Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	people_n	speak_v	word_n	3,971	5	4.1039	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57151	Preaching of Christ opened in a sermon preached at St. Peters Church in the city of Norwich at an ordination Septemb. 22, 1661 / by Edward Reynolds ...	Reynolds, Edward, 1599-1676.	1662 (1662)	Wing R1272; ESTC R15378	18,113	56

AEconomy 1 Cor. 9. 17. Great would be the disorder and confusion great the mischief and danger if hereticks and seducers might of their own heads sow their tares subvert the souls of men if ignorant and self conceited men may heap up to themselves Hearers if giddy and unstable people may run after novelties and be carried about with divers and strange doctrines if so honorable an Office should be exposed to contempt and be destitute of divine blessing and assistance by the invasion of unqualified and worthless Intruders A call then is necessary And this call though mediate and by the Ministry of men is from Christ. Pastors and Teachers who have onely a mediate call are set up by him as well as Apostles and Prophets Eph. 4. 11. the Elders of Ephesus though appointed by an ordinary call are said to be made Overseers by the holy Ghost Act. 20. 28. This Call is twofold Internal and External 1. Internal standing 1. In an Evidence of fit qualifications for so weighty a work viz. 1. Sanctity of life which may fit and dispose for the faithful and conscionable discharge of the Office to make a man zealous for the glory of God sensible of the interest of souls exemplary to the flock able to speak experimentally of the ways of God the devices of Satan the deception of lust the issues of temptation the consolations of the holy Spirit and other the deep mysteries of salvation 2. Soundness of Doctrine and such able parts of substantial learning as that he may be apt to teach to speak a word in season to shew a man his uprightnesse to convince gain sayers to use sound speech which cannot be condemned It is not a little measure of learning which will serve to open the Scriptures to confute errours to state questions to decide controversies to resolve cases to speak with demonstration and authority to the consciences of sinners The Lord hath been pleased to intersperse something of almost all kinde of other learning besides divine in the Scriptures Physick in what is reported of beasts birds plants meteors precious stones c. Ethicks and Politicks in Solomons Proverbs and Ecclesiastes Logick and Rhetorick in the strong reasonings and powerful Elegancies of Prophets and Apostles Mathematicks and Architecture in the structure of Noahs Ark and of Solomons and Ezekiels Temple Languages the Old Testament being written in Hebrew and Chalde the New in Greek Allusions to Exotick and profane History and Antiquity Mythology Parables Poetry quotations out of prophane writers And all this to instruct us what abundance of learning is requisite unto him who will rightly understand and divide the word of Truth 3. Aptnesse to teach spiritual skill and wisdom to shew himself a Scribe instructed to the Kingdom of heaven Mat. 15 32. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostles expressions are 1 Tim. 3. 2. 2 Tim. 2. 2. 2. This Internal call standeth in a sincere desire by the secret work of God on the heart to serve him and his Church in the work of the Ministry and that not out of ambition covetousnesse or carnal affections but out of an intire regard to the glory of God and salvation of souls The Apostle calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 3. 1. a willingnesse unto it 1 Cor. 9. 17. an addicting ones self unto it 1 Cor. 16. 15. an offering a mans self to be sent by God Isa. 6. 8. 2. The External call instituted by Christ in his Apostles is managed by their successors the Bishops and Pastors of the Church 1. In Examination of the fitnesse of those who judge themselves thus inwardly called by the preceding qualifications that the office may not be invaded by ignorant or unworthy persons 1 Tim. 3. 10. 2. In Approbation when upon trial men are found able willing apt faithful the Church by her Officers declareth them such and giveth testimony unto them as the Apostle doth unto Epaphras and Tychicus Col. 1. 7. 4. 7. 3. In separation and solemn consecration unto the function by fasting and prayer commending the persons so approved unto the grace of God Act. 13. 2. 14. 23. And this done in the Church Assembly praesente plebe whose assent and testimony was anciently required of which we read in Saint Cyprian Ep. 68. Concil Carthag 4. can 2● and in Leo. Ep. 89. Hereby the Church are witnesses and not declaring their dissent and dissatisfaction Approvers of what is done And it was done with the Rite and Ceremony of Imposition of hands 1 Tim. 5. 23. as importing 1. A dedication and devoting the person to the Office Numb 27. 18. 2. A deriving authority to administer the Office 3. An imploring the gifts blessing protection custody of the holy Spirit upon them and commending them to the Grace of God Act. 14. 26. Thus from Christ and according to his Institution Ministers of the Gospel have their Mission 2. From him they must receive their Message He is King in the Church and they his Ambassadors who must from him only receive their instructions 2 Cor. 5. 20. they must speak His Words Ezek. 2. 7. that the Church may have a proof of Christ speaking in them 2 Cor. 13. 3. and of the Counsel of God delivered by them Acts 20. 27. teaching the people the things which he hath commanded Mat. 28. 20. His command is our commission We must deliver nothing but what we have Received I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you 1 Cor. 11. 23. That which I have heard saith the Prophet of the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel have I declared unto you Isa. 21. 2. Speak unto all the Cities of Judah which come to worship in the Lords House All the words which I command thee to speak unto them diminish not a word Jer. 26. 2. What thing soever I command you observe to do it thou shalt not add thereto nor diminish from it Deut. 12. 32. If any man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God 1 Pet. 4. 11. The Lord hath committed unto us the Word and Ministry of Reconciliation what we do in attendance on that Ministry we do in Christs stead and therefore ought seriously to consider with our selves whether the words which we speak unto the people be for the truth gravity and sanctity of them such as may without indignity done to Christ have his name and authority prefixed on them He will not own the dictates and inventions of men for the Oracles of God Though it belong to the duty authority and wisdom of the Church to direct meer circumstantials in the service of God so as may most conduce unto that order and decency which God requireth so as may best become the seriousnesse simplicity and sanctity of so heavenly and spiritual worship Yet she may not impose as doctrines her commandments Mat. 15. 9. She may not adde any thing to the alsufficiency

it So did those Renowned Bishops in the primitive times we read every where in Saint Chrystome of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intimating that he was a daily preacher and of Saint Ainbrose his Omni Die Dominico as Saint Austin tells us Confess 6. c. 3. prayer and preaching are two excellent and worthy parts of the Ministery of Reconciliation appointed as mutual helps and furtherances each to other and therefore they on either hand do very ill who justle out and disparage the one by the other as if performing the one were a sufficient discharge of the Ministerial Function and means of the peoples edification and salvation without the other Certainly our Saviours Commission extends to the worlds end Matth. 28. 20. as long as there are strong holds to be demolished sin to be reproved a Church to be edified Saints to be perfected enemies to be resisted there will be a necessity of every Ordinance of Christ by which these great works may be effected And unto the more sure effecting of them this weighty work of preaching is to be managed and discharged with that spiritual skill that we may approve our selves unto God as workmen that need not be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth 2 Tim. ● 15. that is to say 1. With Evidence and demonstrati●n so as to affect the conscience and make powerful and awakening discoveries and impressions upon the practical judgement which may not by any sophisms or subterfuges be evaded or gain-said this the Apostle calleth demonstrative or convincing preaching My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of mans wisdom with ostentation of wit or humane Elocution with Rhetoricating sophismes or plausible insinuating deceptions as Cicero somewhere boasteth that he had dazled the eyes of the Judges and as Saint Hierome complains of many in his time id habent curae non quomodo Scripturarum medullas ebibant sed quomodo aures populi Declamatorum flosculis mulceant But saith the Apostle my preaching was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In a spiritual powerful and invincible demonstration which admits not of any possibility of being gain-said or disproved for such is that syllogisme which the Philosopher calls a Demonstration wherein a conclusion is most evidently deduced ex principiis primis necessariis per se veris 1 Cor. 2. 1 4. and elsewere speaking of an unbeliever who heareth Evangelical preaching he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is so convinced that he is judged the secrets of his heart are so discovered that he falls on his face as a cast and convicted prisoner worshippeth God and acknowledgeth God to be in such preaching 1 Cor. 14. 24 25. so the Prophet is said to judge men when he maketh them know the abomination of their fathers Ezek 20. 4. and once more we have not saith the Apostle walked craftily nor handled the Word of God deceitfully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by manifestation or evident discovering of the truth we commend our selves to every mans conscience in the sight of God 2 Cor. 4. 2. and thus it is said of Stephen That his adversaries were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spake Act. 6. 10. 2. With wisdom and seasonablenesse as men are able to heare and bear so Christ spake the word Mark 4. 33. John 16. 12. we must have milk for the weak and meat for the strong so manage our Ministry as to prevent and remove all occasions of prejudice and offence from any which watch for matter of advantage and exception against us 3. With sincerity and faithfulnesse not dissembling any necessary doctrine nor dawbing with untempered morter nor corrupting the Word of Truth but delivering the whole counsel of God pleasing men in all things for their profit and edification and to all other purposes not pleasing men but God which trieth the heart 1 Cor. 10. 33. 1 Thes. 2. 4. speaking his words whether men will hear or forbear Ezek. 2. 7. and telling them the Truth though we be judged enemies for so doing Gal. 4. 16. 4. With spiritual power and Authority as Christ did Matth. 7. 29. to declare unto men their transgression in such a manner as to judge them for it Mic. 3. 8. Ezek. 20. 4. that their hearts may be pricked Acts 2. 37. and they made to fall on their face and give glory to God 1 Cor. 14. 25. to shew unto a man his uprightnesse in such a manner as that he may find God gracious to him and may see his face with joy Job 33. 23. 26. so to preach the word as to binde and loose to remit and retain to heal and settle the consciences of our hearers that they may finde the Gospel come unto them not in word only but in power 1 Thes. 1. 5. 5. With meeknesse and all winning insinuations that there may appear nothing but love and gentlenesse in every thing which we deliver as the Apostle professeth to the Thessalonians that he was gentle among them as a nurse cherisheth her children 1 Thes. 2. 7. and exhorteth Timothy and other spiritual persons with meeknesse to instruct opposers and to restore such as are overtaken with any fault 2 Tim. 2. 24 25. Gal. 6. 1. It is an excellent Character which Saint Austin giveth of a preacher that he should so manage his Office ut doceat ut delectet ut flectat ut intelligenter ut libenter ut obedienter audiatur So to teach as withal to delight and perswade and by a constraint of love to gain willing and chearful obedience to the doctrine which he teacheth 6. With courage and boldnesse not to fear the faces of any presumptuous sinners who dare to affront the Law and not to fear the face of God Shall any man be so bold as to do what God forbids and shall a Minister be so timorous as not to speak what God commands Shall I be afraid to offend him by doing my duty who is not afraid to offend God by neglecting his Shall I be afraid to save him who is not afraid to destroy himself or shall I be dismaid at the face and frown of a man and neglect the wrath of God who can tear me in pieces be not dismayed at their face saith the Lord least I confound thee before them Jer. 1. 17. yet this boldnesse must be in a way of conviction and perswasion without indiscretion and exasperation that when we shew our zeal against mens sins we may withal manifest our love to their persons and that honor and reverend esteem which we owe to their dignities and conditions Lastly our Lives and Examples must teach the people as well as our doctrine we must be like the Star which did not onely lighten the wise men but lead them unto Christ Matth. 2. 9. He who by his wicked life buildeth againe those things which by his holy doctrine he destroyed maketh himself a transgressor Gal. 2. 18. verbis tantum philosophari non doctoris est sed