Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	peace_n	spirit_n	unity_n	1,812	5	8.9331	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85763	Loves entercours between the Lamb & his bride, Christ and his Church. Or, A clear explication and application of the Song of Solomon. By William Guild, D.D. and preacher of God's Word.	Guild, William, 1586-1657.	1657 (1657)	Wing G2206; Thomason E1583_3	233,317	296

We see how powerfull an inducement this should be to adjoyn our selves to Christ's Church to be true members thereof and what honour the poorest and most contemptible attains unto who do so 2. Whereas the Church is called a Dove not any ravenous foul those who are violent fiery and furious spirits are disclaimed from being any true members of Christ's Church who think that there can be no zeal or piety that is not cruell and that Religion should be propagated not so much gladio oris as ore gladii by bloody warrs massacres and such like which has been the customable practise of the Roman Church whereby that Whoor is drunk with the blood of the Saints Whereas Christ's Dove delights in no blood but that which was shed for her but not in any blood shed by her And it is by her own blood shed by others that she has flourished and been enlarged but not by her shedding of the blood of others 3. In respect of spirituall chastity and pure worship of God only according to the rule of his Word that she iscalled undefiled Then we see that what Church soever pretend what she will defiles her self with idolatry which is spirituall whoordom and departing from the sincerity of the Word of God goes a whooring after the traditions of men superstition and will-worship adoring the creature whereas onely they should worship the Creator That Church that doth so is not Christ's Church nor his dove and undefiled but an antichristian idolatrous and apostatick Church usurping the Christian name 4. Seeing the Church is called Christ's undefiled he onely claiming propriety thereto this shewes 1 That he may claim from us all whatsoever we are our souls and all the faculties thereof our bodies and all the members thereof to be his in entire affection in obsequie in all things that we have from him in all these that we be for him his glory his cause and his Church c. 2 As he may claim from us whatsoever we are or have so we being his and he ours as cap. 6. 3. we may claim from him his love his defence yea himself and all his benefits with him for the inference between conjugall parties is mutuall and reciprocall the husband and all he has is the wifes and the wife and all that she has is the husbands 5. Seeing Christ's dove is undefiled those who delight in the pollutions of sin the world and the flesh are not Christ's true members but it is to the unclean spirit that such unclean persons belong neither such carnall ravens but the clean and undefiled dove is fit for the Lord's ark to be taken into the same 6. Seeing Christ's dove and undefiled is but one let all such who claim interest in her be as one holding the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace one in heart and affection as the primitive Christians were Act. 4. 32. one in minde one in will submissive in every thing to God's one in work I mean the practise of godlinesse and one in tongue and profession of the truth that neither it be said as Hos 10. 2. their hearts is divided nor in tongue that they are like the builders of Babel but that their ditton may be cor unum via una Neither let any small weaknesses in our ordinary conversation make a rupture of this brotherly unity which is so commended and commanded Psal 133. 1. 7. She is also called the choice or elect one of her that bare her which teaches us that the true members of Christ's mysticall body which is his Church they are not of the ordinary multitude who professe the Christian name in common nor must think that this will suffice but they must labour to be choice ones and singular beyond such as Noah was in his age and Lot in Sodom c. not contenting with the common badge or name that they live or shew of godlinesse having denyed the power thereof but labour for the sealing that is spoken of ●zek 9. and Revel 7. and the stamp of their Father's Image 8. It is said here That the daughters that saw her blessed her or pronounced her to be so whereby we see what it is that makes one to be truly blessed o● happy and what is the right judgment which men should have in this point to wit not to account any blessed or happy for worldly honour or riches or any externall and accidentall thing but for the grace of God that they see in them and that kyths in the whole constant course of their life and conversation both in their duties to God and Man although their estate were never so mean and their persons crossed and contemptible in this world as was that of Lazarus 9. Also it is said that the Queens and Concubines they praised her which teaches us what is onely and truly praise-worthy or which we should commond in any to wit a holy and christian conversation where●● they expresse the simplicity and meeknesse of the Dove an undefiled and holy life a peacable and godly disposition to entertain peace and unity with all men so far as in them lies and whereby they labour to approve themselves to God to their own conscience and to all that look upon their life and conversation that they are the true member's of Christ's mysticall body Vers 10. Who is she that looks forth as the morning fair as the Moon clear as the Sun and terrible as an army with Banners Here they who did see her beauty before not onely as in the former verse do praise her but in this place with admiration at the matchlesse greatnesse and glory thereof they extoll and magnifie the same more amply by way of admiration saying Who is this that looketh forth as the morning c. ascending by way of gradation to show the degrees of the increase of the light and brightnesse of the Church which may either have relation to her estate before the Law under the Law or under the Gospell she being like the morning light before the Law under the Law like the light of the Moon which is changeable as Types and Figures were and under the Gospell she being like the clear or bright shining Sun Or else she is said to be like the morning whose light more and more encreaseth unto the perfect day to show how the knowledge of the godly is ever in grouth in this life onely who know but in part but is nor perfect till the life to come Next she is said to be fair like the Moon to show that as the Moon borroweth her light from the Sun so doth she her beauty brightnesse from the Sun of Righteousness as himself tells her Ezek. 16. 14. she having nothing of her self but what she has received And lastly she is said to be clear as the Sun as Rev. 12. 1. being cloathed with the Sun of righteousnesse and that righteousnesse of his which is imputed to her She is said also to be

faith and obedience of the same to him is the gladness of his heart so the finding of this disposition in our selves or the seeing thereof in others let it be in like manner the gladness and rejoysing of our heart and the contrary the just matter of greatest contristating the same Finis terti● Capitis Soli Deo gloria CHAP. IV. Vers 1. Behold thou art faire my love behold thou art faire thou hast doves eyes within thy locks thy haire is as a flock of goates that appeare from mount Gilead IN this whole Chapter for the most part is the speach of the bridgroom set down commending his bride 1. Generally 2. More particularly whose praise or expressing of her glory is not from outward Pomp and busking like that Whore of Babylon spoken of in the Revelation Rev. 17. But from the comly feature of the speciall parts of her body and as Peter sayes from the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible and in the sight of God is of great price 1 Pet. 3. 3. First then he beginnes her praise from her beauty in generall whereof we have already spoken c. 1. 15. Next from the comly feature of the parts of her body in particular to show thereby that her beauty and comliness which he has put upon her as he speakes by his Propher Eze. kiel Ezek. 16. 14. is a compleat and perfect beauty defective in no part for if in any person one part be deformed though the other parts be comely in such there is no perfect beauty but in Gods church which is his mysticall body there is no such thing who is not therefore like Nebuchadnezars Image whose head though it was of gold and the body of silver yet the feet were but Iron and clay but she is glorious in all her parts and members and therefore being washed and sanctified by him justly doeth he ●ay verse 7. Thou art all fair my love there is no spot in thee In this particular commendation he beginnes at her eyes saying that within her locks she had doves eyes whereby what was signified we shewed before c. 1. 15. Which are here said to be within her locks used by virgins for decence and alluring as we see Revel 9. 8. Hereby to signifie her care to procure his love and delight in her Next he commends her from her haire which he sayes is like a slock of goats that appeare from mount Gilead whereby are understood her holy thoughts rightly ordered as virgins haire uses to be proceeding from a Sanctified heart as haires do from the head the chief part of the body and rising upward by heavenly desires and contemplation and therefore compared as is said to a flock of goates who delight to climb and seek to high and steep places and therefore are said to appeare from mount Gilead a goodly and high mountaine of pasture whereof we read Numb 32. 1. Others understand by her haire the multitude of common Christians by externall profession holding to the head yet some whereof oft fall off and others are cut off by excommunication Verse 2. Thy teeth are like a stock of sheep that are eaven shorne which came up from the washing whereof every one beares twinne and none is barren among them 3. Thy lips are like athread of scarlet and thy speech is comely thy temples are like a peece of Pomegranate within thy locks 4. Thy neck is like the towre of David builded for an armory c. Thirdly he commends her from her teeth the comliness and beauty whereof in the naturall body consists in these two things to wit that they be eaven and white and therefore he compares them to a flock of sheep that are eaven shorne and are white being newly come up from the washing by which are understood in the mysticall body of Christs church her faithfull and godly pastors who 1 as the teeth cut and prepare the food for the nourishment of the body so do they devide the word aright and prepare food for the nourishment of the soul as also 2. as these are like an eaven shorn flock so this signifieth how pastors should agree in one harmony of truth and unity 3. And as the teeth are white in colour so should pastors be holy and spotless in conversation lastly as the churches teeth are like a flock of sheep whereof every one bears twinnes and there is none barren amongst them so should pastors labour to be fruitfull by the immortall seed of the word to beget and bring forth many children to God Fourthly he commends her from her lipps which are for a twofold use 1. For the expression of love by kissing as we see C●nt 1. 2. and 2. For help of articulate and comely speakking and therefore he subjoynes that her speech is comely And therefore her lips here compared to a thread of scarlet does signifie 1 Her servent love to Christ and that submission and obedience that flowes therefrom spoken of by kissing the Son Psal 2. 12. as also her holy and comely speech here mentioned both in prayer and praising God and edifying likewise her neighbours showing thereby as it is said of the vertuous woman that the law of Grace is in her lips and that the same proceeds from a heart purged by faith in Christ's blood which makes it to be as if it were of a red or scarlet die 3 Her lips are the delivery of the wholsome doctrine of her teachers precious like scarlet and teaching Christ crucified by whose blood we are saved and drawn like a wel-spun thread out of holy Scripture Fifthly He commends her from her temples or cheeks the seat of shamefastnesse or blushing which he compares to a piece of pomgranat that is reddish betokening thereby her chast modesty and blushing if she do any thing amisse or be rebuked for the same and therefore is not impudent as many are in sinning and of a whoorish forehead that cannot be ashamed nor yet impatient or carelesse for rebuke And this her shamefastnesse and modesty are these rowes of Jewells wherewith her cheeks are made comely as is said before cap. 1. 10. Sixthly He commends her from her neck which is streight and comely and is like the Towre of David builded for an Armoury signifying thereby that being united to her head by faith as the neck joynes the head with the rest of the body her carriage accordingly is upright and holy not stooping neither to sin's slavery against which she is armed with the whole armour of God spoken of Ephes 6. nor yet basely bowing down to the love of earth and earthly things but as she is exhorted Col. 3. 1. being risen with Christ she seeks those things that are above where Christ sits at the right hand of his Father Seventhly He commends her from her two breasts being both full and white and therefore compared to two young Roes that are twins and feed amongst the Lillies which breasts in women are 1 for ornament