Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	holy_a	scripture_n	word_n	11,195	5	4.4004	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A04159	An helpe to the best bargaine a sermon on Mat. 13-16. Preached on Sunday, the 20. of Octob. 1623. in the Cathedrall Church of Christ, Canterbury. By Thomas Iackson, doctor of divinitie, and one of the prebends, and lecturer there.	Jackson, Thomas, d. 1646.	1624 (1624)	STC 14300; ESTC S101360	15,596	66

attention and effectuall to moue deuotion A rich Parable rich in the historie but richer in the mistery It proponeth a Pearle of great price for purchase wherof all must be sold but it supponeth a Iewell of inestimable pryce in comparison whereof S. Paul esteemed all goodly things to bee but drosse and dung Parables are truely called sacred vailes giue me leaue to draw away the vaile and let you looke into the holiest of all This Pearle is the Truth in Hebrew Margerah in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Vnio for there is but one truth in the world and this Pearle is called a goodly Pearle a faire Margarite For euen the naked truth of God without welt or guard or any entising words of mans wisdome is most louely and beautifull yea it is a Pearle of great price Dauid esteemes it dearer then thousands of gold and siluer so did Salomon esteeme it all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared vnto it This goodly precious pearle is hid hid from the wisdome and search of flesh and blood CHRIST told Peter when he had found it Flesh and blood hath not reuealed this vnto thee And againe I thanke thee Lord of heauen and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast reuealed them to babes Yea so hid as there is no finding it without a guid the Eunuch knew he was in the field where the Pearle was wanted not for paines taking yet Philip asking him if hee had found it he answered How can I without a guide And there is but one Field in all the world wherin this Pearle is hid viz. the Word of God which is therefore called the Word of Truth which precious Pearle is hid so deepe in the field of the sacred Scripture that there is no finding of it without much search and diging therefore Christ biddeth vs Search the Scriptures And Solomon biddeth Seeke for wisdome as for siluer and search for her as for hidden treasure but as the wise Merchant that after great search findeth a precious Pearle hid in a field will sell all hee hath to purchase that field pearle in it so a wise Christian by great study and meditation hearing reading and praying hauing found in the field of holy Scriptures the hidden wisdome of God for the saluation of man by IESVS CHRIST it is a knowledge so sweet and deare vnto him as hee will easily part with all earthly things that he may enioy the blessing of the Word and thereby encrease in the sauing knowledge of GOD's Truth So much for the mistery The parts of this Parable are two viz. First the finding of this Pearle Secondly the procuring of it that it may be his owne that findeth it I purpose by GOD's grace to handle the second part it being to no purpose to find it vnlesse wee make it our owne that we may be enriched by it The manner how to compasse it our Sauiour expresseth figuratiuely by a bargain in which bargaine there are two things done First Selling. And secondly Buying He sold all that he had and bought it In this world Kings Princes and great rich men are able to buy goodly precious Pearles and not sell any thing the ouerplus of their great reuenues will compasse them but in the spirituall bargaine for this Pearle there is no buying of it but we must first sell it is sometimes so deare as the richest man must in action sell all and it is neuer cheaper but he that will haue it must in affection sell all that he hath for it CHRIST our Master hath himselfe in writing set the price and we his Seruants cannot a bate an haire If any man come to me and hate not his father and his mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his owne life also he cannot be my Disciple A great price I confesse yet lest any should either stick at it goe away shucking the shoulders as the rich man that went away sorrowfull for hee had great possessions or repent of their bargaine Christ hath assured of all purchases it is the best bargaine and the onely way to bee rich Euery one that hath forsaken houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my names sake and the Gospels he shall receiue an hundred-fold now in this time and in the world to come eternal life Oh suffer me then to prouoke you in this dead time wherein though truth was neuer cheaper it is generally thought to be too deare amongst many cheapners but few buyers GOD's seruants haue but cold takings it is much to bee feared if the market mend not Christ will shut vp his shop-windows and offer his Pearle to such as will more esteem of it Oh buy the truth whilst you may buy it lest it prooue so scanty and deare that it cannot be had at any rate And that you may buy first sell that is the thing I purpose to presse at this time In Parables the letter hath the least part if other haue any this passage needeth none I neede not prouoke men to sell that they haue too many haue done so in these late and deare yeares to buy bread for them their families others in this prodigall and luxurious age sell more then they haue both present and reuersion inheritance and offices and run in debt to buy wine drinke Tobacco spend vpon their lusts we had need to read lectures of good husbandrie to such and pray them to keepe that which they haue let nothing be lost lest they pinch with the Prodigall in the end to sell all is the high-way to misery This sale is to enable a man to buy CHRIST yea and heauen it selfe good husbands may thus sell yea thus to sell is the way to bee rich this is godliness which hath the promise of this life and of that which is to come all good things of this life are in God's will and Testament entituled to such Prodigals Hee that will sell all for Christ shall enioy all with Christ Marke then the words This wise-man proposed for patterne doth not lay vp or lend or morgage retayning propriety but doth Sell not superfluities and such things as he can spare or hath no present vse of but All that hee hath The words being opened hence we learne that whosoeuer will attaine to the sauing knowledge of Christ him crucified must euer part with all hee hath For the Illustration wherof let it be noted that euery godly Christian must sel these three things First himselfe Secondly his sinne Thirdly his substance Hee that maketh this sale selleth all and is able to buy the Pearle For the first Hee must sell himselfe What to become a Bond-slaue No

AN HELPE TO the best Bargaine A Sermon on Mat. 13.46 Preached on Sunday the 20 of Octob. 1623. in the Cathedrall Church of Christ Canterbury By THOMAS IACKSON Doct. of Divinitie and one of the Prebends and Lecturer there London Printed by NICH. OKES for Mat. Walbanke and are to be sold in Graies-Inne Gate 1624. TO THE RIGHT Honourable and most Worthy Lady Vicountesse MAIDSTONE grace mercy and peace from GOD the Father through IESVS CHRIST by the HOLY-GHOST be multiplied RIGHT NOBLE LADY GReat is their honour in the eies of Gods Saints whom God and the King doe honour and great is your honour in mine eies whom birth wealth education and mariage vertue and pietie God and King haue honoured it behooued me hauing receiued so many comforts and encouragements protection and preferment from your thrice noble husband and your honourable selfe in so iustly occasioned common congratulation to haue gone before others in giuing of honour but being with the throng of important occasions kept backe and cast behinde yet I presume of acceptance being assured that I bring the best present for Solomon hath witnessed there is nothing to be compared to this Pearles and Precious stones are of great esteeme among Princes and Nobles and specially among Women who doe naturally delight in ornaments and in curious and artificiall decoration as the Embassadour of Christ I commend to your honour a goodly and precious Pearle such a Pearle as maketh the wearers of it truly honourable The Disciple whom Iesus loued whose Gospell your soule loueth hath said to as many as receiue it is this priuiledge giuen to become the sons of God And the Apostle witnesseth of the Bereans they were more noble then they of Thessalonica in that they receiued the word with all readinesse of minde and searched the Scriptures daily Well may they be esteemed high-borne noble and happie indeede whose father is God their brother Christ their garments righteousnesse their foode the hidden mannah their rings chaines and iewells the graces and gifts of the holy Ghost their attendants the Angells their inheritance heauen and reward the crowne of Glorie Oh this is indeed the true restoring of blood the best part in Noblemens Scutchions and highest stemme in their Pedegree for be they nere so high and great and want it they are but wretched poore and miserable Alas what are stately houses rich furniture costly apparell delicate fare delightfull musicke all possible reuerence with tongue cap and knee multitude of followers great offices larger euenues and all earthly pleasures that heart can wish in comparison but verie vanity and vexation of spirit So as Moses in nothing shewed more wisdome then refusing to be called the sonne of Pharaoh's Daughter and choosing rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season esteeming the reproach for Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt I confesse that honour is Gods ordinance the reward of vertue and of externall good things the best to the pure all things are pure yet in holy tongues the same word doth signifie both honour and burthen because according to the height of honour shall be the weight of account at the last day I doubt not hauing had so many yeares experience of your Ladiships growth in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ yea I am perswaded you shall bring forth more fruite in your age yet considering the times and our owne corruption in a godly iealousie I thought it my duty to put you in remembrance and to stir vp Gods graces in you that as you haue loued Christ his Gospel in sincerity so you would do so still yea and to doe it more not letting the Pearle lye in the heart as in a Casket vnder locke and key but make a frontlet of it letting the world see you doe euery way seeke his honour who hath so many waies honoured you It is now full twenty yeares agoe since preaching in your honours house and commending the sauing knowledge of Christ your Ladiship was pleased to testifie your gracious acceptance thereof both by priuate encouragements and by sute in my behalfe vnto an honourable person then present which was the first stone in the foundation of my preferment for as he friendly promised hee faithfully performed so as I am bound thankfully to acknowledg from your Ladiships first motion it came that now for many years I haue enioyed my place in this Metropolitan Church with much comfort in my calling and particular estate The Lord recompence an hundred fold all the kindnesse I haue receiued from you and yours for whose prosperitie I am your daily Orator C.C.C. Nouemb. T. I. AN HELPE TO THE BEST Bargaine MAT. 13.46 Who when hee had found one pearle of good price he went and sold all that he had and bought it AS diuers seruants in the fame Shop intending their Maisters gaine though one as the Fore-man may shewe the Commodity and set the price yet the rest will further the bargaine either by commending the goodnesse of the ware or shewing others that is worse yea naught and counterfeit and perswading the Customer to straine to buy it So is it my desire this day to be a fellow-seruant to helpe to strike vp the best bargaine lately offered in the eminent'st place in this Kingdome by a Reuerend worthy Diuine mine ancient Colleague 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Contemporaneus to whom I ioyfully giue the right-hand of fellowship wee workers together beseech you receiue not the grace of God in vaine In Court and Countrey the true Ministers of Christ sing but one Song aime at one Marke to make their hearers rich in God and wise vnto saluatiō by the purchase of truth We are not like the Priests and Iesuits who are brethren in euill though looking diuers wayes according to their seuerall interests yet like Samsons Foxes tyed by the tayles to carry Firebrands to set Gods Field on fire his vineyard in a general combustion but as the Cherubims looked face to face and both vpon the Arke so one preacheth out of the old Testament another out of the New both looke vpon Christ who is the Creator of the Creed and circumference of all holy Scriptures Solomon biddeth vs buy the truth but at no hand sell it A greater then Solomon biddeth vs buy it though we sell all we haue for it the one biddeth vs buy and not sell the other biddeth vs sell that wee may buy both of them intend mens happinesse by purchasing one the same truth that was a precept this is the practice that wee must obey and this imitate My Text is part of a Parable without which CHRIST spake nothing most powerfull to command

conscience to breake the seauenth command he hauing occasion made no conscience of the third but sware to a wanton Dancer to giue what shee should aske though to the halfe of his kingdome yea made no conscience of the sixt command but most cruelly for his faithfull dealing persecuted to the death Iohn the Baptist A greater then whom was not borne of women so dangerous a thing it is to liue in any knowne sinne though a man part with neuer so many yet that one remayning sinne will as occasion serueth bring all the rest againe wherfore be sure ye make a thorough sale sell all your sins be faithfull with Moses and leaue not an hoofe behinde Exodus 10.26 A third sort of Chapmen there are that sell and all in regard of outward and customable practise in the meane time there is a secret inward pleasure and delight oh there is still a good wil borne to such and such a sin if ability time and occasions did serue the heart wil not seale and confirme the bargaine and sale but doth rather grudge at it and seeke to picke holes in the euidence but such as will buy the Pearle must be sure the heart sell all for if lust and delight raign in the heart the sale is nought as Dauid saith If I regard iniquitie in my heart God will not heare mee Oh Lord will some say Who can make such a sale Who can say Mine heart is cleane I answer That as the sale of all sinne doth not import a not sinning at all for if none but such then none should buy the Pearle but not an habituall customable sinning which the Scriptures call A committing of sinne so neither doth this cleansing of the heart imports an vtter freedom from sinfull lusts motions and desires but a dislyking resisting and bewailing of them with the Apostle Oh wretched man that I am So that if thy soule and conscience can truely witnesse there is nothing more grieuous irkesome and displeasing vnto thee then the corruptions of thine heart which as they doe appeare thou dost checke snub and suppresse the sale is good and thou shalt haue the Pearle A fourth and last sort there are who sell all both for outward practise and inward delight but not for euer like Lot's wife they looke backe againe with Demas they returne to the world againe and hauing once escaped the filthinesse of the world yet come to be entangled againe and are like the Dog returning to his vomite and the washen Sowe to wallowing in the mire againe the consideration whereof maketh good what I said before that of many Chapmen few buy this Pearle because few make a perfect All of their sinnes for such an one selleth All both for outward practise and inward delight for euer and yet the bargaine is not made there is a further sale yet to be made viz. He that will buy this Pearle must sell all his substance and all his worldly goods and temporall estate he hath here Sometimes this Pearle is so deare as it will cost all that a man hath his houses lands goods honour peace libertie and life as in the daies of the persecuting Emperors and Princes when goods libertie and all were confiscated and they cried Christianos ad Leones So truth was deare in this Land in the daies of Queene Marie there was a great famine in her daies of corne and they were glad to make breade of Oke cornes saith the History but the word of God was dearer and the Pearle of truth more precious so as many holy Martyrs sold all they had to buy it Such good chapmen were the Christ an Hebrews who suffered with ioy the spoile of their goods and those of whom the same Apostle also speaketh who for the Gospel and a good conscience were tryed with cruell mockings and scornings bonds and imprisonment they were stoned and sawen asunder tempted and slaine with the sword wandred about in Sheepe-skinnes and Goat-skins being destitute afflicted and tormented they wandred in deserts and mountaines in dens c. And such chapmen were the beleuers in the primitiue Church who sold their possessions and goods and pauned them to all men as they had neede Such a Chapman was S. Paul who professed he was not moued to know that bonds and afflictions did abide him yea he did not count his life deare that he might finish his course vvith ioy And thus rebuked such as vvith teares besought him not to goe vp to Ierusalem What mean you to weepe and to breake mine heart for I am readie not to bee bound onely but also to dye at Ierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus Such a franke Chapman was Moses who refused to bee called the sonne of Pharaoh's Daughter and chose rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sin for a season Thus you see the Pearle hath bin and may bee so deare that a man must indeed sel all that he hath in this world to buy it But blessed be God in these happie daies this Pearle is cheap wee may buy it at an easie rate now if euer wee may say with the Prophet Come buy without money Come take paines to fetch it and haue it you neede not sell all nor any thing you haue for it but keepe it and all you haue yea many by this Pearle haue beene enriched and made happie in the world many a man preferred to great dignity honour office authority wealth in Church Common-wealth for his profession of Religion and godlinesse Oh happy time But let me tell you this Pearle neuer was is nor shall be cheaper but he that will buy it must in his affection sell all that euer he hath And God accepteth of affection for action as God accepted the full purpose and resolution of Abraham to sacrifice his Sonne as if he had done it Oh examine your soules what is it you doe chiefly minde Are your praires that in your beds by night powred out vnto God with sighs and teares when no eye seeth no eare heareth you for the preseruation of the Gospell and truth of God to you and yours Doe you esteeme it as the greatest blessing in this world and so as in comparison of it you esteeme the whole world with all the pleasures profits honor and happinesse thereof as most vile base and contemptible and those many good things which with it you enioy and they are deare vnto you yet for it you would ●ate and become prodigall of Or at least art thou grieued and sorrie in thy soule that thou discernest weakenesse and fearefulnesse and want of such resolution and dost thou vnfainedly pray to God to giue thee such loue zeale and courage Oh then bee of good comfort thou hast made a good market thou hast gotten the Pearle and the Deuill shall not bee able