Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	great_a	lord_n	way_n	3,966	5	4.6102	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A76068	A sermon shewing the meanes how we may escape the damnation of Hell. To which end it was preached and is published by N.B.	Basely, N.	1649 (1649)	Wing B1012; Thomason E579_4; ESTC R206165	14,766	23

death not the death of any man not the death of a wicked man Those Infidels that will not believe God upon his word may heare him confirme this truth with an oath Ezek. 33.11 As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and live It is Gods wil that all men should Escape this damnation that some Escape it is his great mercy but that many fall into it Wisd 1.13 Vers 16. is from their owne hard and impenitent heart which will not lay hold on Christ and use those meanes which God mercifully affordeth unto them God made not death neither hath he pleasure in the destruction of the living But ungodly men with their works and words called it unto them And as for Hell it was prepared not for us men * Primarily but for the Devil and his Angels It is the observation of one of the antient Fathers upon those words of Christ Mat. 25.41 So generall that it is contradicted by none of them all But I may seeme to wrong this Christian auditory in that I insist upon the confirmation of that which I am perswaded none here will because I am sure none should deny This I dare assure you confidently that there is not any one of you to whom I speake but may Escape this damnation if he will use the meanes requisite thereunto And that is the next and last particular of which I am to treat How we may Escape c. IV. I doubt not but that this point of doctrine will be glad tidings to every Christian's heart Every one that believeth as every Christian ought to believe that there is a Hell would be very willing to escape the eternall damnation of it And the first meanes to escape this damnation Hell is this 1. Stedfastly to believe that there is such a place of torments where all wicked and impenitent Sinners shall be punished eternally Let it not seeme strange to any that I propose the beliefe of Hell as a meanes to avoid it For certainly if men did stedfastly believe that there are eternall torments prepared for the wicked they would not live thus wickedly It was a just complaint of one of the Heathen that in his time when wickednesse did greatly abound the opinion of Hell was accounted as a Fable onely to affright little Children And it is to be doubted that even among them that professe the Name of Christ there are too many who would willingly perswade themselves that the torments of Hell are but a fiction a thing invented onely to deterre men from sinne For can we imagine that a foule Adulterer a prophane Swearer a common Drunkard a covetous Usurer or any the like wicked man who perseveres in his knowne sinnes would commit those sinnes if he did seriously believe that he should suffer such punishment Would he incurre the eternall paines of Hell for a moment of sinfull pleasure Doubtlesse he would not commit the one if he did believe the other 2. Especially if he did Often and seriously Meditate upon it Which is a second and that a very soveraigne meanes to Escape this damnation of Hell For certainly as I have told you already a very effectuall meanes to prevent our descending into Hell in body and soule is Often to descend thither in our thoughts and meditations He that doth stedfastly believe that there is such a place of torment prepared for the wicked and also frequently meditate upon the eternall horror of that place can hardly commit that finne which should bring him into that place of intolerable and endlesse torment It was the just complaint of Saint Cyprian in his time and it will fit ours much better Nemo futurorum metum cogitat c. No man doth thinke upon the feare of those things that are to come the day of the Lord and the anger of God No man doth consider the punishments which shall be inflicted on the wicked and the eternall torments which are appointed for Vnbelievers Which our conscience would fear if it did believe Because it doth not at all believe it it doth not feare But if it did believe it it would beware of it if it would take heed of it it would escape it Where you see that a good meanes to escape Hell is to believe that there is such a place of horrible torments and often to think upon the horror thereof This if any thing will prevaile with us is most likely to restraine us from sinne and consequently preserve us from damnation For I am strongly of Saint Bernard's opinion that nothing doth preserve us so free from sinne as doth the Love of God and the Feare of Hell As one naile doth drive out another so the fire of Hell doth oftentimes expell the fire of lust and suffers us not to commit that which would make us liable to eternall damnation If we would often call to mind and seriously ponder in our hearts that question which is asked by some Isa 33.14 Who among us shall dwell with the devouring sire Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings It is very likely that we would use all possible meanes to escape that devouring fire those everlasting burnings And let no man thinke it an irksome thing to meditate upon so dismall a subject It is much better to be troubled with the thought of it here than to be stung with the torment of it hereafter For if it be grievous to thinke on it onely how intolerable will be to suffer it for ever Thinke upon Hell often and you will not so often commit sinne By frequent and serious meditation upon Hell you are in a right way to avoid sinne and by avoiding sinne to escape damnation Often present unto your selves the dreadful countenance of that just and angry Judge who will condemne all impenitent Sinners to suffer eternall torments Thinke upon that countenance at which the Angels themselves cannot chuse but tremble Consider the unspeakable paines of that devouring fire those everlasting burnings and above all consider that they are everlasting that shall never have an end Meditate upon these things often and consider them seriously and this meditation will prove a soveraigne preservative against sinne and damnation 3. But you must be carefull to use your utmost endeavour to eschew all the allurements of the Devill whereby he laboureth to draw men into perdition Luke 13.24 and strive you must to enter in at the straight gate which leadeth into the kingdome of heaven how straight so ever it be Let not the honours wealth of pleasures of this world divert you from that way and draw you into that broad way which leadeth unto destruction This is a most profitable and necessary meanes to avoid the damnation of Hell when we shun all those things which are likely to bring us thither He that will escape the eternall torments of the life to come must carefully avoid the