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	spirit_n	worship_v	3,077	5	9.0447	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61638	Shecinah, or, A demonstration of the divine presence in the places of religious worship being an essay, tending to promote piety, prevent apostacy, and to reduce grosly deluded souls, first to their right wits, then to the right waies, of Gods publick instituted worship / by John Stillingfleete ...	Stillingfleet, John, 1630 or 1-1687.	1663 (1663)	Wing S5680; ESTC R9466	109,230	256

their hearts and said unto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles Men and Brethren what shall wee do § 10. Quer. 4. What makes the same Preacher successeful at one place and not at another Onely this that God accompanies his Word with his Spirit at one place and not at another Wee may suppose the same Word Preached to a different people to a very different event The one mock raile revile The other prove humble meek yea true converts The Word is the same all men by nature have the same vilenesse in their hearts and opposition to the Word and truths of the Gospel The difference then lyes in the presence of the Spirit of God And now that God is not alwaies present by his Spirit to set home the Word upon all This should not make us sleight and neglect hearing but make us more diligent in praying that the Spirit may alwaies bee present with the Word to render that which wee hear truly and really effectual to our souls § 11. Quer. 5. What makes the same truths heard by the same man at several times produce different and several effects Is it not wholly from the Spirit of God One hath often heard of Christs death and passion and sufferings for mankind of his tendernesse love and compassion for the good of lost and undone souls And this perhaps hee hath not onely once or twice but many times heard and yet no profit Hee can still boldly sleight Christ carelessely neglect his soul and highly contemn the Gospel that offers him Christ and salvation by Christ At another time perhaps this makes him quite another man Is Christ dead for mee and my sins and shall I love sin more than my dear Saviour Did Christ bleed to cure the wounds of my Soul and shall I wound Christ again by my cursed lusts Did Christ descend from Heaven to save mee out of Hell and shall I sleight his infinite condiscension of love follow sin and vain lusts upon the earth and sink into Hell and ruine at the last What makes this great change upon hearing the same truth is it not Gods Spirit The same truth hath no life at one time no effect upon the soul At another Oh! the most precious truth in the world the Soul would not part with such a truth such a promise for all the world when the spirit sets it home upon the heart Thus 't is in reading we sometimes reap much benefit from that portion of the Word when God sets it home which we often read before in the Bible and found no comfort from it took no notice of it at all § 12. Quer. 6. What makes the same passages delivered at the same time to men of the same profession temper and opinion produce differenteffects That the one is affected the other not the one trembles the other not the one is converted by it the other not The Word is the same and the parties supposed the same as to temper education profession and the like Yet the Spirit works on the one and not on the other and that makes the difference § 13. Quer. 7. What makes men of the same age living under the same powerful ministry to bee converted and brought home at divers years distance Is it not because the Spirit sets home the Word betimes on some and not on other mens souls Conversion when ever it is wrought is the irresistible work of the Spirit of Grace it is the gift of God when ever effected Yet the Holy Spirit that bloweth where hee listeth bloweth also when he listeth on some sooner on others later § 14. Quer. 8. What makes the same truths working conversion in diverse persons work not one and the same way But in one it causes many terrours and in another sweet Gospel meltings of Soul and both by it are brought home to Christ It is certainly to bee resolved into the Spirits arbitrary working upon the soul in order to conversion Conviction of sin is necessary to every mans conversion but terrours are not The spirit works the former more or lesse in all But the terrours of conscience and ratlings of the chains of Hell are not alike in all And the same spirit may use the same truths in a different manner to bring home diverse souls to God Great sinners have oftentimes the greatest terrors Yet the spirit of God may use the same Gospel truths to bring home some to God by strong terrours and others by a Gospel sweetnesse and pouring in much comfort at first conversion § 15. Qu. 9. What makes the Gospel Preached to bee a savour of life unto some and a savour of death to others in the same Congregation perhaps in the same seat 'T is because some are left to the hardnesse of their own hearts and the Spirit comes powerfully with the Word unto the hearts of others In a plain and powerful Sermon Christ stands at the door and knocks at the hearts of all that hear it in a Congregation Now the Spirit that hath the Key of mens hearts in his hands opens some and lets others alone lockt fast up in their impenitency and unbeleef Thus God opened the hearts of Lydia and the Jaylour And others again go to Hell unconverted perhaps unconvinced from under powerful Preaching Of whom I say as St. Paul did If our Gospel be hid 2 Cor. 4.3 it is hid to them that are lost § 16. Qu. 10. What makes diverse truths set home upon diverse men produce one and the same effect Is it not from the Spirit of God that different truths should bee set home in order to Conversion If in the Word onely why not the same portion of it alwaies a means of conversion But wee see one place for one and another place for the conversion of another Fr. Junii vi●● p. 11. c. 2. Junius reports it of himself that hee was converted by reading the beginning of the first chapter of St. Johns Gospel Austin after his hot fits of Lust Hears an Eccho sounding in his ears Tolle lege tolle lege Take up the Book and read Hearing a voyce but seeing no Person he presently takes up the New-Testament Reads Rom. 13. Not in Rioting and Drunkennesse not in Chambering and Wantonnesse and by this Scripture brought home to God Luther was first wrought upon by Rom. 1.17 Therein is the righteousnesse of God revealed from faith to faith This now must needs bee the work of the Spirit which can produce one and the same effect on diverse Subjects by different Truths CHAP. XII Quest How does the Spirit teach Removendo Removing impediments unwilling to bee taught Fleshly lusts Pride Curiosity Five waies Satan promotes Curiosity Suggerendo Suggesting Gospel Truths to the Soul 1. John 2.27 John 16.13 Expl. Illuminando By enlightning the mind Ephes 5.8 Opened Inward light of the Saints stated Corroborando By strengthening the Soul Recolligendo By raising Truths Heb. 2.1 John 14.26 Explained § 1. HAving shewed by Scripture

to turn them to vain inquiries and curious speculations that so if they will be knowing hee may keep them busied about unprofitable curiosities contrary to the saving knowledge taught by the Holy Spirit of God § 6. Five waies Satan promotes Curiosity to prevent saving knowledge First By putting us upon inquiring after those things which God hath not revealed It might prevent many miscarriages in inquisitive curious minds if they had often such handsome jerks as St. Aust in gave him that would needs know what God was doing of before hee created the World hee told him hee was making Hell for such curious inquirers into Gods secrets Secret things belong to God yet the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him Labour to fear God and all those secrets that are for our advantage shall be known It 's the greatest folly in the world to endeavour to be wise beyond Gods revealed will Secondly By making us industrious to inquire after those things that nothing concerns us As when any are busying themselves about the Apostasie of the Angels and searching after reasons of the irrecoverableness of their fall and in the mean while neglect salvation offered by Christ for their own lost and undone souls Thirdly By putting us upon the studying after the knowledge of things less necessary As when one should devote and immerse himself wholly in the searching into the circumstances of Worship and the ceremonies of the Church and in the mean while neglect the studying the very Articles of the Covenant of Grace Fourthly By putting us upon studying the more difficult places of Scripture neglecting those that are most for edification When one reads the Revelations of St. John more than his plain Epistles The Devil knows hee is no loser and the curious soul but a little gainer if hee can but perswade him to be alwaies poring upon Daniels Prophesies with a neglect of Davids Psalms If hee can but put him upon reconciling difficult Scriptures and neglect mortifying unruly lusts and the quickening his affections by the plainest Truths Fifthly By making souls not to rest barely in Gods revealed Will without a reason of it and for it How far this Curiosity-hath driven those of the Socinian perswasion may easily be seen by those many gross opinions that are extant in their writings which make many for-bear to own them as Christians It is a very gross failing in the studying of things of God to bring all things down to the measure of humane reason There is reason for us to beleeve it if God sayes it and to practise any thing if wee are assured that God commands it And yet Christianity is so far from stripping men of their reason that no Profession doth put any upon so true an use of it and doth so ennoble the rational faculties of man as the Christian Religion doth The Spirit of God in teaching souls effectually the things of God for their salvation removes this gross impediment of a curious mind and makes plain necessary and most edifying Truths to be most acceptable § 7. II. Suggerendo The Spirit teacheth the Soul by suggesting Gospel Truths unto the soul When the Spirit of God teaches any in order to make them new men it brings new Truths into the minds of men All Old things are done away and all things become new These are called new Truths in regard of the subject receiving of them not in regard of the Spirits suggesting of them for the same Truths are alwaies taught by the Spirit now as were formerly nor in opposition to the Word for so they are not new Truths but such as of old were revealed and declared in the Word The very office of the Spirit in suggesting Truths is restrained by Christ himself to those Truths which our Saviour had formerly taught us I shall shew further from John 14.26 § 11. There may be new suggestions of the Spirit in setting home Divine Truths upon the mind and these are really new to the soul that receives them but they are old Truths of the Word and not new Revelations that the Spirit teaches to beleeving souls and in this sense we are to understand those Scriptures which speak of the teaching of the Spirit of God Yee need not that any man teach you 1 John 2.27 but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is Truth Not that we need not a Ministry but he speaks comparatively you shall not be so helped by any instructions without the Spirit as with the Spirit The Spirit shall declare the Truth as it is in Jesus The Spirit this Holy unction shall teach the Saints all things not all things knowable that is impossible for finite creatures to attain to But The Spirit teaches 1. All things needful for salvation of the Soul 2. All things needful to life and godlinesse 2 Pet. 1.3 3. All things needful to our places callings and ages 4. All things needful to preserve us in the way of Gospel Truth against errour and seducers which is the main thing St. John hints at in that expression So also in the Gospel of St. John When the Spirit of Truth is come he shall guide you into all truth John 16.13 This promise primarily belongs to the Apostles Secondarily to all Beleevers Three things promised to the Apostles First immediate illumination by the Spirit of God Secondly A full knowledge of all those Truths belonging to their Apostle-ship necessary Truths for them at that juncture of time and as to their Office Thirdly Absolute infallibility as to matter of Doctrine Three things also promised to all Beleevers First Mediate illumination teaching Truths by the Spirit of Truth in the use of the means of Grace Secondly Knowledge of all Truths necessary to salvation Thirdly Infallibility too so far forth as they adhere to the spirit teaching in the Word otherwise Gods dearest Children may be overtaken with errours § 8. III. Illuminando By enlightening the mind There must not onely be an object presented and the light of truth without but a light also within for the mind to see objects that are presented All the light in the world is never able to make us see Divine Truths savingly till wee are enlightened of the Lord. Yee were sometimes darkenesse but now are yee light in the Lord. Ephes 5.8 The Ephesians while unregenerate were meer darkenesse but after conversion they are truly enlightned their eyes are cleared their minds are rightly informed so that now they may be rightly called light in the Lord. This is a light within that wee must own and commend to all viz. Light in the Lord. Light that comes in after darknesse that speaks unregeneracy is expelled wee must walk as Children of this light Light in the Lord None truly enlightned but those that are in Christ Out of Christ the highest light is meer darknesse There is no true light that leads to salvation but what comes from Christ the Sun of Righteousnesse And this

from a general and calls that Scripture that comes by a clear consequence from it It is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God And Further our Saviour sticks not to say It is written And him onely thou shalt serve Though it be but implied in that place of Moses Spanhem Dub. Evang Par. 3. D. 65. p. 292 For indeed the very nature of the subject spoken of implies a peculiar reference unto God alone Because those things such as worship and fear which are due unto God as God are due onely unto God with whom no creature can claim a partnership in Divine Adoration without great Sacriledge and none can be admitted to it without gross Idolatry Argum. 2. If the necessary requisites of the proper object of Adoration be onely in God then Adorability is proper onely unto God For how can that be the object of Divine Worship which is not qualified with those properties and attributes that are necessary for its constitution in such a capacity but in God alone are those requisites found Which are these three Frist Omniscience that hee that is worshipped should know all our wants our sighs and groans and know the deepest secrets of the most retired thoughts of our hearts As true Worship may inwardly be performed many times by the secret thoughts of the mind so it is necessary that hee that is thus worshipped should have a peircing and omniscient eye to have a clear and full view of those very thoughts For otherwise hee may be worshipped and hee not know it And then what small comfort would it be for the most spiritual worshippers to serve him with their hearts who unless hee be omniscient would be ignorant whether they worshipped him or no. Secondly Omnipotency that hee should be able to help us in our wants and give in a supply suitable to our greatest grievances and necessities Why should I worship one that is not able to help mee or why should I not worship and adore any thing else besides God if that were as able to supply my wants and relieve mee in any kinde of misery as God is who is Omnipotent Thirdly Omnipresence that hee should every where hear our prayers and answer our requests This was one great peece of unreasonableness in the worship of the Heathens that they made choice of such Gods to worship which they themselves acknowledged were confined to particular places and so could not be present to help them under any sudden emergency and because they wanted power their worshippers would remain helpless still though they were present in their very Temples the places of their confinement Now God the God of Israel the Onely Being in the world that is both Omniscient Omnipotent and Omnipresent and therefore Adorability is proper onely to him § 3. This Proposition being thus proved it may easily be improved to convince the Papists of grievous Idolatry in worshipping those things with a Religious Worship which are not proper objects of Adoration as Images Saints and the like As also to condemn the Socinians those great Patrons of Reason of their gross absurdity and unreasonableness in devesting Christ of his Divinity and yet of attributing Divine Worship and Adoration to him notwithstanding hee is held but a Creature But I had rather prevent a mistake and miscarriage amongst ordinary Christians than stand to confute those that are visibly the Disciples of Antichrist as the former or those that have really forfeited the very name of Christians as the Latter The mistake is this when Christ our Mediator God and Man is propounded in Scripture as the Object of our Religious Worship and Adoration less wary minds may be apt to terminate their Worship upon his humane nature When as 't is evident the humane nature and flesh of Christ is not God though it be the flesh of God viz. of God the Son and personally united to him But the personal union of the Divine and Humane Nature in Christ the Mediator doth neither destroy nor confound the proprieties of either but leaves them entire as they are in themselves And Adorability is no less a propriety of the Divine Nature than Omniscience Omnipotence Omnipresence and Eternity are God therefore manifest in the flesh is to be worshipped with a Religious Worship but his flesh ought not thus to be worshipped As the King may be civilly worshipped who wears a Crown or Diadem upon his head and bears a Scepter the emblem of Majesty in his hand yet neither Crown nor Diadem nor Scepter can be said to be honoured with a civil worship And the godly are then said to have worshipped Christ when they knew clearly his Divinity that hee was God as well as Man As the blinde man made whole when Christ had told him hee was the Son of God that cured him Then hee said Joh. 9.37 38 Lord I beleeve and hee worshipped him Thus those that saw Christ walking upon the Sea and quieting of it Mat. 14.33 Then they that were in the Ship came and worshipped him saying of a truth thou art the Son of God See also the example of Peter Luke 5.8 And the Women that sought Christ in the Sepulchre Matth. 28.9 And the Apsstles that were gathered together in the Mount when Christ took his leave of them Vers 17. When they saw him they worshipped him whom they knew now to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead § 4. Before I pass to the next Proposition wee may here from this first learn a true account why Heathenish Worshippers would never admit the Worship of the True God of Israel under the Old Testament or of Jesus Christ revealed under the New Testament dispensation but would willingly entertain the Worship of all other Gods whatsoever One would have thought the True God who truly is the proper object of Adoration might as well have been entertained as any of the false and fained Deities The reason was this because it was very indifferent to Satan after what manner hee was worshipped so hee was but worshipped at all hee could easily admit a multiplicity of Gods But The God of Israel and Jesus Christ when they are worshipped they must be worshipped alone they and none other all else must be excluded it being the first and chiefest of all Gods Commands Thou shalt not have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any other Gods before my face But the Worship of false Gods did not at all hinder but that worship might be given to other Idols so that the kind and degree of it peculiar to each Idoll was but distinguished by their Disciples § 5. Propos 2. Actual Adoration or Worship is due to God from all intelligent creatures by the obligation of nature Actual Adoration and the formal exhibition of Worship is neither essential to God to have it or to the creatures to give it Not to God to have it because God was before there were any creatures to worship and adore him And it