Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	new_a	old_a	testament_n	6,607	5	8.4174	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A63872	Testimonium Jesu, or, The demonstration of the spirit for the confirmation of Christian faith, and conviction of all infidelity a sermon preached before the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor and aldermen of the city of London, at the Guild Hall-Chappel / by Bryan Turner.	Turner, Bryan, 1634 or 5-1698.	1681 (1681)	Wing T3271; ESTC R24645	24,766	38

of Jesus was to restore it effectually which he did by Supernatural helps whereas others essay'd it by the strength of Nature alone which after the Fall was impossible so that though Jesus in this surpast all Mankind yet some Rivals have been set up against him as Apollonius by Hierocles 2. To be a Martyr for a Lie when a man believes it as the Apostle tells us some shall is neither unusual nor 2 Thess 2. 11. unreasonable 3. The Age of Miracles excepting the wisdom and conduct of Providence which is not regarded is worn out for all the Legendary Impostures of that Church that still pretends them But that which strengthens all the rest by its connexion with them The Testimony of the Spirit of Prophecy stands like a fixed Star to give light to every hour of time call'd therefore The more sure Word and the 2 Pet. 1. 19. 1 Pet. 1. 25. Not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Word of God which abideth for ever to which we do well if we give heed My meaning is The Old and New Testaments are standing Witnesses to our Faith in Jesus all Ages may consult these Records and find the Testimony of the Spirit of Prophecy so interwoven in every part that it certainly evidenceth their Divinity and Truth Can any other Writing be produc'd that durst attempt to foretel such things and at such a distance to confirm any other pretended Revelation or Institution contradictory to this or doth not every Event in these answer its prediction Ex. gr Is not the disperst condition of the Jewish Nation a * On those words Psal 59. 11. Slay them not lest my People forget Scatter them by thy power St. Austin applying Them to the Jews has this excellent remark Ne obliti legem Dei ad hoc de quo agimus testimonium nihil valerent quoniam si cum testimonio scripturarum in suâ tantummodo terrâ non ubique essent profecto Ecclesia quae ubique est eos Prophetiarum quae de Christo pramissae sunt testes in omnibus gentibus non haberet De Civit. lib. 18. cap. 46. And then concludes Ideo nihil est firmius ad convincendos quoslibet alienos si de hac re contenderint nostrosque fulciendos si rectè sapuerint quam ut Divina praedicla de Christo ea proferantur quae in Judaeorum scripta sunt Codicibus Quibus avulsis de sedibus proptils propter hoc Testimonium toto Orbe dispersis Christi usquequaque crevit Ecclesia Ibid. cap. 47. standing Sign to all Ages of the World since the Gospels promulgation and a permanent Rule of Tryal laid before all considerative men that both Testaments which foretold it proceeded from the unerring Spirit of Omniscience Or was there ever any parallel Case to theirs to continue so many hundred years without any Ty of National Government and yet not to be lost in the crowd of the Nations where so many mutations have happen'd nor at all like the Ten Tribes swallow'd up in their Dispersions as wide as the Universe I must not insist upon other permanent Signs confirming the Scriptural Revelation as the Case of the Four Monarchies the Conversion of the Gentiles and many more foretold in the Old and New Testament which our Age and others may see fulfilled and therefore are under the conviction of this Testimony equally I mean We of this and every Age are under the Convictions of that Revelation which the Spirit of Prophecy has attested in the Scriptures and therefore because it has so attested as much as those who liv'd in the daies of the Prophets or in the Age of Miracles for else I see not how Abraham's answer to Dives is good nay certainly Posterity is better enabled to judge of Prophecy than the Age in which it first appear'd And this after the Canon of Scripture shut up and universally receiv'd renders all New light and extraordinary Inspiration not only suspected but perfectly needless The design of my Discourse is chiefly this to shew That the Spirit of Prophecy thus explain'd which so apparently runs parallel to the whole lines of Scriptural Revelation doth most rationally convince us and all Ages of the Divine Truth of that Revelation And if so we gain two Points not only of great advantage alwaies but most needful at this day when Christian Religion is either look'd out of countenance by Atheism and Scepticism or looks itself we know not whither by the distortions of Popery and Phanaticism The First Point we gain is To confirm our Christian Faith in general upon most rational and accountable grounds that it may endure the concussions and mutations of the World The Second is To confirm the Divine Authority of the Scriptures in particular as our Sure Rule both of Faith and Duty for if we confess as cannot be deny'd till some other be produc'd as able that the Divine Spirit was Author of the Predictions in Scripture what reason can we have against the Institution of life Reveal'd It being in all mens allowance unreasonably unjust To allow the Testimony of the Record in one part that it declares and not in another unless we can better than by bold affirming prove it in that part corrupted To draw these Points out to the greater advantages let me reflect upon this Discourse and infer Three things First That the great design of our Merciful Creator in giving this Testimony is mens conviction in order to the Faith i. e. the Obedience of Jesus For in its most plentiful effusion and powerful operation this was its first grand end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It shall convince the World John 16. 18. which when it has done the Revelation itself becomes the undoubted Rule as to Believers but they who disbelieve the whole Revelation are principally to be convinc'd by this Testimony which I have asserted to be most demonstrative and satisfactory and such surely our Saviour thought it himself I have told you before that when it s come to pass ye may believe Joh. 13. 19. and 16. 4. Whether then the Unbelievers who pretend to a Primogeniture in Wit and Reason having this conviction offer'd them under all the advantages of Predictions fulfill'd more than the Scribes and Pharisees had as the Atheists and Scepticks of our Age may not by ascribing all to a cheat sin against the Holy Ghost as well as they in Matt. 12. is a question I will not absolutely determine in the affirmative but ought not methinks to be carried in the negative so dogmatically as by the Authors of our Age it has who led I believe Hales c. by their own native tenderness and benignity have concluded there 's no Meridian for that Sin to appear in now the Age of Miracles is past To confirm the Faith of Jesus the Spirit both of Power and Prophecy was given Believers as the Prophets and Jesus foretold and the manifest effects of this remain unto

c. your God proveth you The meaning is In matters of Immorality the Case is not to be try'd by the Rule of Signs but by the primary Rule that of a former Law whether in Creation which we call Natural Religion or in some well-grounded former Revelation as this of Moses's was in respect of all following Prophets and so the Gospel in respect of all New light c. For whatever has any intrinsecal Evil necessarily adherent or repugnant to a former Law surely believ'd to be Divine whatever overthrows Humanity the natural Notions of Good and Evil Truth and Falshood which is Natural Religion or the Law of Creation upon whose bottoms all Supernatural stands let it pretend Catholicisme and Infallibility on the one hand or Spiritual giftedness and Inspiration on the other 't is certainly not Divine but Diabolical though strengthned with Signs and Wonders And 't is then men are given up to strong delusions to believe Lies when through pretences of Inspiration they have not received the love of this Truth but let go this grand and primary Rule of Tryal for doubtless were the pretences of new Revelations and Inspirations examin'd closely by this Rule and observ'd how they overthrow Natural Religion or the plain Maxims and Duties of Christians it would discover the Impostures of Popery Fanaticism Mahometism as well as Gentilism But what pretends to Prophetical Revelation or to be God's Will being not peccant against this first Rule and is confirm'd with Signs or Prediction fulfill'd must be allowed to be Divine as having the Seal of God annext and no mark left to discern the counterfeit by which is a case Omnipotent and Omniscient Truth is concern'd to Isai 44. 25 c. look to It will perhaps be demanded if this be so How could the several Ages of the World make Tryal of the Spirit of Prophecy in its Testimony to Jesus seeing they liv'd not to see the predicted Signs fulfilled To which I Answer They liv'd to see and know other Signs or Predictions fulfill'd which the same Spirit of Prophecy in connexion to the Testimony of Jesus had foretold and that was sufficient Ex. gr The Deluge was sign sufficient to Noah and all his Posterity till Abraham's daies Isaak's Birth was so to Abraham the Egyptian Bondage and Delivery precisely foretold to Abraham was so to Jacob and his Posterity till Moses and the Prophets arose and then there wanted none till Christ's time as might be easily shew'd So that in every Age God submitted to Tryal that Spirit of Prophecy that gave Testimony to Jesus by such Events or Predictions fulfill'd as peculiarly concern'd the sight or experienc'd knowledge of those Ages * Nam quae melior validior ratio de rebus talibus redditur quàm cum Omnipotens ea facere perhibetur Facturu dicitur quae praenunciasse Ibi legitur Ubi alia multa praenuncia●it quae Fecisse monstratu● Aug de Civit. lib. 21. cap. 7. and from hence 't was reasonable they should conclude That the same Spirit would not miscarry in its Testimony to Jesus or the Messiah promised and so particularly decipher'd And this was the foundation of Patriarchal Religion so far as 't was Supernatural i. e. of their * 1 Pet. 1. 10 11 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. v. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. v. 12. where Prediction and Revelation are distinguisht in the Spirit of Prophecy for the Revelation was v. 12 in the things they ministred or the same Gospel to us and them Heb. 4. 2. the prediction was in testifying beforehand v. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith as St. Paul calls it Heb. 11. From all which I hope I may conclude that the Spirit of Prophecy in this sence is THE Testimony of Jesus as being that Tally could not be counterfeited like the Roman Ancile by Mamurrius without discovery by the easie Rules of Tryal whereas to me all the other Testimonies without this seem liable to it And I am perswaded my freedom in saying so will not be esteemed impious by him that considers St. Peter has said as much before me who recognizing the Father's Voice which he himself heard on the Holy Mountain yet immediately subjoyns We have also a more sure word 2 Pet. 1. 18. 19. of Prophecy i. e. more sure than a Voice from Heaven For the question is not which is surer in itself the Father's Voice on Mount Tabor or the Spirits of Prophecy in the Scripture but which is surer unto us in the way of our discerning The one I conceive cannot be counterfeited without discovery but may not the other for a Voice in the Air from a good Angel has been heard why then not from a bad one We have no Rules of Tryal that I know of for the one as I have shew'd we have for the other therefore that other is surer to us And to evidence this further 't is observable That the Father witnessing refers to the Son hear him and the Matt. 17. 5. Joh. 5. 39. Son witnessing refers to the Spirit of Prophecy Search the Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are they that testifie of me which is as much as I affirm from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text the Spirit of Prophecy is eminently The Testimony So that of the Three that bear record in Heaven to Vs the Spirit of Prophecy is the Test of the others as being that which cannot be counterfeited but may be discovered by the easie Rules of Tryal And as for those Three on Earth the Spirit the Water and the Blood i. e. as they are generally interpreted Christ's Miracles wrought by the Spirit of Power his Holiness and Purity denoted by the Water and his Constancy to death imply'd by the Blood It may well be scrupled whether they may not all be so far counterfeited that without other Considerations they may not alwaies by us be discerned whether they attest a Divine Revelation or Imposture For First Holiness and Purity is a garb Hypocrites may put on so artificially that it may not be in our power to detect it Secondly Constancy to death is but what a strong delusion may animate a man to if it be but of the right Roman temper and Jesuitical mettal which the Instances of our Age surely have evinc'd Thirdly The Spirit of Power i. e. Miracles though I grant a divine Testimony in itself yet may not alwaies be so to us because not subjected to such easie Rules of Tryal as the Spirit of Prophecy is For how far sensible Nature may be under the power of Art or the Agency of evil Spirits who is so skilful as to determine the most that may be and the least that is So that a Beholder may be at a loss betwixt a true Miracle and a lying Wonder and not know who to believe Moses or the Magicians till one Party quits the field and confess the

Finger of God I am sensible the Common Opinion presses me most with this Objection as if my Doctrine evacuated the conviction of our Saviour's Miracles and patroniz'd the Jews Infidelity in not believing for the Works sake But as has been observ'd by a Judicious Man this is a Dr. Jackson mistake for the Jews had a certain Rule of Tryal whereby to discern that the Works of Jesus were wrought in God and not in Beelzebub and that Rule was no other than the Spirit of Prophecy which like the Light as it Self-evidently manifests its own Divinity so by its Illustration it manifests other things which Spirit of Prophecy in the Old Testament those Oracles committed to the Jews had foretold that the Messiah so born so Rom. 3. 2. qualified so circumstantiated as Jesus and none other ever was should do these particular Works of wonder So that the Miracles of Christ were to them truly Signs and therefore convictive not solely because Divine operations for that was the question but because they were Contingencies determinately foretold And this is plain from our Saviour's Answer to the Pharisees requiring a Sign Matt. 16. 3. Can ye not discern the signs of the times or as St. Luke This time Chap. 12. 56. where in St. Luke Christ adds as awakening their Common reason Yea why do you not of your selves judge what is right which argues that they had a Rule to judge by i. e. why do ye not of your selves without my granting your request of a Sign judge out of the Prophets that I am the Messiah The works that I do in my Father's Name-bear witness of John 5. 36. me i. e. who I am Why how the Answer Christ made to John the Baptist Disciples Matt. 11. 4. resolves it Go tell John what ye see and hear the blind see the lame walk c. i. e. Go tell him that Isaiah's Prophecy you see is ALL Christ's Miracles were Signs to the Jews because presignified by the Prophets whom the Jews believed and in the Oeconomy of Grace the Messiah was therefore sent to that People first who had the Records of the Spirit of Prophecy I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the House of Israel Why Mankind had as much interest in him as they but the most satisfactory convictive way of propagating his Faith to Mankind was from them which is the reason it was to be preach'd to all Nations Beginning from Jerusalem Luke 24. 46. fulfilled by me Isai 35. 6. and 61. 1. and then let him and you consider who I am Where Christ to that grand Question which was the Pharisees as well as John's in answer produceth the Testimony of the Spirit of Prophecy and hereby he proved his works to be Divine or that he was sent by the Father as he himself speaks and then I allow most unquestionable and demonstrative Convictions And why was not this that which aggrandiz'd their Sin into blasphemy against the Holy Ghost Matt. 12. that they wilfully withstood the Convictions not only of the Spirit of Power but of Prophecy too of which latter they were such competent Judges whatever they were of the former Nay 't is further observable in this matter that after Jesus had prest the Jews with the two first Witnesses in Heaven viz. the Father's Voice and the Son's Miracles Joh. 5. 36 37. he finally laies the stress of his Convictions on the Writings of the Prophets Had ye believed Moses ye would have believed me for he wrote of me i. e. Joh. 5. 46 the grand Witness I appeal to at the bar of mens Judgment is the Spirit of Prophecy in the written Records Search the Scriptures and all this to prove what Christ v. 39 had said v. 30. that the Father sent him Where after all the other Testimonies produc'd he finally relies upon the Spirit of Prophecy But if ye believe not his writings how shall ye believe my words where Jesus himself v. 47. plainly acknowledgeth That in humane Judgment the test both of his Words and Works and all his Pretensions of Divine mission mentioned v. 30 c. was the Spirit of Prophecy as predicting So that I see not but we may conclude without any derogation That Christ's Miracles receiv'd the force of their conviction from the Spirit of Prophecy not of Power only and so the Apostles Miracles did too for as Christ's Miracles were determinately foretold by Moses and the Prophets so the Apostles Miracles were by Christ Both were Signs i. e. foretold Christ's Works in all the Old Testament the Apostles Mark 16. 17. These Signs shall follow them and elsewhere And this was the Gospels Confirmation God bearing them witness both with Signs and Wonders and divers Heb. 2. 3 4. Miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost The first of Signs convictive as being the Testimony of Omniscient Verity the second of Miracles awakening the Senses and thereby the Understanding to consider that Conviction as the force of Omnipotence most effectually in this dull state can the last of Gifts as qualifying the Gospels Ministers to so difficult an employment Lastly After all their Miracles both Jesus and his Apostles back their Doctrine with this Testimony of the Spirit of Prophecy and hang the weight of their Convictions thereon This is that which was spoken or thus it is written throughout all the New Testament And I think 't is most remarkable That after all possible satisfaction given to their Senses Christ proves the truth of his Resurrection from this Testimony and 't is spoken signanter Then opened he their understandings that Luk. 24. 45 46. they might understand the Scriptures i. e. he explain'd the Scriptures intelligibly to them and said unto them Thus it is written c. From all which consider'd I may conclude this first Reason why the Spirit of Prophecy is The Testimony because 't was that Tally could not be counterfeited given therefore to prevent delusions for the Rules of Tryal were easie and certain and no Divination could bear the test but what had the Spirit of God its Author or else deserv'd not the name of Prophecy Secondly 'T is The Testimony because all Ages are under its conviction equally more than they are of any others abstracting from this And my reason is because this Testimony is permanent and the rest without this are transient though this adjoyned makes even them permanent too Ex. gr 1. The Father's Voice as I remember was only heard at the Baptism and Transfiguration of Jesus 2. The Word incarnate was personally present only in the Daies of Augustus and Tiberius 3. The Holy Ghost's Visible descent was but once at Jordan and once at Jerusalem the Day of Pentecost And these as generally interpreted are the Three in Heaven So likewise for the other Three on Earth 1. Holiness or Moral goodness is the pretence of every Philosopher a standing and laudable Testimony I confess and therefore the grand design