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
A68828	The holie exercise of a true fast, described out of Gods word Seene and allowed.; Very godly and learned treatise, of the exercise of fastyng.	Wilkinson, William, d. 1613.; Cartwright, Thomas, 1535-1603, attributed name.	1580 (1580)	STC 24251.5; ESTC S120024	22,313	96

and meditation of the filthinesse of our sinnes and of the iuste vengeance of the Lord against them declared in the threateninges of the law and execution of the iudgementes of God against the wicked and namely against our Sauiour Christ who putting vppon himselfe our wickednesse suffered hell paines for it and specially an information and meditation of those both sinnes and punishmentes which the present time and persons doe giue occasion of And thus farre touching the first part of the inwarde vertues in fasting standing in the casting downe of our selues before the Lord. There followeth the other part which is a profession of our faith that we shall be lifted vp as high through the grace of the Lord our God in Iesus Christ as the conscience of our sinnes doth cast vs downe and that we shall obtaine the remouing of the euills tending to our destruction through the worthinesse of our Sauiour Christ which either presently presse vs or hange ouer our heads through our owne vnworthinesse For as true repentance casting vs downe with one hand both in sorrowe for our sinnes and confession of the same leaueth vs not in our downefall but through faith reacheth vs the other hand to lift vs vp againe so this solemne profession of our repentance carying vs first to the valley of trouble afterward bringeth vs backe againe to the gate of hope In which respest we alwayes finde in the holy Scriptures * Ezra 9. 5. Nehem. 1. 4. Dan. 9. 3. Iudg. 20. 26 Luke 5. 33. 1. Cor. 7. 7. that fasting is ioyned with praier * 2. Chron. 20. 6. Iames. 1. 6. Iohn 16. 23. which cā neuer be truly made without hope of obtaining the grace that is prayed for But for as much as prayer is a daily and ordinarie exercise of Gods children it is manifest * Ionas 3. 8. Esay 58. 4. that by the prayer which is coupled with fasting there is vnderstanded a speciall or peerelesse kinde of prayer both in zeale and strength of prayer as also in continuance of the same Whereby appeareth that here is an other vse of the outward abstinence that it might be as it were a wing wherewith the praier that otherwise through earthly affections creepeth vpon the grounde might the easilier flee vp into heauē and that it might be a grindestone to make a point of it that it may pearce and to set an edge that it may cut both the visible and inuisible enimies which we pray against And therefore the outwarde abstinence that pulleth downe the body helpeth to lift vp the minde and crucifying the flesh it quickneth the spirite and maketh it more liuely to this exercise Where yet againe the Popish fast is found insufficient which vpon the dayes of their fastes had no extraordinarie exercises of prayer more then other dayes which were not fasted To the better performance also of this part is annexed an informatiō and meditation of the gracious promises of GOD especially such as may serue for reliefe of the present occasions Wherin the better to correct our dulnesse and heauinesse to this so holy an exercise let vs remember that it is to obtaine some speciall grace at the hand of the Lord. Whereby it is giuen vs to vnderstand that vpon due holding of this fast vnto the Lord there be excellent promises a most singular reward Whereof the place of Ioel as it spake before for the commaundement of all the fastes ●oel 2. 13. ● 19. 20. which the people of God vsed so will it vndertake for the promises which the Lorde hath made to all those which submit them selues to the obedience thereof The truth of which promises is so manifest in the Scriptures as the Sunne at noone dayes can be no clearer For let all the fastes of the holy Churches and of godly men laid out in Scripture both of the olde and newe Testament be * Iudg. 20. 23. Ezra 19. 6 Hest 4. 16. 2. Chron. 20. 3. turned ouer and it shall be seene that the end of their fast which kept it in any measure of trueth and simplicitie was a feast and the issue of their mourning great reioysing For Dan. 9. 20. Ionah ● 10 albeit the ordinarie prayers of the faithfull returne not emptie vnto them againe yet hauing regarde vnto these which are ioyned with this exercise they may worthily seem to be barren which are otherwise Act. 12. 5. Act. 13. 2. fruitfull and to be blasted which otherwise seeme ful eared Yea the fast of the wicked king Achab ioined with 1. Regum 21 27. no true repentance nor so much as with any true knowledge how to serue the Lord but performed in some sort onely in keeping of the outward and bodily ceremonte went not vnrewarded from the Lorde For euen by the very shadowe of his exercise the execution of that iudgement which was awarded against him touching his vtter rasing from the kingdome of Israel was differred vntill his sonnes dayes Nowe if the comming within the shadowe of this exercise doeth heale some diseases what will it doe if wee come to touche the bodye thereof and if the leaues of it haue some vertue to preserue men from the vengeance of God howe soueraigne is the fruit to deliuer vs from the wrath to come And if the ordinarie obedience of the children of GOD goeth not emptie and vnrewarded from the presence of GOD this extraordinarie obedience and exercise in the worshippe of GOD must needes receiue speciall and extraordinarie blessinges from his hande When Benhadab 1. Regum 20. 29. the Syrian king ouercome by Achab king of Israel was out of hope of any safetie at the length by the aduice of his seruaunts he put him 1. Reg. 20. 31. to 35. selfe and his companie in sackcloth with ropes about their neckes thinking by humbling them selues before the king to obtaine pardon which came to passe accordingly If therefore men in hope of obtaining pardon will humble them selues to them of whome they haue no promise that they shal obtaine any thing howe much more ought we to doe it which haue so sure promises of good successe and if mercy was obtained of men in whom there is scanta drop of that pitie and compassion which is seafull in the Lorde we may be well assured that we shall not misse of it at his hande And if one enimie can looke for it at the hande of an other we may with greater assurance looke for it at the hande of the Lorde to whome we are already reconciled by the bloud of his sonne T●erefore if the authoritie of the Lorde should not compell vs yet the most liberall and certaine promises should allure vs to this exercise Which if we doe not what remaineth but that such as will not fast with the ch●●dren of GOD must eate and drink● of the furious wrath of GOD with the wicked they that will not weepe with the one must ●owle with the other And finally they