Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	scripture_n	spirit_n	try_v	2,382	5	8.8588	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61378	Sober singularity, or, An antidote against infection by the example of a multitude being practical meditations on Exod. 23, vers. 2 : wherein is opened the influence of the practise of a multitude, to draw men to sin, the special cases, wherein it concerns us to be most cautious, reasons why we must not follow them, together with the application of the whole : and therein, besides the general improvement of the point, an instance given of nineteen practises of the multitude to be avoided, seven of their grand principles to be rejc̈ted [sic] : sundry particulars concerning peace and unity, and the sanctification of the Lords Day, useful for these times / by R. Stedman ...	Stedman, Rowland, 1630?-1673.	1660 (1660)	Wing S5376; ESTC R38303	146,089	254

of the way that they may give themselves up freely to lasciviousness to commit iniquity with greediness It is the very principle which S. Paul mentioneth to be in the hearts of the impenitent and which he rebukes with such vehemency and holy indignation Rom. 9.18 19. He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardeneth Thou wilt say then unto me why doth he yet find fault for who hath resisted his will As if they should say our salvation we see depends wholly on the will and pleasure of God If he hath decreed to bring us to heaven we shall get thither however we demean our selves and if God hath decreed us to condemnation we shall be condemned whatever pains we take to walk in the strict wayes of religion For his will is arbitrary and unchangeable such as cannot be resisted My brethren these corrupt reasonings must be silenced else they will cut the sinews of all vigorous indeavours to please the Lord and to be found faithful unto him The doctrine of Gods Prescience and Decrees is no countenancer of slothfulness no enemy to godliness but a promoter thereof if rightly weighed and considered It mightily tends to the advancement of the Grace of God 2 Tim 1.9 To empty a man of himself and to stop the mouth of all proud carnal gloriation and boasting 1 Cor. 4.7 To quicken and provoke us to diligence and exactness in the works of piety that thereby it may appear that we are a chosen people whom God hath called according to his purpose 1 Thes 1.4 5 6 7. And therefore to stop the mouth of those sin-advancing and soul-ruining reasonings and to set your spirits right in this particular Let these four contrary principles be well setled and fastened in your souls 1. Whom God hath appointed to salvation as the end he hath appointed to regeneration and universal obedience in the life as the means leading to that end Whom he hath predestinated to partake of the kingdom of Heaven by vertue of the Merits of the death of Jesus Christ he hath predestinated to be conformed to the image of his Son Rom. 8.29 These things are so inseparably connected together in Gods decree that they cannot possibly be parted God hath not determined to conduct such or such to eternal life though they live in a course of sin and lie polluted in their bloud If any plead form such apprehensions let them know that this is not the scripture doctrine of Gods decrees but a wicked slur and aspersion whereby the adversaries of free grace indeavour to bring up an evil report upon the truth The scripture doctrine is this That whom God purposeth to save from the wrath to come he doth purpose to sanctifie and cleanse from all their filthiness and to guide them by his spirit in the way of holiness What can be more plain if ungodly men had not a mind wilfully to pervert the words of the Holy Ghost and to wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction 2 Thes 2.13 14. God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth Whereunto he hath called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ Therefore brethren stand fast and hold the traditions which ye have been taught whether by word or our epistle 1 Pet. 1.3 Elect according to the fore-knowledg of God the Father through sanctification of the spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the bloud of Jesus Christ Rom. 8.30 Mereover whom he did predestinate them he also called and and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified Mark it where the Lord hath decreed glorification for the end he hath decreed conversion and holiness and evangelical obedience as the necessary means to lead thither And what God hath joyned together let no sinner be so ●ardy as to pluck asunder 2. The rule for guidance of our conversations at which we are to take counsel for direction in all our actions is not Gods will of purpose what he hath determined to do But his will of precept what he hath appointed in his laws and statutes to be done by us Our work lieth in the diligent observation of his commandments His counsels are secrets reserved in his own breast and bosom till by the uprightness of our hearts and the integrity of our lives we make it appear that we are chosen of God A man may have an hand in bringing about much of the purpose of the Lord and yet be a wicked rebel in so doing Act. 2.23 So that I say our business consisteth in hearkening to his law and conforming our selves to the dictates and injunctions of the same Deut. 29.29 The secret things belong unto the Lord our God But those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever that we may do all the words of this law 3. Settle this as a principle in your hearts That it is a point of egregious folly and sottishness to be more earnest and heedful in the preserving our bodies than in the saving our souls and to venture our precious and immortal souls and the affairs of the world to come in such a bottom wherein we will not venture to put our selves as to the transitory enjoyments of this world This very consideration if throughly laid to heart will sufficiently shew us the wea●●●ss and gross stupidity of the multitude in their reasonings For none of them will be perswaded thus to argue the case in respect to their bodily health and outward estate My beloved as God hath predetermined in the matters of mans salvation So he hath fore ordained all things that come to pass There is not the smallest concernment that befalleth any of the children of men but it falleth under the compass of Gods decrees Eph. 1.11 Being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will Now take the profanest sinner and he will not plead after this fashion in relation to his outward man and earthly comforts When a wicked man is bound upon the bed of sickness he will not say If God hath purposed I shall have ease of my pains then I shall be sure to have it however disorderly I am If God hath decreed to recover me I shall recover though I neglect the means And if not all my care and endeavours are to no effect No but saith he send for the Physitian give me this potion which is proper to my distemper and that cordial which is of use to strengthen nature For I must use the means of health if ever I would expect the blessing of health Take an unconverted sinner in his trade and tr●ffique he will not thus reason the case If God hath purposed that I shall be rich then I am sure it will come to pass however idle and negligent I am in my calling And

especially if they are persons of any note and eminency in Religion Whom may we imitate if not those that belong to the Lord and call themselves his servants Here is much danger of being defiled wherein we see such as are accounted eminent professours to defile themselves My brethren as a godly man may fall foully into heinous transgressions so a company of professours of godliness may joyn together in so doing And in such a case it is an easie thing for a man or woman to slip insensibly into the same errour and to be intangled with them in the same pollution For this you have a notable instance in the person of Barnabas touching the religious observance of the ceremonial law When the believing Jews came from James to Antioch they would not eat with the Gentiles as putting an holiness in abstinence from those things wherein Christ had purchased liberty And the Apostle Peter and other Jews of Antioch dissembled in the matter and joyned with them in their separation And when Barnabas saw such an eminent man as Peter and so many godly persons take that course he was quickly led into the same errour with them And had not S. Paul withstood them boldly and rebuked Peter to the face and stood up in the vindication of Christian liberty who knows how far the Gangrene might have spread See the history of it at larg Gal. 2.11 12 13 14. They were men of repute for godliness and believed in Jesus Christ and this mightily prevailed upon Barnabas and carried him away And upon this account it is that the devil acts most powerfully and doth greatest mischief by transforming himself into an Angel of light and when his ministers transform themselves into the ministers of righteousness For he knows that under a shew of Religion and in compliance with them that are highly esteemed for godliness many will be wrought upon to such things as otherwise they would abhor 2 Cor. 11.13 14 15. To give you some preservatives against infection on this account let me take the liberty to set before you these three Scripture truths 1. That the examples of the very best and choicest of the servants of God upon earth are not absolute and unquestionable rules for the guidance of our practise but they must be reduced unto the great example even that of our Lord Jesus Christ and no further owned than they are conformable and consentaneous thereunto He did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth He fulfilled all righteousness without defect or imperfection He was a Lamb without spot or blemish and therefore we may be concluded by his pattern But the most eminent Saints have their spots and blemishes Godly men and women do not alwayes act their godliness but sometimes vent their corruptions as well as others The principle of grace Sirs doth alwayes act like it self but a gracious man doth not alwayes act like himself Jam. 3.2 For in many things we offend all Eccl. 7.20 There is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not So that their examples must be tried by the Law and the testimony they must be examined as to their answerableness to the great example Indeed in many cases the practise of the Saints is a good Expositor of the rule and ought to be improved as an argument to quicken us to live up to the rule of the word of God but it is not sufficient of it self to constitute a rule nor to justifie any action that is condemned thereby And therefore as we are commanded in one place to be followers of the Saints so you have it restrained in another place with this limitation as far as they are followers of Jesus Christ Compare Heb. 6.12 with 1 Cor. 11.1 If a man were tyed up in every thing to follow the example of the godly he might at some times act like the devil and do that which tends to promote his interest Mat. 16.23 He turned and said unto Peter Get thee behind me Satan thou art an offence unto me for thou savourest not the things that be of God but those that be of men 2. The very use that we should make of the failings and miscarriages of the godly is not to incourage us to imitation but to quicken us to the more heedful circumspection that we may not fall into their sins Thus should we reason with our spirits If such or such eminent Christians have warped in this point or the other what need have we to watch and pray lest we should enter into temptation Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed least he fall See the pleading of Nehemiah from this Topick Neh. 13.25 26. Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons nor take their daughters unto your sons or for your selves Did not Solomon King of Israel sin by these things yet among many Nations was there no King like him who was be●●●d of his God and God made him King over all Israel never theless even him did outlandish women cause to sin 3. As a preventive against falling by this kind of seduction be very cautious that you do not divide asunder into sects and parties in the business of Religion For then this temptation is apt to work more powerfully and prevalently when we are of a party and the evil is practised by men of the same confederacy and perswasion with us When one Christian is for Paul and another of Apollos and a third of Cephas when believers are crumbled into divisions and take upon them names of distinction and separation one from another In such a case it is easie to be misled and corrupted People are apt to swallow down the tenents of that party to which they are joyned without weighing them in the ballance of the sanctuary and to write after * Vix dici potest quanto libentius imilemur quibus favemus Fab. their copy without questioning the warrantableness of it And truly Sirs there is utterly a fault-amongst us at this day concerning this matter I am perswaded there are many who would seem to be something for godliness can give you little or no grounds from the Scripture for divers things which they maintain and practise only they take it upon trust from the men of their way and perswasion And therefore my counsel is that of our Saviour Mat. 23.8 9 10. Call no man father upon the earth for one is your father which is in heaven Neither be ye called masters for one is your master even Christ i. e. Do not build your faith upon any mans judgment or opinion but search the Scriptures that you may know what is the mind of God Do not make parties in Religion nor impose upon mens faith but teach them those things which I have commanded you It seems to be spoken in opposition to the corrupt usage amongst the Jews who were miserably rent into Sects and were ready to follow some the dictates of one Rabbi and some of another who

end were they left Why to this very end that he might try his people whether they would cleave unto him with full purpose of heart or not So God could gather his Saints together and destroy the wicked from amongst them But he leaves them scattered up and down in the midst of the ungodly and surrounded with them on every side to this very purpose That he may try them whether they will fear and serve him or be conformed to the wicked amongst whom they dwell And therefore it is worth your observing by the way That there are three sorts of providential dispensations whereby God doth especially set his people upon the trial 1. By permitting errors and heresies to be vented amongst them By suffering men to vent their own corrupt notions instead of divine truths and to set up their own superstitious inventions in the place of Christs Ordinances These are a great trouble and perplexity upon the spirits of the godly and perhaps sometimes they are apt to wonder that the Lord doth not take more care of his own worship and institutions but suffereth them to be defiled with humane devices and sinful mixtures Why Sirs God is jealous of his truth and worship but he suffers these errors and corruptions for a time that Professors may be tried concerning the soundness of their profession whether they will be blown aside by every wind of doctrine and be carried by every specious pretence to follow the fancies of men or will hold fast the truth and simplicity of the Gospel 1 Cor. 11.19 For there must be also heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest among you 2. God doth put his people upon the trial by letting forth the rage of unreasonable men against them and by exercising them under hardships and difficulties upon the score of Religion For times of suffering for righteousness sake are discriminating seasons The boystrous wind of persecution will drive away the chaff and the wheat only will abide And therefore such dispensations are called trials because Gods end therein is that his people may be proved He doth not give them into the hands of his adversaries as if he did not regard their welfare or sought their ruin or delighted in their afflictions and sorrow but his intent is to try them 1 Pet. 4.12 Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as if some strange thing happened unto you Jam. 1.2 3. My brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations knowing this that the trying of your faith worketh patience 3. The Lord doth put his servants upon the trial by dispersing them amongst the ungodly and fixing their habitations in the midst of sinners For God hath appointed before the bounds of mens dwellings here as well as their eternal condition hereafter Act. 17.26 And he could gather his people into a body together But he hath scattered them up and down here a person and there a family and the wicked are one very side and it is done to this end that they may be proved whether they will go down the stream with the multitude or walk in the narrow way of holiness and the fear of God And would not you be found faithful upon trial Take the resolution of David as a pattern Psal 17.3 4. Thou hast proved mine heart thou hast visited me in the night thou hast tryed me and shalt find nothing I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress Concerning the works of men by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer This is all that I shall speak under the third general Head Touching the special cases that require most diligent circumspection lest we be drawn aside into sin by following the multitude SECT V. THe next Point to be handled is the demonstration or proof of the Doctrine The question is this Quest 4. What reasons may be produced against compliance with the multitude in sin which we may press upon our hearts in order to abate the edge of that inclination that is apt to be within us to follow their example Ans I shall reduce all that shall be delivered in answer to this Question unto four Heads The arguments may be drawn from four Topicks From 1. The spiritual estate wherein the multitude are 2. The concernment that lieth upon us to prove our own spiritual estate and condition 3. The duties that are incumbent on us in relation to the multitude which are altogether inconsistent with our compliance with them 4. The danger that will arise by following them 1. The first Argument is taken from the spiritual estate wherein most persons are and the way wherein they travel or the place whither they are going Why Sirs the greatest number of people are the children of the devil and lye in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity they go in the broad way that leads to hell and destruction So that if you will follow their example it must of necessity end in the ruine of your precious and immortal souls If you will travel towards heaven you must expect but few to bear you company and to be of your society and fellowship The multitude take another course and their journeying tends to another place even to the chambers of eternal death 1 Joh. 5.19 And we know that we are of God and the whole world lieth in wickedness The whole world that is the greatest part of the world the generality of people the denomination is given to the major part And will you follow them that lye in wickedness that are wholly drencht in sensuality and ungodliness Is their carriage a good pattern for imitation that are altogether dead in sin and even buried in it that lye in sin as in a dead sleep and are under the power and command of the prince of darkness This is the reason which our Saviour presseth Mat. 7.13 14. Enter ye in at the strait g●te for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there le which go in thereat Because strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and few there be that find it It amounts to thus much as if Christ had said The whole world is divided into two companies or secieties and they take different courses some are travelling towards heaven but alas they are but an handful in comparison of the multitudes that flock together in the way to hell and damnation Do not you therefore consort with them but associate your selves with the little flock to whom the Father hath designed to give the Kingdom If your hearts hanker after consociation and fellowship with the multitude you will be sure to find them in the way to eternal perdition 2. Therefore you should take heed that you be not led by the multitude that you may evidence your selves to be the peculiar people of God such as are taken

belief may not rest upon the bare opinions of men but upon the mouth of the Lord. That you may be able to say not only I acknowledg these doctrines to be divine and practise this and the other duty because men have perswaded me But because I find them contained in the Law of the Lord and that they are agreeable to his mind and will and that herein by the ministry I have been instructed in that which God himself hath revealed and prescribed who is a God of truth and faithfulness upon whose living word I bottome my trust and confidence Thus did the noble Beraeans and therefore many of them were converted and savingly wrought upon They did not take matters upon trust no not from Paul and Silas but they would see whether they taught them faithfully what they received from above And mark the note of excellency or asterisk that is set by the Holy Ghost upon their heads and the blessed issue of their enquiry Acts 17.11 12. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the scriptures daily whether those things were so Therefore many of them believed Do not think it enough to receive information of truth but examine whether they are indeed of heavenly extraction Search the Scriptures Jo. 5.39 They are appointed of God to be the sure doctrinal foundation whereupon our faith is to be bottomed Eph. 2.20 Ye are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone That I may awaken you to heedfulness in this regard let me beseech you to study throughly these three following considerations 1. If your faith be not bottomed upon a divine testimony even upon the word of the Lord it can amount no higher than an humane faith It cannot be a divine faith which receives mattes wholly upon trust from the dictates of men For Sirs the nature of faith is not diversified by the quality of the principles and truths that are believed but by the grounds whereupon and the reasons why they are believed Then is it an humane faith when built upon humane testimony and then is it divine faith when the testimony is divine whereupon credence is given Else a man may receive spiritual and supernatural truths divine doctrines by a meer common faith an humane faith when he taketh them wholly upon trust from the credit of men If you would see the difference betwixt these two that text is full by way of illustration Jo. 4.39 40 41 42. And many of the Samaritans of that City believed on him for the saying of the woman which testified he told me all that ever I did And many moe believed because of his own word And said unto the woman Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the world See also 1 Thes 2.13 2. If you do not search into the word and bottome your belief thereon you can never be stedfast and setled in the wayes of the Lord nor in any of the truths of religion You will be still in a wavering inconstant condition and in danger to be turned aside from the faith And the reason is apparent because the dictates of men are variable and inconstant One man may press upon you this as a point to be believed and another may possibly instruct you in the contrary as a truth Nay the same persons at different seasons may vent doctrines of a different nature To be laid in the ballance they are altogether lighter than vanity And therefore if you build your faith upon their opinions you must of necessity be left at great uncertainties But the word of the Lord is fixt and permanent alwayes consonant and agreeable unto it self There you may rest as upon a rock that can never be moved For every word of God is pure Prov. 30.5 The words of the Lord are pure words as silver tried in a furnace of earth purified seven times Psal 12.6 Men are subject to mistakes and errours but the word of the Lord will never deceive you that cannot be mistaken 3. Unless you try doctrines by the rule of the scriptures and bottom your faith upon the word of the Lord you do not give glory to God in believing Unless you take it upon his word and receive it as proceeding out of his mouth you do not give unto God the honour of believing the truth If you receive the matters of religion only upon the dictates of men you rob God of his glory and give it unto them For this is a special part of our worship of God and one of the peculiar prerogatives which he doth challeng unto himself that we give up our judgments absolutely unto his guidance and yield perfect credence unto his word Jo. 4.20.21 Our father 's worshipped in this mountain and ye say that Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship Jesus saith unto her Woman believe me c. q. d. You are apt to pin your faith upon the sleeves of your fathers whereas this is one of the glorious Royaltie * Magnus Dei cultus fides Magna in Deum blasphemia incredulitas which appertain unto me who am the Christ to have the absolute command of your faith you must try the doctrines and practises of your fathers and all the opinions of men are to be estimated according to their consonancy unto my word As in performance of duty we should be careful to give unto God the glory of his Sovereign authority which is when we do the work of the Lord because it is commanded to be done by him So in our assent to the truths of the Gospel we should give unto God the glory of his truth and faithfulness which is when we believe what is spoken of the Lord because we know the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it It is said of Abraham Rom. 4.20 He staggered not at the promise through unbelief but was strong in faith giving glory to God Why Sirs this is the way to give glory to God when we set to our seals to the doctrines of godliness because they proceed from the God of heaven believing the things which are written by the Prophets and Apostles those faithful Amanuenses of the Spirit of God who spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost 2. Take heed of being corrupted by the example of the multitude in respect of the matter and substance of Religion wherein it is placed and whereunto they confine it For commonly people are wont to be too narrow and short upon this account Q. Wherein do the multitude for the most part place their Religion Ans I shall instance only in sive things 1. The generality of people place the whole of their Religion In the reforming and ordering their lives and actions But they seldom or never think of the necessity of sanctifying their