Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	keep_v	know_v	liar_n	2,027	5	11.5863	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09088	The second part of the booke of Christian exercise, appertayning to resolution. Or a Christian directory, guiding all men vnto their saluation. / VVritten by the former author R.P..; Booke of Christian exercise. Part 2.	Parsons, Robert, 1546-1610. Christian directory.; Parsons, Robert, 1546-1610. First booke of the Christian exercise.	1592 (1592)	STC 19382; ESTC S126315	217,410	610

the true Messias doth sufficiently teach vs that we must not only belieue in his name doctrine but conforme our liues actions also to the prescript rule of his commaundements For albeit in Christian Religion faith be the first principall foundation whereupon all the rest is to be staied and grounded Yet as in other materiall buildings after the foundation is layde there remaineth the greatest labour time cost cunning and diligence to be bestowed vpō the framing furnishing of other parts y t must ensue euen so in thys celestiall edifice or building of our soule hauing laid on the foundation and ground of true beleefe the rest of all our life time labor studies is to be imployed in the perfecting of our lyfe and actions and as it were in raysing vp the wals and other parts of our spiritual building by the exercise of all vertues dylligent obseruation of Gods cōmandements without the which it will be to no more purpose for vs to brag of our knowledge in the scriptures or to say we haue fayth looke to be saued as wel as other men then it wil be to purpose to haue a foundation without a building vpon it or a stock or tree y t beareth no fruite Which thing S. Iames speaking of that historical and dead fayth wherby the wicked and the very deuils themselues belieue that there is one GOD expresseth most excellently in thys fit similitude As a bodie without a spirit is dead euen so saith he is fayth without workes Thys poynt of doctrine of vertuous life obseruing of Gods commandements not our sauior Christ alone in hys Sermon most earnestly vrged as hath beene sayde but hys fore-runner also S. Iohn the Baptist and his followers the holy Apostles whereof the one continually called vpō the people to bring forth fruits meete for repentance the other in all theyr wryting no doubt in all theyr Sermons after matter of doctrine and fayth propounded do proceede to exhortation precepts of Christian lyfe In so much as S. Augustine other auncient Fathers are of opinion that the rest of the Apostles S. Peter S. Iames S. Iohn and S. Iude perceiuing the loosenes and security of the people in their times directed theyr writings eyther onely or principally to thys ende euen to perswade and enforce the necessitie of good life conuersation among Christians Yea and that Saint Paule himselfe when he concludeth that a man is iustified by fayth without the works of the Law doth not exclude the workes of charitie as effects and fruites of fayth which followe hym that is already iustified in the sight of God but hee excludeth them as causes of saluation which goe before him that is to be iustified Whereby it appeareth that saint Paul handling the causes of our iustification in the sight of God is not repugnant ●r contrary to S. Iames speaking o● the notes and signes whéreby we are iustified that is as the worde is taken els where declared or knowne to be iust or righteous before men The sum is that although good works are not the causes of our saluation yet they are the way as it were the path that leadeth thervnto because by them as by certayne marks we perceiue our selues to haue entered and to haue proceeded in the way of eternal life Yea they are the fruites and effects wherby we testifie and declare both vnto our selues and to others the truth of that fayth which we professe And therefore our Sauiour Christ willeth vs in y e gospel to let our light shine before men that they seeing our good works may take occasion therby to glorifie our heauenly Father And his holy Apostle Saint Iames byddeth those carnall and sensuall Christians that stoode so much vpon the onely name of faith to shew hym theyr fayth by their works that is they should declare testifie vnto men as I haue sayde the fayth which they professed by the fruites thereof To men I say 〈◊〉 cause men which iudge but by 〈◊〉 outwarde appearance onely cannot know the goodnes of a Tree but by the good fruite which it yeeldeth they cannot discerne the inwarde fayth but by the outward workes But as for God that searcheth the secrets of the hart and raynes it needeth not that we should shewe him our fayth by our works nor may we looke for iustification at his hands by the best of them for thē might we haue wherof to boast but there is no boasting with God therfore no iustifying by works in hys sight Yet notwithstanding the Lord requireth good works at our hands to the end that hymselfe myght be glorified our needie bretheren relieued comforted others gained wonne by our example to the embracing of the same fayth and Religion which we professe our owne fayth exercised and strengthened our calling election made sure confirmed And it is very requisite y t the chyldren of God which are bought with so high a price as with the blood of Iesus shold glorify god both in soule body because they are redeemed both in soule body and not lyue vnto thēselues but vnto him which dyed and rose againe for them This is the end of our election before the foundations of the worlde were layde as the Apostle testifieth Ephes 1 4 euen that we should be holie and blamelesse before hym in loue Thys is the ende of our creation as the same Apostle witnesseth Ephesians 2 10. Where he saith that we are Gods workmanshyp created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes wherein he hath ordayned that wee should walke This is the end of our redemption as old Zachary prophecied Luke 1 74 75 that beeing redeemed and deliuered from all our spirituall enemies and from eternall destruction wherunto we were subiect we should serue God without feare in holines and righteousnesse before hym all the daies of our lyfe Finally this is the ende of our vocation For God hath not called vs to vncleannesse but vnto holinesse and as he that hath called vs is holy so must we be holy in all maner of cōuersation And it cannot be that they which are truely iustified that is to say made righteous by a liuely faith in Christ should not also in some measure be sanctified that is made holy by a faithfull lyfe in hym Let not men therfore deceiue thēselues with the onely name shadow of faith without the nature and substaunce thereof Let them not promise vnto themselues euerlasting life because they knowe y e true God and whō he hath sent Iesus Christ but let them remember how Christ hys Apostle whom he deerely loued expoundeth that saying when hee wryteth By thys we knowe GOD truly if we keepe his commaundements and whosoeuer sayth that ●e knoweth hym and yet keepeth not his commaundements is a lyar and the trueth is not in hym

For as it is a true saying and by all meanes worthy to be receiued that Christ Iesus came into the worlde to saue sinners so is it as true a saying and no lesse worthy to be affirmed that they which haue belieued GOD shold be careful to shew forth good works S. Gregory vppon the words of Christ to S. Thomas Blessed are they who haue not seene yet haue belieued hath a notable discourse to thys purpose If any sayth he infer heereof I beleeue and th●refore am blessed and shall be saued he sayth truely if hys life be aunswerable to hys beleefe for y t a true faith dooth not contradict in maners the things which he professeth in words For which cause S. Paule accuseth certaine false Christians in whom he founde no vertuous lyfe aunswerable to theyr profession that they confessed God in words but denyed hym in theyr deedes And S. Iohn auocheth that who soeuer sayth he knoweth God and keepeth not his cōmaundements is a lyar Which beeing so we must examine the trueth of our fayth by consideration of our lyfe for then and not otherwise we are true Christians if wee fulfill in works that wherof we haue made promise in words That is in the day of our Baptisme we promised to renounce the pompe of thys world together with all the workes of iniquitie which promise if wee performe now after Baptisme then are we true Christians and may be ioyful But contrariwise if our life be wicked and contrary to our profession it is sayd by the voyce of truth it selfe Not euery one that shall say to me Lord Lorde shall enter into the kingdom of heauen And again why doe ye call me Lord Lord and doe not performe the things y t I tell you Here-hence it is that God complayned of his old people the Iewes saying This people honoureth mee with their lips but their harts are far off from me And the Prophet Dauid of the same people They loued him with theyr mouth with their tongues they lyed vnto him Wherefore let no man presume to say hee shal be saued if fayth and good lyfe be diuorced and put a sunder which S. Chrisostome noteth by the woful and hea●y chaunce and iudgement that happened vnto him who in the gospel was admitted to the feast of christian fayth and knowledge but for lack of the ornament or garment of good lyfe was most contumeliously depriued of his expectation Of whom S. Chrisostoms words are these He was inuited to the feast and brought vnto the table but for that by his foule garment he dishonoured our Lorde that had inuited him he was not onely thrust from the Table and banquet but also bound hand foote and cast into vtter darknes where there is eternall weeping and gnashing of teeth Wherefore let vs not deere bretheren let vs not I say deceiue our selues and imagine that our deade and vnfruitfull fayth wil saue vs at the last day for except wee ioyne pure lyfe to our beleefe and in thys heauenly vocation of ours do apparel our selues with the woorthy garments of vertuous deedes whereby we may be admitted at the mariage day in heauen nothing shall be able to deliuer vs from the damnation of this miserable man that wanted hys wedding weede Which thing S. Pa●l wel noteth when hauing said we haue an euerlasting house in heauen not made with mens hands he addeth presently thys exception Si tamen vestiti et non nudi inueniamur That is if we be found at that day well apparrelled and not naked Would God euery Christian desirous of his saluation woulde ponder well thys dyscourse of S. Chrisostome And so wyth thys alone to conclude our speech in thys Chapter without allegation of further matters or authorities which are infinite to this effect it may appeare by that which hath already beene sette downe wherein the true profession of a Christian consisteth therby each man that is not partial or blinded in hys owne affection as many are may take a view of his state and condition and frame vnto hims●l●e a very profitable coniecture how he is lyke to speede at the last accounting day That is what profit or damage he may expect by his knowledge profession of Christian Religion For as to him that beleeueth soundly and walketh vprightly in hys vocation performing effectually euery way hys professed duety there remaine both infinite and inestimable rewards prepared so to him that strayeth aside swerue●h from the right path o● fayth life prescribed vnto hym there are no lesse paynes and punishments reserued For which cause euery Christian that is carefull of his own saluation ought to fixe hys eyes very seriouslie vpon them both and as in beleefe to shewe hymselfe constant firme humble and obedient so in life conuersation to bee honest iust pure innocent and holy And for this seconde poynt concerning lyfe and maners hath beene already hādled in my former booke which as I vnderstand is imprinted in England I shal need to wade the lesse in further discourse heereof But for I haue been admonished by the wrytings of dyuers howe my former booke hath been disliked in two speciall poynts first that I speake so much of goods works so little of fayth secondly that I talk so largely of Gods iustice and so briefely of hys mercy whereby the consciences of many haue beene offended let the last chapter going before of beleefe and lyfe aunswere the first and that which immediatly followeth serue for the latter obiection and so I doubt not but a Christian man may be thorowly resolued OF THE ONELY IMPEDIMENT THAT IS WONT TO LET SINNERS FROM Resolution Which is the mistrust and diffidence in Gods mercie through the multitude and greeuousnes of their offences CHAP. VI. AMong all other the most greeuous and perrilous cogitations which in thys world are accustomed to offer themselues to a minde intangled and loden with great sinnes this vsually is the first through the nature of sinne it selfe and crafty suggestion of our ghostly enemie to fa●l into distrust dispayre of Gods mercy Such was the cogitation of most vnhappy Caine one of the first inhabitants of the earth who after the murther of his own onely Brother and other sinnes by him committed brake into that horrible and desperate speech so greatly offensiue vnto his Lord Maker Mine iniquitie is greater then that I may hope for pardon Such was in lyke manner the desperate conceite of wicked Iudas one of the first of them that were chosen to the peculier seruice of our Redeemer who feeling hys conscience oppressed with manifold iniquities and most of all with the prodition of hys own Lord Maister tooke no other way of amendment or redresse but to destroy him selfe both in body and soule adioyning onely these words ful of myserable distrust desperation I haue sinned in betraying the innocent and

seene or founde without espial of some one amongst so many that attended there Or if thys were possible as in reason it is not yet what profite what pleasure what comfort coulde they receyue heerby We see that the Apostles Disciples of his who were so abandoned of life hart in his passion after two dayes onely they were so changed as life and death can be no more contrary For whereas before they kept home in all feare and durst appeare no where except among theyr own priuate freendes nowe they came forth into the streetes and common places and auouched with al alacritie and irresistable constancie euen in the faces hea●ing of their greatest enemies that Iesus was risen frō death to lyfe that they had seene him and enioyed his presence And that for testimonie and confirmation heereof they were most readie to spend their liues And could all thys trow you proceed onely of a dead body which they had gotten by stealth into theyr possession wold not rather the presence and sight of such a body so torne mangled and deformed as Iesus body was both vpon the Cros●e and before haue rather dysmayed them more then haue gyuen him any comfort Yes truely● And therefore Pilate the Gouernour considering these circumstaunces and that it was vnlikelie that eyther the body shold be stolne away without priuity of the Souldiours or if it had been that it should yeeld such life hart consol●tion and courage to the ste●lers beganne to giue eare more diligently to y e matter and calling vnto him the Souldiers that kept y e watch vnderstood by them the whole truth of the accident to wit that in their sight presence Iesus was risen out of hys Sepulcher to lyfe and that at hys rysing there was so dreadful an earthquake with trembling and opening of Sepulchers rounde about such skryches cryes and commotion of all Elements as they durst not abide longer but ranne and tolde the Iewish Magistrates thereof who being grea●ly discontented as it seemed with the aduertisement gaue them money to say that whyle they were sleeping the body was stolne away from them by hys Disciples● All thys wrote Pilate presently to hys Lord Tyberius who was then Emperour of Rome And he sent withall the particuler examinations confessions of diuers others that had seene and spoken wyth such as were rysen from death at that tyme and had appeared to many of their acquaintance in Ierusalem assuring them also of the Resurrection of Iesus Which information when Tyberius the Emperor had considered he was greatly moued therwith and proposed to the Senate that Iesus myght be admitted among the rest of the Romaine Gods offering hys owne consent with the priuiledge of hys supreame royall suffrage ●o that de●ree But y e Senate in no wi●e would agree thereunto Wherupon Tyberius beeing offended gaue lycence to all men to beleeue in ●esus that would and forbid vpon paine of death that any Officer or o●her should molest or trouble such as bare good affection zeale● or reuerence to that name Thus much testifieth Tertullian against the Gentiles of hys owne knowledge who lyuing in Rome a learned man and pleader of causes dyuers yeeres before he was a Christian which was about one hundred and foure-score yeeres after our Sauiour Chr●st hys ascention had great ability by reason of the honour of his familie learning and place wherein hee lyued to see and know the Recordes of the Romains And the same doth affirme also Egisippus another auncient W●yter of no lesse authoritie then Tertullian before whom he liued Neither onely diuers Gentiles had thys opinion of Iesus Resurrection againe from death but also sundry Iewes of great credite and wisedom at that tyme were enforced to belieue it notwithstanding it pleased not God to gyue them so much grace as to become Christians Thys appeareth plainelie by the learned Iosephus who wryting his storie not aboue fortie yeeres after Christes passion tooke occasion to speake of Iesus and of his Disciples And after he had shewed howe hee was crucified by Pilate at y e instance of the Iewes and that for all thys his Disciples ceased not to loue him sti●l he adioyneth for●h-with these words Id●irco illis tertio die vita resumpta denuo apparuit That is for thys loue of hys Disciples he appeared vnto them againe the third day whē he had resumed life vnto him Which expresse plaine● resolute words we may in reason take no● as the confession onely of Iosephus but as the common iudgement opinion and sentence of all the dyscreete and sober men of that tyme layde downe and recorded by thys Historiographer In whose dayes there were yet many Christians aliue that had seene spoken with Iesus after his Resurrection infinite Iewes that had heard the same protested by theyr Fathers bretheren kins-folkes and freendes who had beene themselues eye witnesses thereof Of Iesus ascention AND thus hauing declared and proued the Resurrection of our Sauiour Iesus both how it was foreshewed as also fulfilled there remaineth nothing more of necessitie to be sayd in thys Section For that whosoeuer seeth acknowledgeth that Iesus beeing dead could rayse himselfe againe to lyfe wil easily beleeue also that he was able likewise to ascend vp to heauen Whereof notwithstanding S. Luke alledgeth one hundred and twenty witnesses at the least in whose presence he ascended from the top of the Mount Oliuet after forty dayes space which hee had spent with them from the tyme of hys resurrection Hee alledgeth also the appearing of two Angels among al the people for testimonie thereof He nameth the day and place when and where it happened He recounteth the very words that Iesus spake at his ascention He telleth the manner howe hee ascended and how a Clowde came downe and receiued hym into it out of theyr sight He declareth what the multitude dyd whether they went and in what place they remained after theyr departure thence And finally he setteth downe so many particulers as it had been the easiest matter in the world for hys enemies to haue refuted his narration if all had not beene true Neyther was there anie to receiue more domage by the falsehoode thereof then himselfe and those of his profession if the matter had beene feigned Wherefore to conclude at length thys treatise of the byrth lyfe doctrine actions death resurrection and ascention of Iesus seeing nothing hath happened in the same which was not fore-tolde by y e Prophets of GOD nor any thing foreshewed by the same Prophets concerning the Messias which was not fulfilled most exactly within the compasse and course of Iesus abode vpon earth we may most certainly assure our selues that as GOD can neyther fore-tell an vntruth nor yeeld testimony to the same so can it not be but that these things which wee haue shewed to haue beene so manifestly fore-prophecied and so euidently accōplished must needes assure vs