Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	require_v	spirit_n	worship_v	1,990	5	8.9686	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50480	En oligo christianos, the almost Christian discovered, or, The false-professor tried and cast being the substance of seven sermons, first preached at Sepulchres, London, 1661, and now at the inportunity of friends made publick / by Matthew Meade.	Mead, Matthew, 1630?-1699.	1662 (1662)	Wing M1546; ESTC R9895	121,691	343

all with whom he converseth Religion beautifies the conversation of a man and sets him off to the eye of the World The grace of God is no friend to a morose churlish unmannerly behaviour among men it provokes in us an affable demeanour and sweetness to all and where this is found it winneth respect and love from all 2. Iam 2.2 3. A man may love a Saint for his outward greatness and splendor in the world men are very apt to honour worldly greatness And therefore the rich Saint shall be loved and honored whilst the poor Saint is hated and despised This is as if a man should value the goodness of his sword by the imbroidery of his belt or his horse for the beauty of his trappings rather then for his strength and swiftness True love to the Children of God reaches to all the children of God poor as well as rich bond as well as free ignoble as well as noble for the image of Christ is alike amiable and lovely in all 3. A man may love a child of God for his fidelity and usefulness in his place Where religion in the power of it taketh hold of a mans heart it makes him true to all his betrustments diligent in business faithful in all his relations and this obligeth respect A carnal Master may prize a godly Apprentice or Servant that makes conscience of pleasing his Master and is diligent in promoting his interest I might instance in many things of the like nature as Charity Beauty Wit Learning Parts c. which may procure love to the people of God from the men of the world But this love is no proof of charity For First It is but natural love arising from some carnal respect or self-ends that love which is made by the Scripture an evidence of our Regeneration is a spiritual love Col. 1.8 the principle load-stone and attractive whereof is grace and holiness it is a love which imbraceth a righteous man in the name of a Righteous man Mat. 10.41 2. A carnal mans love to Saints is a limited and bounded love it is not universal Ester 10.3 to all the seed Now as in sin he that doth not make conscience of every sin maketh conscience of no sin as sin so he who doth not love all in whom the Image of Christ is found loveth none for that of the Image of Christ which is found in them Now then if the love we bear to the people of God may possibly arise from natural love onely or from some carnal respect or if it be a limited love not extended to all the people of God then it is possible that a man may love the people of God and yet be no better then almost a Christian 18. A man may obey the commands of God yea many of the commands of God and yet be but almost a Christian Balaam seems very conscientious of steering his course by the compass of Gods command when Balak sent to him to come and curse the people of God saith Balaam If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God Numb 22.18 Numb 23.12 20 26. and so in the 38. v. saith he the word that God putteth in my mouth that shall I speak The young man went far in obedience Mark 10.20 all these have I observed from my youth up and yet he was but an Hypocrite for he for sook Christ after all But is it not said he that hath my commandements and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my self unto him John 14.21 and doth not our Lord Christ tell us expresly ye are my friends if ye do what I command you John 15.14 and can a man be the friend of Christ and yet be but almost a Christian Sol. I answer that there is an obedidience to the commands of Christ which is a sure proof of our Christianity and friendship to Christ This obedience hath a three-fold property It is Evangelical Vniversal Continual First It is an evangelical obedience and that both in matter and manner ground and end In the matter of it and that is what God requires John 15.14 ye are my friends if ye do whatever I command you In the manner of it and that is according as God requires John 4.24 God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth In the ground of it and that is a pure heart a good conscience and faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1.5 In the end of it and that is the honour and glory of God whatever ye do do all to the Glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 Numb 14.24 Psal 119.6 Secondly It is an universal obedience which extendeth it self to all the Commands of God alike it respects the duties of both Tables such was the obedience of Caleb who followed the Lord fully and of David who hadrespct to all the commands Thirdly It is a continual obedience a putting the hand to Gods Plow without looking back Iucipere muliorum est perseverare poucorum Bern. I have inclined my heart to performe thy statutes alway even to the end Psal 119.112 He that thus obeys the Command of God is a Christian indeed a friend of Christ indeed but all obedience to the commands of God is not this obedience For 1. There is a partial obedience a peece-meal Religion when a man obeys God in one command and not another own 's him in one duty and not another when a man seems to make conscience of the duties of one Table and not of the duties of another This is the Religion of most Now this obedience is no obedience for as he that doth not love God above all doth not love God at all so he that doth not obey all the commands universally cannot be said to obey any command truly It is said of those in Samaria that they feared the Lord and served their own Gods after their own manner 2 Kings 17.33 and yet in the very next verse it is said they feared not the Lord so that their fear of the Lord was no fear in like manner that obedience to God is no obedience which is but a partial and peice-meal obedience 2. A man may obey much and yet be in his old nature and if so then all his obedience in that estate is but Splendidum peccatum a painted sin he that offereth an oblation is as if he offered swines blood and he that burneth incense as if he blessed an Idol Isa 66.3 The nature must be renewed before the command can be rightly obeyed for a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit Matth. 7.18 Whatever a mans performances are they cannot be called obedience whilst the heart remaineth unregenerate because the principle is false and unsound every duty done by a beleiver is accepted of God as a

8. They were a people that were much in fasting as you may see vers 3. wherefore have we fasted say they and thou seest not Now this is a duty that doth not suppose and require truth of grace onely in the heart but strength of grace Mat. 9.17 No man saith our Lord Christ puts new Wine into Old bottles least the bottles break and the Wine runs out New wine is strong and Old bottles weak and the strong Wine breaks the weak vessel this is a reason Christ gives why his Disciples who were newly converted and but weak as yet were not exercised with this Austere Discipline Assemblys annot upon the place But this people here mentioned were a people that fasted often afflicted their souls much wore themselves out by frequent practices of humiliation Sure therefore this was new Wine in new bottles this must needs be a people strong in grace here seems to be grace not onely in truth but also in growth And yet for all this they were no better then a Generation of Hypocrites they made a goodly progress and went far but yet they went not far enough they were cast off by God after all I hope by this time the truth of the point is sufficiently avouched and confirmed that a man may be yea very many are almost and yet no more then but almost Christians Now for the more distinct prosecution of the point 1. I shall shew you step by step how far a man may go what attainments he may reach unto how specious and singular a progress he may make in Religion and yet be but almost a Christian when all is done 2. I will shew you whence it is that many men go so far as that they are almost Christians 3. Why they are but almost Christians when they have gone thus far 4. What the reason is why men that go thus far as to be almost Christians yet go no farther then to be almost Christians 1. How far may a man go in the way to Heaven and yet be but almost a Christian This I shall shew you in twenty several steps 1. A man may have much knowledge much light he may know much of God and his Will much of Christ and his ways and yet be but almost a Christian For though there can be no grace without knowledge yet there may be much knowledge vvhere there is no grace illumination often goes before vvhen conversion never follovvs after The Subject of knovvledge is the understanding the subject of holiness is the Will Novv a man may have his understanding inlightened and yet his vvill not at all sanctified Rom. 1.21 He may have an understanding to knovv God and yet vvant a vvill to obey God The Apostle tells us of some that when they knew God yet they glorified him not as God To make a man altogether a Christian there must be light in the head and heat in the heart knowledg in the understanding and zeal in the affections Some have zeal and no knowledge that is blind devotion some have knowledge and no zeal that is fruitless speculation But where knowledge is joyned with zeal that makes a true Christian But is it not said this is life eternal to know the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent John 17.3 Sol. It is not every knowlege of God and Christ that interests the soul in life eternal For why then do the Devils perish they have more knowledge of God then all the men in the World for though by their fall they lost their Holiness yet they lost not their knowledge They are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from their knowledge and yet they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for their malice Devils still Knowledge may fill the head but it will never better the heart if there be not somewhat else The Pharises had much knowledge Behold thou art called a Jew and restest in the Law and makest thy boast of God Rom. 2.17 18. and knowest his will c. and yet they were a Generation of Hypocrites Sinite Sapientes hujus mundi sapienter descendere adinfernum Alass how many have gone loaded with knowledge to hell Though it is true that it is life eternal to know God and Jesus Christ yet it is as true that many do know God and Jesus Christ that shall never see life eternal There is you must know a two fold knowledge one is common but not saving the other is not common but saving common knowledge is that which floats in the head but doth not influence nor affect the heart This knowledge reprobates may have Num. 23.10 Balaam saw Christ from the top of the Rocks and from the Hills Naturalists say that there is a pearl in the Toads head and yet her belly is full of Poyson The French have a Berry which they call uve de spine the grape of a Thorn The common knowledge of Christ is the pearl in the Toads head the grape that grows upon Thorns it may be found in men unsanctified Isa 53 11. And then there is a saving knowledge of God and Christ which doth include the assent of the mind and the consent of the will this is a knowledge that implies faith by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many And this is that knowledge which leads to life eternal now whatever that measure of knowledge is which a man may have of God and of Jesus Christ yet if it be not this saving knowledge knowledge joyned with affection and application he is but almost a Christian 〈◊〉 1.10 He onely knows God aright who knows how to obey him and obeys according to his knowledge of him a good understanding have all they that do his commandements All knowledge without this makes a man but like Nebuchadnezzers Image with a Head of Gold and Feet of Clay Some know but to know Some know to be known Some know to practise what they know Now to know but to know that 's curiosity To know to be known that 's vain glory But to know to practise what we know that is Gospel duty This makes a man a compleat Christian the other without this makes a man almost and yet but almost a Christian 2. A man may have great and eminent gifts yea spiritual gifts and yet be but almost a Christian The gift of prayer is a spiritual gift now this a man may have and yet be but almost a Christian for the gift of prayer is one thing the grace of prayer is another Mat. 7.22 1 Cor. 12.10 The gift of Preaching and prophecying is a spiritual gift now this a man may have and yet be but almost a Christian Judas was a great Preacher so were they that came to Christ and said Lord Lord we have prophecyed in thy name and in thy name cast out Devils c. You must know that it is not gifts but grace which makes a Christian For 1. Gifts are from