Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	love_n	receive_v	unrighteousness_n	1,627	5	10.8118	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93799	A holy life here, the only way to eternal life hereafter. Or, A discourse grounded on these words, The weapons of our warfare, &c. 2. Cor. 10. 4. Wherein among other things set down in a following index this truth is especially asserted; namely, that a holy life, or the habitual observing of the laws of Christ, is indispensably necessary to salvation. Whereunto is added an Appendix, laying open the common neglect of the said laws among Christians, and vindicating such necessity of observing them from those general exceptions that are wont to be made against it. By R.S. B.D.	Stanwix, Richard, 1608-1656.	1652 (1652)	Wing S5252; Thomason E1276_1; ESTC R210586	123,869	304

the way that leads to it We had need now in reference to these ends to have our mindes illustrated or inlightned even after we have heard and received the word of Christ no lesse then they who heretofore had entertained the belief of it Eph. 1.17 18 and yet still needed the spirit of wisdom and revelation that they might clearly discern the mysteries of Christian religion we have need still of prudence in managing our actions especially such as are very doubtful and difficult we have need of fortitude in dangers strength and patience in afflictions joy in outward miseries and calamities and fervour in prayers all which are immediate effects of the holy Spirit not only conducing but also necessary for that great end the salvation of our souls And therefore the holy Spirit which can only produce them in us may be still from the wisdom and goodnesse of God assuredly expected There was it is true a promise and accordingly an exhibition of the holy Spirit that was peculiar to the Apostles times betwixt which and that which is extended to these times we are to conceive these differences 1. The former was usually for the manner and manifestation of it visible and conspicuous so that the effects thereof being wholly miraculous might be clearly discern'd and acknowledged by others for such but this latter is invisible exercising its vertue upon the mindes of those that are possest with it so as others cannot certainly or ordinarily discern it 2. The former was not so much for the particular good of the persons upon whom it was conferred as for the publike benefit of others and the confirmation of the doctrine of the Gospel whilst it was yet new in the world but this latter is for the singular benefit of the persons themselves upon whom it is conferred as namely for supplying them with courage under persecution joy in afflictions and the like as hath been shewed before things which will be alwayes necessary to bring men unto Heaven and therefore that without which they cannot be had namely the holy Spirit may still upon the forementioned grounds be certainly expected 3. Now touching the third thing prosed namely what are the means requir'd for gaining this holy Sprit or as we have formerly exprest it that good heart which is requisite in the Christian souldier though it sufficiently appear from what hath been said that it is derived from above and so that there is nothing in us to produce it in our selves yet it hath been also intimated that it uses not to be conferred at random and promiscuously there is something on our part required to make us capable of receiving it as 1. It is requisite that we ask it and that not seldom or superficially but frequently and importunately after the example of the importunate widow or of him that at midnight went to solicite his friend Luke 11.6 by both which parables our Saviour would intimate to us that we are to be earnest and incessant in our prayers for this divine gift that we are not to lay aside our care or give over our seeking in this kinde if we meet not presently with an answerable return God doth in the granting of this as of other inferiour blessings seem and shew himself as if he heard not as if he were one that took no notice of our requests and that on purpose to make us call louder to express more fervency and importunity and therefore we are to see that our prayers be thus qualified that they be not faint desires or the labour of the lips but strong and deep cries of the heart and being so we may and ought with confidence support our selves that in the end we shall obtain what we thus desire considering what our Saviour hath told us that God will give to them that ask him 2. But then we must see also that we be such persons as the holy spirit is promised to and have grounds to expect upon this importunity the grant of their requests All whosoever shall ask and ask importunately have not this promise made to them God tells us of some Prov. 1.28 Isaiah 1.15 that should seek him early and should not finde him and of others that though they make many prayers and stretch forth their hands and cry with a loud voice that is very earnestly and importunately yet he will not hear them This promise is made only by our Saviour as hath been shown before to those that believe to such as love him and keep his Commandments and hereupon S. James tells us that it is not only fervent prayer Jam. 5.16 but the fervent prayer of a righteous man that availeth much We must then see that we be such persons such believers and lovers of Christ and righteous ones or else God will say what hast thou to do to make any such request to expect any such divine and glorious gift to be conferred on thee Yea indeed so long as any sin or the love of any unrighteousnesse is lodged in thy soul thou art not only unworthy but uncapable of so divine a guest The world saith Christ wherby he there more especially means those that refused to believe in him upon the hearing of his words and beholding of his actions cannot receive the spirit of truth John 14.17 because it seeth him not nor knoweth him that is though the H. Spirit did clearly shine and manifest it self in Christ both in his divine words and admirable works which he wrought yet the world was not willing to see and take notice of it and therefore made it self incapable of receiving the Spirit whereas the Apostles some others not shutting their eyes against it but willingly discerning and acknowledging the manifestations thereof in him became subjects truly capable of it and accordingly had it there promised that it should be in them John 14.17 men do not use to pour some pretious and costly liquour into an unclean and filthy vessel much lesse can it become the goodnesse and wisdom of Almighty God so to do to pour this spirit Esay 61.3 Acts 10.38 which is called the oyl of gladnesse having in it a strengthening and exhilarating faculty to carry on those with pleasure through the midst of dangers and difficulties that enjoy it to pour it I say into their hearts that have the filthinesse of some sin or other still lodging in them No thou must sweep diligently all the corners of thy soul cleansing thy self from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit before thou canst be a fit temple or habitation for this pure and divine spirit to come into the persons to whom it was formerly given were such as obeyed God Acts 5.32 and the persons to whom we finde it is promised by our Saviour are such as love and keep his commandments keep them constantly and universally not wittingly allowing themselves in the breach of one so that by reason of such keeping they may be called righteous persons that

pretended touching their interpretations who are accounted the expositors of it so that perspicuity which we ascribe to them is implicitely and in effect granted even by those who directly deny it and still persist in the holding of many corruptions that are repugnant to the said Scriptures to wit the Papists For whence else is it that they are not willing to have those controversies that are agitated betwixt them and us to be decided only by the Scriptures yea whence is it else that they pretend the interpretation of these Scriptures is to be setcht from their Church but only that they know or distrust that there is a plain and evident sense of the same Scriptures that makes against them and yet whether they will or no they are at length forced themselves also to have their recourse to the said Scriptures to prove thence that authority which they arrogate to their Church without which pretended and thus seemingly proved authority they cannot finde how they may so much as in show or appearance in any manner maintain their false opinions Since then it may appear from what hath been said that there are and still have been some common and universally received principles among all Christians namely the Holy-Scriptures from which the falshood of such opinions as are contrary to faith and hinderances of salvation may be demonstrated and since also that the said Scriptures are so clear in such matters and by all those that receive them directly or indirectly and in effect confest to be so there cannot be any necessity imagined why miracles should bee continued or at present renewed for the declaring of what is divine truth in this kind notwithstanding the foresaid great defection from and corruption of it The Scriptures so remaining and acknowledged being as a standing rule by the conformity or dissonance to which all opinions in matters of saith may for the soundnesse or unsoundnesse of them sufficiently be tried and judged of and therefore as to require or expect other rules or evidences beyond this namely those extraordinary ones of miracles for discerning such divine truth would be a tempting of God on our part so if God should in this case when he hath so sufficiently provided for us in reference to this end conferre the power of working miracles on men it would be in him a receding from that way of wisdom which he hath formerly observed by doing that where no necessity requires which only in cases of necessity he hath used to do But it may be here objected that wee see no such effect that the Scriptures have as to keep those who receive and entertain them in the enjoyment and profession of all necessary saving truths Christians are still divided by contrary opinions and many ensnared in destructive errours 1. To which I answer 1. that all points and matters of religion are not of that importance as to be reputed necessariò credenda or fundamentals some there are as the Apostle implies in that discourse of his touching dayes and meats Rom. 14. to which others of a like nature may be reduced in which as men may erre without necessarily hazarding their salvation so differences of judgement about such matters if there were that charity which anciently hath been and ought still by the lawes of Christ to be among Christians would not produce any breach of peace or amity amongst them that should so differ from one another so long as upon this supposall so much of divine truth is joyntly received and professed by them as is sufficient towards the making of them that thus differ the children of God here and so bringing them to the enjoyment of that inheritance which is designed onely for such hereafter 2. Those errours or differences in matters of religion which have been and are at this day either in fundamentals or in some lesser points among Christians are not truly to be imputed to any defect in Scripture as if it through its obscurity were the cause or occasion of them for as the Apostle sayes if the Gospel which sure is contained in his and other Apostelical writings now extant be hid or obscure it is so onely to them that are lost 2 Cor. 4.3 that is to such as by their own wilfull impiety or carelesness in seeking make themselves incapable of finding and discerning the saving truths contained in it but these errours and differences are of right to be reckoned to have their original hence namely from a contempt or slighting of the said Scriptures while many are not willing in matters of faith to adhere solely unto them or to fetch the whole doctrine of Christ thence but with great reverence and almost equal to that which they pay to these have recourse to Councels and Fathers and Antiquity and judgements or confessions of Churches counting it in a manner piacular to dissent from or contradict these in sacred matters whereas all these ought with wise and sober men to be of no farther use or authority but onely to acquaint them what was the judgement of the Church of those times or of such persons and companies of men as then lived or that yet are remaining in such matters and that we should not lightly and without good reason recede from those opinions which have been approved by them but for any to extend the authority of any or of all these farther that is obstinately to retain some opinions because they are found to bee approved by the foresaid Fathers c. when as the Scripture in our apprehension and it may be really makes truly against them this is to put out our own eyes and onely to see by theirs yea this is to put them in the place of God and their judgement in stead of his word the Scripture and so is that which is not onely a debasing of our selves into a degree of servility below that wherein God has placed us and which indeed he hath forbidden us by making our selves thus the servants of men 1 Cor. 7.23 but is also a direct contempt and slighting of the Scripture and consequently that which may expect the falling into errours both as the effect and punishment of such contempt to attend upon it as we see at this day it is among Papists and so proportionably with others that love in this kinde to tread in their steps The truth is as it would be a perplext and endlesse way to go about to trace or finde out divine truth by consulting the writings of Fathers or written Canons and Decrees of Councels of several Ages some of which are certainly lost and the rest which are extant are not easie to be got nor possible to be read by all and withal as it would be a way liable to the same or rather far greater uncertainty then that which is pretended by some against Scripture for the seeming obscurity of it in regard those Fathers and Councels do not only abound in equally obscure expressions as may appear to