Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	heart_n	spirit_n	word_n	8,255	5	4.2520	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A04270	The ioy of the vpright man In a sermon preached at Grayes Inne: By I. B. Wherein is declared the hidden comfort, the sure reward, the present condition of the vpright-hearted.	Barlow, John, b. 1580 or 81.	1619 (1619)	STC 1439; ESTC S116383	22,522	44

and the not keeping of the Law be debts as in truth they be then as Paul writeth to Philemon concerning Onesimus let vs in all humilitie of heart by the hand of faith set both on Christs score And thus much for the matter of our iustification by which we are made righteous The manner how or by what meanes it is applied followeth and that is faith and faith onely for we are iustified by faith onely as by an instrumentall cause for faith laieth hold on the obiect matter of our iustification Christ and his obedience and so vniting the beleeuer to him hee is iustified though not by his owne inherent and actuall righteousnesse So that God the Father accepteth of this satisfaction as if we in our owne persons had both for holinesse of nature and perfection of obedience absolutely answered and fulfilled the Lawes iustice And from this that I haue said we may gather these conclusions First that None was euer personally righteous but Christ onely For if his Father would marke what was done amisse yet he was and is and euer shall be able to abide it for he was holy for nature and perfect for life Againe hence it will follow that all men stand in neede of Christs merits and all cause of boasting is totally excluded from mankind yea whatsoeuer Papists babble the blessed Virgin her selfe So that the person for whom light is sowne is hee that by faith applieth Christ and his obedience being offered by the Father to himselfe in particular And thirdly we may from this safely conclude that They who haue no faith cannot be iustified and consequently saued For wee must of necessitie haue faith to apply Christ as an instrument for faith is as a hand to receiue and put on the righteousnesse and merits of the second Adam We are said to liue by faith that is in beleeuing in the Lord of life They therefore that haue no faith are dead in trespasses and sinnes Adam had life in himselfe at the creation now we haue it out of our selues from Christ at our iustification And last of all we may collect that the obiect of faith and matter of iustification is not within vs but without vs and that we stand in need of the same else no saluation whence these three Corollaries follow First that sinnes before conuersion cannot hinder mans perfect iustification Let this bee well obeserued Secondly that good workes after our effectuall vocation doe not further our iustification before the Lord they will helpe to assure vs that our faith is sound and iustifie vs in the eyes of the world but no other waies And lastly from this I also conclude that They are in a great errour who hold the bare act of faith without the application of Christ and his obedience to iustifie We are said to liue by our hands yet wee vnderstand that it is meant by that we get by labor and trauell for no man eates his fingers so wee may truly be said to be iustified and saued through faith but wee must know that it is by what faith resteth on and applieth to the person and no otherwise this is the plaine meaning And now I come to the second branch of my text and ioy Some expound the first part by the second and say that by light is meant ioy and by iust vpright in heart But I rather vnderstand that sanctification is meant in this clause for many are apt to say they haue faith yet want holinesse therefore the spirit would take away that false cauill Againe good and righteous persons call the soundnesse of their faith sometimes into question doubting of the truth of their spirituall condition therefore to remoue that scruple and to comfort and settle their wauering minds the Prophet annexeth as a helpe this other clause wherein is comprehended sanctification And vsually in the holy Booke these two are coupled together and they may not be put asunder 1. Cor. 6. 11. Now for the interpretation of the words some reade ioy others gladnesse the difference of these two I take to be this Ioy is in the heart secretly hidden and gladnesse may be seene in the face or by some outward signe discerned for where one Euangelist writeth Reioyce and bee glad another saith Reioyce and leape Feare and ioy are internall but trembling and gladnesse externall See Mat. 5. 12. Luk. 6. 23. Psal 2. 11. Matth. 28. 8. Vpright Seemes to be a Metaphor tooke from a pillar or thing that standeth as wee say bolt vpright not inclining more one way than another or some reade it Right or Streight of heart that is in whose thoughts intentions and conuersations is no guile like Nathanaël or Ezekiah and heart is added to shew the true roote of sinceritie as also to condemne outward hypocrisie for some like the old Pharisies are iust outwardly but inwardly full of rottennes the heart is not vpright what shew soeuer they make of holinesse and righteousnes or it may be annexed for the comfort of the iust that though they faile sometimes in outward act yet it falleth foorth contrary to the intent and former purpose of their heart for the most faithfull hath his failings whatsoeuer his resolutions haue been to the contrary And now in few other words thus may we plainly resolue these What if the faithfull be afflicted ouerwhelmed with the waues of sorrow compassed about with great and manifold euils drowned in the depth of depths and well neere swallowed vp of ouermuch heauinesse shall they not heare of glad tidings will not ioy breake out as light in the morning and all teares be wiped from their eyes yes this is an eternall truth that All such as are iustified by faith in Christ sanctified hauing hearts without guile by the word and spirit though they sow in teares plow in paine and all their crop seeme to be blasted yet there be great blessings appointed by God for them which though for a season they be couered and hidden like corne in the furrowes they shall one day reape and receiue in earth and heauen according to the sure promise of the Lord. Thus to our power hauing pickt out the true meaning wee come to gather some profitable instructions and out of the word sowen we may first obserue that Doct. 1 The righteous mans haruest in secret and hidden It lieth like the corne couered in the ground Their life is hid and it is not manifest what they shall be No eye hath seene or eare heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man what the Lord hath laid vp for them that loue him Name what you can and it will be a mysterie a secret thing that belongs to the vpright in heart Reason 1 First is not the decree of God a hidden thing a depth vnsearchable and able to make a man astonied Did not Paul crie out Oh the deepnesse of the riches both of the wisedome and counsell of God! how

vnsearchable are his iudgements and his waies past finding out Reason 2 And is not the incarnation of Christ a secret too what more to be admired than That God should become man and be manifested in the flesh The very Angels desired to peepe into this mysterie This is one of the Lords wonderfull workes The way of a virgin with a man Reason 3 Againe the conuersion and regeneration of a sinner a admirable it s a noble yet a secret work Nicodemus a great Doctor could not see into it And if naturall births be so strange what shall wee iudge of this Reason 4 Moreouer Peace of conscience and ioy in the holie Ghost is no open matter None knoweth it but hee that hath it So is the earnest of the Spirit and true seale of saluation the power life and sweetnes of the word The remission of pardon for sinne with Certaintie of saluation 1. Pet. 1. 8. Reason 5 And in the fifth place the haruest is secret if we consider where it is growing One close is The secret purpose of God and who can vnderstand it A second is his word and how hardly is that to be searched into A third is a mans owne heart and is not that both secret and deceitfull And last of all the very principall part of the haruest is hid with Christ in heauen and when hee appeares it will appeare what it shall be Vse 1 And is the Righteous mans haruest secret and hidden Then the prophane must learne not to speake euill of their waies as though of all time it were the worst spent time that is spent in the seruice of God Why shouldest thou report basely of what thou art ignorant of Doest thou know what delight is in reading praying hearing singing and meditating that art dead and neuer couldst awake to goe to worke Canst thou see into the heart of another and tell of his treasure When wast thou in the third heauē to take view of the great things that there be by God prouided for his seruants against the great day of Reaping Therefore indge not lest thou be iudged vnderstand the truth and then speake for its wisdome to conceale any thing we know not as it commendable to speake the truth of a knowne good matter Thou art to learne that Gods children are a hidden people and haue hidden comforts such as the world knowes not of Sometime you shall haue a man commended on this manner when peraduenture his suite is not of the costliest Oh Sir as meane a man as he seemeth there is few such in the parish he is an vnknowne man there is no end of his good This may truly be said of all the faithfull though they should goe in sheep skinnes camels haire and fare meanly euery day that there be but too few such in the parish they are vnknowne men and of a truth there is no end of their good for are they not called Gods stored or hidden ones Psal 83. 4. Is not their kingdome a treasure hid in the field How much is that goodnesse O Lord thou hast laid vp for them that trust in thee Dauid admired or desired as one doubtfull to be resolued Vse 2 And the righteous here are also to be admonished that they doe not regard the censures of such as are blinded by the God of this world What if they like Pharaoh crye out Who is the Lord that we should serue him and is there any profit in seruing the Almightie Why they cannot iudge of thy estate they perceiue not the things of the spirit of God but count them foolishnesse They thinke that Gaine is godlinesse and are out of the way How can a blind man vnderstand and iudge of colours and are not great and secret things too high for a foole Say therfore with the Apostle I passe not for such mens iudgements or rather pray with thy Sauiour Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe crye out in compassion with Stephen Lord lay not this sinne vnto their charge Is it to be expected that such as counted Christ to be without forme reputed him a wine bibber Iohn to haue a diuell and the chiefe seruants of the Gospel filled with the spirit to be drunk with new wine and out of their wits should iudge and esteeme charitably of thee and thy proceedings Neuer expect this for it is a thing impossible Nature cannot goe beyond it selfe and naturall men cannot discerne of things that are spirituall Vse 3 And is this Haruest hidden Then it may be a comfort to the vpright in heart when they thinke their owne state to bee miserable What if afflictions compasse thee like a garment the fiery triall seeme to burne thee wicked men rise vp in armes against thee or Satan shoote his sharpe shafts to wound thee Suppose the Father seeme to frowne vpon thee Christ to reiect thee and the fellowship of the Spirit to be departed from thee Yet must thou hope stil for thine haruest is secret and often blasted in thine owne eye Was not Dauid himselfe sometime as one reiected Did he not crie Lord restore me to the ioy of thy saluation Iob was in a great straite when he set downe this peremptorie sentence While mans flesh is vpon him hee shall be sorrowfull and so long as his spirit is within him it shall mourne And haue not the dearest of Gods Saints been strangely for a time perplexed Assure thy selfe that No new thing is befallen thee or strange matter come vnto thee but such as are incident to the Lords beloued ones He that readeth Dauids Psalmes would imagine the man to be mad that penned them if he had not some experience of spirituall desertions What is liker to good graine than grasse at the first sprouting or shooting vp of both and what doth more resemble faith than infidelitie especially at the first instant of a mans conuersion Yong Conuerts to speake with reuerence are not vnlike some of your London Cockneyes tell them when they come into the Countrey that wheate is wheate hauing but couered the earth and not growne vp to a blade and eare they will not credit you for they haue no experience in matters of that nature they haue bought it onely winnowed in the market and therefore imagine so to finde it growing but the skilfull husbandman knoweth full well that the corne in his close will be as good wheate at haruest as any that is sold in all their Citie So hee that is not an old disciple and hath not skill in this kinde of husbandrie because hee findeth not faith and hope and loue perfect at the first breaking vp of the field of his soule by the plow of the word feareth that hee hath no grace at all but a grounded Christian knoweth the contrary Learn then this lesson that after