Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A49543
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A sermon preach'd before the Honourable House of Commons on the anniversary fast for the martyrdom of King Charles I by E. Langford ...
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Langford, E. (Emanuel), b. 1657 or 8.
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1698
(1698)
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Wing L386; ESTC R7375
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16,818
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30
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the absolute Pattern of what he taught As His Doctrine was the most Sublime Instruction that was ever given to Mortal Men so it was most highly requisite that His own most Blessed Example should fully answer it in all Exactness and Perfection Mat. 3.15 or in His own words to John the Baptist It became Him above all to fullfill all Righteousness Joh. 3.46 And thus we find him appealing to His own Innocency Which of you convinces me of sin This alone one would think without his other mighty Deeds had been enough to assert the Truth of His Doctrine His whole Life and Death being as it were but one intire and uninterrupted Miracle This made Him in His Discourses appear as one having Authority and not as the Scribes Thus both the Old and New Testament represent Christ as sent to be a most singular Example to the World Hence Isaiah foretelling the Peaceable State of his Kingdom How the most Furious and Outragious Tempers should be quieted and composed by his gentle Precepts and mild Conversation thus expresses it by way of Parable The Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb c. 11.6 and the Leopard shall lie down with the Kid and the Lion with the Calf and a little Child shall lead them Men of all Humours and Conditions shall be reconciled to one another and their Captain or Leader shall be Himself as Harmless and Innocent as a sucking Child Again the same Prophet tells us c. 53.3 He was to be a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief He was to be oppressed and afflicted to be brought as in the words of my Text like a Lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb so was he not to open His Mouth He was not to cry nor life up his Voice in the street He was not to break the bruised Reed nor quench the smoking Flax That is c. â—3 2 3. not to discourage the broken and contrite heart nor neglect any one that had the least spark of goodness left in him And all this he perfectly made good from the very Manger to the Cross Nay He did not despise the Virgins Womb. How highly reasonable and weighty then must St. Pauls command be Let the same mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus He spake his mind Phil. 2.5 yes and exactly perform'd it too Tho He thought it no Robbery to be equal with God yet he made himself of no Reputation V. 6 7 8. He humbled himself and became obedient to Death even the shameful Death of the Cross What art thou then O sinful Worm that shall think thy self too great for any Condescension Hereunto says St. Peter are we called 1 Ep. 2.21 because Christ also suffered leaving us an Example that we also should follow his steps And to instance in no more let those words of our Blessed Saviour suffice If any one will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross daily Luc. 9.23 and follow me Do you think this daily Cross signifies only Persecution Affliction or Tribulation No it is as St. Hierome explains it Every Temptation likewise from the World the Devil or our own deceitful Heart Whatever is uneasy to a sanctify'd Mind and the taking it up is here declared to be our Mastering of it by self-denial after Christs own Blessed Example To some weak and willful sinners indeed such as are too much given up to their Lusts and Enslaved to their Passions this may seem a hard saying Custom I confess is another Nature and therefore must allow those words of the Prophet to be the very Truth its self Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his Spots Jer. 13.23 then may ye also learn to do good that are accustomed to do evil But this is spoken of Men perfectly Dead in Trespasses and Sins Men utterly given over to a Reprobate mind whose hearts are by continual practice so hardned As to Drink in Iniquity like water with all manner of greediness and delight For if there be any Serious Remorse of Conscience remaining at any time the Flax is still smoaking there is some little hopes of Life yet left A Sense of Sin and desire of Amendment are two previous Dispositions here always necessary to be supposed What then remains to do the Work but a constant and most earnest Endeavour with the Divine Assistance which our Merciful Father never witholds in such a Case We see in ordinary Cases of Human Life what mighty hard Tasks in a little time are overcome by only diligence and a serious application but here we have the vast advantage besides of Gods most Holy Spirit to direct guide strengthen and support us We know all Habits are acquired by often repeated Acts and by several Degrees and those that are bad as well as those that are good meet with an uneasiness and reluctancy at the beginning For I appeal to the Heart of any Man whether at the first breach of his Innocency at his first committing of any willful sin He has not had a Dispute with Himself before it was done and whether after his Heart did not smite him and make him unquiet tho afterwards perhaps by often falling into the same Vice by little and little his Conscience fell asleep and He then went on without any further Reflection at all On the other side whether in avoiding some occasion of sin or resisting some Temptation He has not met with the like Controversy and when he had overcome whether the Thoughts of his Escape have not fill'd his Heart with Joy and Gladness Now besides his sensual Appetite and Reason the outward and the Inward Man which wage this War there are with reverence be it spoken those Two Auxiliaries the Instigations of the Devil on the one side and the gracious Motions of the Holy Ghost on the other to carry it on And sure no Man will so far dishonour God as to say the Power of the Devil is in it self so great as that of His. If it seem so to any one it is because he makes it so by his own willful Apostacy For the Holy Spirit is always willing Behold says He I stand at the Door and Knock Rev. 3.20 if any Man hear i. e. obey my Voice and Open the Door I will come in to him and sup with him and he with me Who can doubt of Gods help being always ready or once question his Sincerity and Truth when he reads those most convincing words As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the Death of the Wicked Ezek. 23.11 but that he should turn from his way and live Turn ye turn ye from your Evil ways for why will you Die Surely we ought to think the bare Word of God might have been enough but for our Encouragement he hath bound it with an Oath and because He could swear by no Greater He Swore by his