies and chasteneth his owne people Therefore at this time specially all the wise sonnes of God tremble to displease him and studie to please him Psal. 2. 4. Question That a good conscience is a speciall preseruatiue against the Pestilence A Good conscience saith Augustine very well is the paradise of the soule and surely so an euill conscience is the very hell of the soule And Chrysost●…me calles the good conscience the good countenance of the soule because this conscience alone can approch boldly to the throne of grace Wherefore this good conscience is one of the greatest blessings wee haue on earth Now for as much as it is a thing most dangerous to bee deceiued in our greatest treasure and to take drosse for gold good for euill and euill for good let vs therefore be the more circumspect and carefull first to know and learne what this great grace is Secōdly let vs wisely examine ourselues whether we possesse it haue it in truth or ignorantly be deceiued as most mē be Lastly after iust triall and examination had of our owne hearts if we finde it in our selues let vs labor with all our strength to cherish it preserue it if we finde we haue it not let vs neuer giue our selues any rest but contend in all the meanes appointed to come to Iesus Christ that he may giue it vs for he alone can giue it and strength to keepe it Conscience is described of some to be a liuing lawe in our hearts which stirreth awaketh driueth vs vnto good things I suppose wee may truly describe the conscience first generally on this manner Conscience is an inward remembrancer in our minds and hearts witnessing eyther with vs or against vs of all our thoughts wordes and workes The cause wherefore the Lord hath put this remembrancer in man is this a small light and weake knowledge would soone lve hid and be as buried in him by reason of the corruption of our hearts and affections therefore the Lord hath left him this feeling as a keeper and a watch to awake him to marke and espie all his secrets and continually to present him vnto the iudgement seate of God that nothing may be lost in obliuion and this keeper men say to be as a thousand witnesses to testifie with vs or against vs euen of of all our secrets a great controller of Atheists euen in their secret chambers The seate of this remembrancer is the vnderstanding yet for that it is found sensibly to smite the heart therefore the holy Ghost euer seates him there So Salomon noteth speaking to Shimei Thou knowest all the wickednesse wherevnto thine heart is priuie that thou didst to Dauid my father And the Apostle saith that the great peace keepeth the heart and mind in Christ Iesus And the Author to the Hebrewes Your heart being pure from an euill conscience Eccles 7. 24. Lastly that this witnesse or remembrancer will be with vs or against vs at all times and that in Gods presence the Apostle testifieth Rom. 2. 15. The Gentiles shewe the effect of the Lawe written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witnesse and their thoughts accusing one an other or excusing before God The first diuision of the conscience is this the conscience is either 1. Good or 2. Euill 1. Of the good conscience SAint Peter 1. 3. 21. saith that a good conscience is a quietnesse of mind after we be perswaded of the grace of God in Christ being then readie without feare to present our selues before him Heb. 10. 2. The holy Ghost to the Hebrewes calleth it a conscience purged from dead works to serue the liuing God If the Heathens did so much reioyce in their good consciences which were but counterfeit in respect of the consciences of the faithfull how much more should we desire to know and reioyce to finde and endeuour to keepe

speaketh we shall hardly finde one such amongst a thousand Thirdly he addeth they must be the Elders of the church that is such as are best knowne to thee thine owne wise pastor c. which can best discerne al thy sores or that minister which hath bene Gods most holy ordinance either for thy conuersion or confirmation Question BVt here now a question may bee demanded whether the same Ministers of God which serue the Lord in their publike ministry and come to the holy assemblies are charged also in this place to attend vpon the visitatiō of the sicke in time of pestilence Answere TO this I answer with men of iudgement that it were very expedient that at such times there should be certaine speciall men chosen for this purpose men knowne both for their ministery godlinesse and sinceritie of life who should not neglect their dutie concerning eyther the soules or bodies of the faithfull which they could performe or cause any way to be done for their good Secondly I answere that I cannot see how the Pastor notwithstanding can neglect any of his slocke committed of the Lord vnto his charge in any calamitie or the pestilence For the Apostles charge is so general in my iudgement that it excludeth all exceptions of persons time and sicknesse Any man may send in any sicknesse for the Elders of the Church But here let wise Christians be carefull as not to abuse the loue of their kinsfolkes and friends so to preferre the health of all the congregation before their own and so to striue to content themselues with the presence of such as the magistrates haue selected and appointed for this purpose This religious loue care for the church was in Boz who being sicke himselfe of the plague at Lausanna would not haue M. Ioh. Caluin and P. Viret to come vnto him when they offered freely most lo●…ingly to come visit him because saith he we must preferre the benefit of Gods Church and the glorie of God before our owne comforts and the preseruation of our owne life Fourthly these men must be men of great loue mercy compassion for this cause hee willeth vs to take the Elders of our Church that is such louing knowne mercifull men as can will mourne with vs and for vs. Psal 41. 1. Blessed is hee that iudgeth wisely of the poore the Lord shall deliuer him in time of trouble A notable example of this compassion is in Iobs friends for first they came to comfort him secondly they wept greatly when they sawe him thirdly their great griefe is signified in renting of their cloathes fourthly their compassion in sitting by him seuen dayes and seuen nights in silence This is the time when Gods children must striue to shew their affection and brotherly kindnesse towards the Saints Fifthly these holy Elders which visit the sicke must affect one thing be of one minde and of one accord for the cri●…s and praiers of such men be very strong and can soonest and best preuaile with the Lord according to his owne truth holy promise Uerely I say vnto you that if two of you shall agree in earth vpon any thing whatsoeuer they shall desire it shall be giuen them of my father which is in heauen for where two or three are gathered togither in my name there am I in the midst of them The truth of this promise is to be seene in the practise and praier of the holy Saints The disciples which were met togither to pray for the good successe of the gospel for spirituall courage boldnesle in their ministry for the cōfirmatiō of their doctrine by signes wonders I it is said of the whole multitude of thē which beleeued there prayed That they were of one heart of one soule Ast. 4. 31. 32. They lift vp their voyces vnto God with one accord ver se 24. 3. After prayer they obteined all that they asked For it is said first that they were confirmed presently with a myracle The place was shaken where they were assembled togither and all were filled with the holy Ghost vers 31. 2. They receiued their second request spirituall boldnesse courage for it is said they spake the word of God boldly ver 31. 3. Lastly the Gospell was more glorified had a more free passage daily And the day of Penticost when they waited togither in praier for the gifts of the holy Ghost It is said they were altogither with one accord in one place And the holy Disciples which beleeued they are said that in hearing the word in praier they continued with one accorde daily in the Temple These Elders then of whom Iames speaketh must be thus affected Religious men faithfull men deuout men righteous men and such will not lightly iarre or disagree but be most carefull to keepe the bandes of loue in holy peace and vnitie with heart and minde affecting one thing and bearing with them of weaker iudgement till the Lord hath reuealed better things vnto them These men thus hauing one heart and one mouth may send forth such cries vnto the Lord as shall be heard and none other Sixtly S. Iames requireth that they be faithfull men righteous men and m●…n of good feeling They must haue faith for otherwise they cannot pray as wee haue before shewed ver 15. of that 19. Psalme they must be righteous men for otherwise they shall be reiected of God in this sacrifice which they offer Pro. 21. 27. and the sicke can haue no comfort in them And they must haue a good feeling of the wants of their brother otherwise their praier will not worke and be effectuall so the promise is to be vnderstood the prayer of a righteous man auaileth much which is working and effectuall Seuenthly they must instruct and admonish the patient and by mutuall conference so stirre him vp to open and re●…eale such sinnes and euils as most grieue his hart and conscience They must know his passions his life his calling his knowledge his feare his affections his loue and all his conuersation and how long he hath knowne Iesus Christ. Againe here they must be wise to discerne whether Sathan hath wounded him with any siery dart and so hath caused him to doubt of his election vocation faith repentance c. They must be prouided of examples which may shewe him how that other of Gods children haue so bene smitten haue languished long and yet at last were graciously restored But nothing comparable to our owne experience Here let them pray earnestly for the spirit of iudgement for that Sathan hath many strange inuisible delusions and remember the prouerbe That a gracious speech heateth the passions of the soule A word spoken in his place is like app●…es of golde with pictures of siluer Eightly Saint Iames requireth in the visitors of the sicke verse 15. a praier of faith They must