Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	let_v	see_v	word_n	4,072	5	3.9829	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A63977	Canticum morientis cygni, or, The last dying note of Stephen the first gospel-martyr opened and improved in a sermon preached at Alhallows Barking, London, 17 Septemb. 1658, at the funeral of Mr. Andrew Bassano, gentleman, and since in some particulars enlarged by William Tutty ...	Tutty, William.	1659 (1659)	Wing T3389; ESTC R32882	24,422	34

takes and redeems morgag'd Souls but seldom or never in the hour of death it is then too late usually to treat about so rich and high a piece of merchandice Christ alwaies loves and likes a broken heart in life but he cares not for an heart that is a breaking and yet not broken by a dying pang when men are Spiritless Faithless Prayerless till they come to be even speechless and then think per miserere mei tollitur ira Dei by crying Lord have mercy on them all shall be forgiven no wonder if mercy be then deaf to persons who have been so long dumb Christ seldome sets up bankrupts who break upon such terms or receivs such Souls that never had any acquaintance with him before that only which we freely and frequently give up in life will he chearfully and willingly accept of in death 4. Matter of exhortation to stir us up to 4. duties 3 I shall but briefly touch the last a little more enlarge because it is the principal intended in the Text. 1. It may exhort us to be much in prayer while we live that we may prevail about the main our Souls when we come to dy as certainly Stephen did here upon a former acquaintance with Christ in this duty though not expressed in the Text yet necessarily implyed Prayer is indeed a miraculous producer it brings forth often times before it is conceived as * Dr. Featly a late learned Divine shewes but yet it must be understood with this Salvo if it come not when it is too late God often answers before we call cryes here I am before we cry when holy begging is our constant trade and we are skilfull by practice in this gainfull mystery Yet we read too of foolish Virgins that cryed out earnestly Lord Lord open to us Math. 25.11 Yet in this case the true God was as deaf and dumb to them as Baal the false God to his petitioners late petitioners are welcom at the 11th hour that have been train'd to the work at the 7th hour and Christ best knowes the voice of them dying that have watcht unto prayer living Let us then pray continually and chiefly for our better part or else we run a very sad hazard of praying unsuccesfully in the hour when prayer shall have an end at least as to our own Souls 2. It may exhort us to exercise faith much while we live that our faith may be warmest with Stephens here when we come to dy The faith of this blessed Saint and Martyr in this prayer hath a tincture of the Imperative Mood more than of the Optative as Christ comes with authority to his Father more like an Advocate or Lawyer that pleads for Law and Right than a begger that pleads for an Alms upon charity in his last prayer John 17.24 Father I will that they whom thou hast given me be with me to see my glory so Stephen in part here speaks with some holy boldness and believing authority to Christ Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Prayer joyned with faith as a Prince prevails with God continually especially in its last petitions and actings Let us be much in the faith of assent to the truth of God and his word in the faith of adhesion to the goodness in the faith of application to the virtue of both frequently in life and this is the way to be much in the faith of assurance when we dy that Christ is really ours that nothing shall separate us from his love not death it self and that then he will certainly receive our Souls Pauls continual life was a life of faith in the Son of God Gal. 2.20 and how warm was his faith of assurance when he speaks of dying and laying down his Earthly house 2 Cor. 5.1 We know that we have a building in readiness eternal in the heavens and from this life was as a burden to him he groans more under it than many do under the pangs of death 4th verse Generally the believers faith is at the highest when natural life is at the lowest with Stephen here he sees Heaven open when he sees the graves mouth open Act faith much while you live and Christ hath prayed that it shall not fail at any time much less when your bodies begin to fall his hand then will be most under you let it but carry you thorough the Earth while you live and it will carry you through the fire when you come to dy 3. Let it exhort us to fear nothing for Christs sake Stephen here saith * Christologus one obtulit seipsum Christo adhuc calente sanguine Christi gratiâ diffuso he offered himself up to Christ while his blood was yet warm shed for Christs sake and did the Earth swallow up such blood It did naturally the Earthy heavy parts of it but the spirits of it quickly went in unto Christ Who would not bleed for such a Master even to prodigality that hath sweet drops of blood or buttons to deck a garment of a Christians righteousness on the behalf of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and will certainly receive such Souls that make more than ordinary haste by Martyrdome to fly into his bosom Who would not pledge Christ in this bitter cup and be baptized with his Baptism of blood that hath confidence so soon as he is dead to sit at the right hand of Christ How many Souldiers of fortune have we that will venture their blood in hope of plunder to reserve and secure some thing against a rainy day should not Christians much more be venturous for Christ who will certainly secure their Souls and hath provided goods for them which will last for many years even longer than the whole World shall last 4. The main exhortation is to stir us up to mind nothing in life and death in comparason of our Souls this was Stephens case and care here he begs not for any ease as to his body though now sadly broken and brused nor any mitigation of the rage of his persecutors he is totally silent as to his burial although the less care he took for this the more good took Act. 8.2 devout men were his bearers of whom the world was not worthy and many of the best mourners attended him to the grave that he minded not at all as care at his prayer in the first place was for his Soul holy David was of the same temper and perswasion Psal 141.7 8. Though his bones lay scattered at the graves mouth as when one cutteth or cleaveth wood he looks upon them as contemptible chips yet still his eyes are upon the Lord c. and he begs that he would not leave his Soul destitute or in a naked uncovered condition Let men cark and care as much as they can for the Body Hebrew they can but have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little to feed them when they live and to bury them when they dye they can carry away nothing else a