Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
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A87671
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Orders given out; the word, stand fast. As it was lately delivered in a farewell sermon / by Major Samuel Kem, to the officers and souldiers of his regiment in Bristoll. Novemb. 8. 1646.
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Kem, Samuel, 1604-1670.
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1646
(1646)
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Wing K254; Thomason E366_3; ESTC R29849
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10,638
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28
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boults and butt-ends of the very planks of the ship are started out The Lord pity us what a spirit of giddyness is upon us and if any old errors which is unknown to most with some quaint expressions and hye-flying Phylosophical notions are delivered how cowardly do we start off from the old truths of Jesus Christ and are invassail'd by upstart errors It is a sad time but this a more sad omen of worser times even the rabble of opinions in this City of Bristol of which I may say that as the sword hath slain many so hath error many more in a few moneths time One while such a man preacheth truth and you are willing to pul out your eyes to do him good a little after you are ready to pul out his eyes and he is a low man and not worthy your presence and so discouraged How many wayes do you make to heaven in this place I beseech you where I am related unto to look to your Guards Keep a strict watch double your Guard eye your sallyports and put on the whole Armour of God that you may be able to stand fast to the Truth in the day of assault that you may quit your selves like men Use 2. Informeth us of the causes of this lowerlinesse and basenesse of Spirit and inconstancy to Truth First When men are ignorant they may easily prove inconstant True men have abundance of indistinct knowledge much head knowledge little heart knowledge Now the one makes men talk admirably but the other to stand to it gallantly Truly Ignorance is the spunge to suck in all Errors and spiritual Pride the bawde to vent them that which is weak is light chaff may be tossed any way Secondly When mens apprehensions are very large but their affections very foul when men know much of truth but withall love much of the world or self or sinful Liberty Now you know a foul stomach ever makes an il head and a secret love of sin works out a love of truth Men easily grow erroneous when they affect Liberty and wax Irreligious Third Cause Men are strangely infected with a base and late predominant Epidemical disease the Itch of spiritual Pride which was caught of our first Parent The greatest Errors ever drop from those that are most proud and are taken up by those that are most ignorant Fourth Many have Athenian wits and long after Novelties and although old Wine be best yet they love to drink in fashion Fifth Cause A Colloging slavishnesse many giving up their faith and souls to opinions of other great men or to Relations Sixth An eminent love of the world this made Demas and Hymenaeus forsake truth A slave to the world wil never be a faithful servant to truth he that dares pawn their souls wil in time venter to sel the Truth Seventh Licentious hearts when men affect pleasure for corrupt doctrines gives more scope then truth to a libertinious heart and we are apt to beleeve that soonest that pleaseth us best Erroneous points are more for pleasure and ease yea and purse too Divine truths are for strictnesse Now there are many Grecian-like give up their weapons for their sports many forsake the truth that they may more freely injoy their Liberty in those ways are most pleasing to their spirits Vse Exhortation I am come heartily to beg of you this one thing to lay a solid foundation in the knowledge of the truths of God Confused brains cause unsettled hearts rest not with Pilates quere where art thou or with Israel to halt betwixt two opinions nor to take up any truth on trust for any mans sake whatsoever or any self-ends or aims but with the honorable Bereans search the Scripture receive truth upon the evidence of truth be sure of the Word there is litle difference betwixt shiboleth and siboleth yea and in the last days many shal say loe this is Christ and here is Christ yet try yea the Enemy hath got the word therefore be strict upon examination bring the most specious expressions to the Standard try all there Quaere How shal we know the truth upon his march there being so many gone out under his banners to deceive and all is not gold that glisters Try the spirits for every spirit is not of God Solu You may make a discovery First by its Unity Second by its Purity Thirdly its Efficacy Fourthly Antiquity Fifthly Simplicity For the first observe it you shal find it one as God is one Unum et verum convertuntur There is but one way to heaven many to miss it It is an unisone with its principles Erroneous doctrines want no outward harmony and outward consent but truth as it is one in itself so it works men to onenesse to be of one mind truth is of a binding up nature Secondly Truth is comprehended in Purity Errors are much in outward beauty like Curtizans little in honesty Truth is pure in its self and unto us It is an adversary to all sin because all sin is an adversary to Jesus Christ and to Gods glory It is pure likewise in its operations it sets it self against all basenesse Titus 1.14 15. It is truly pure not counterfeitly pure Thirdly By the efficacy of truth other doctrines add to our Notions but never meddle with our corruptions they swel our heads but never mend our hearts they work in the brain but never meddle with the spirit increase much wit to talk wel but conveigh little strength to walk close with God In a word they never bring grace or peace from Jesus Christ The truth that comes from God leadeth to God It makes the bad good and the good better Truth works the heart not only from grosser but lesser sins even the spots of the world 1 Thes 5.22 vid. Truth works the heart to a liking of nothing unlike it self or unbecoming the Gospel of Jesus Christ Fourthly By the Antiquity Id demum verissimum quod antiquissimum and truly as it was sometime replyed to those of Rome that we can look beyond Luther So may we to the rabble of Heresies in these times we can look and see the time when they had not a being indeed they are comparatively but of yesterday and it is possible for an easie Herald to drive the pedigree of the Anabaptist Brownists Antinomians Pelagians Socinians Arians Antetrinitarians Seekers c. and to demonstrate them to be all subservient although active actors for Scout master general self-ends or aims when truth like the Sun hath run its course through all ages not that all have imbraced it but some have received it Fifthly By its Simplicity it wil indure handling it is found Erroneous doctrine like unfound flesh or sore eyes abhors a touch or the light and therefore is more in private then publick not that I oppose private duties but prise them but resist those that oppose publick Ordinances For if what any deliver in their private conventions bee good and sound truth I beseech them let it come to light Bonum quo communius eo melius Truth fears no trial although il faced women would have al glasses broken but such as they have got made to flatter them Truth put it self upon proof yea in publick Veritas non querere argales especially in days of Liberty of the Gospel and when truth is pallizadoed with so many oaky fortifications It is not now accusation enough to be a Christian no be as holy as David as muke as Moses as wise as Solomon walk with God and be upright before him with Abraham yea let every man be followers of Jesus Christ and injoy his Liberty in the Truths of Iesus Christ for blessed be God there may be some pretences but no just ground for the least fear of persecution for conscience-sake Lastly Having found out the truth I beg heartily of you yea more then for my Arrears to love the truth do the truth suffer for the truth this wil bee a sure boult to keep out all Errors when Truth is stil stirring in your ears and Sin ruling in your hearts you can never do good on it he must needs have a meek hand to hold fast truth or foot to stand fast that hath a wicked heart Hymenaeus let go faith and a good conscience together 1 Tim. 1.19 Wherefore I beseech you be doing Christians as wel as knowing ones And now should I fal on with the reserve and shew you the beauty and honour of a resolved spirit for the truths of Iesus Christ And have given a thorow and thorow charge to the sad yet bold divisions of these times with my left wing under the prevailing Banner of Love and Unity and shown you how good a thing it is for brethren to live in Love and Unity but I am prevented in managing this onslaught at present and shal take leave of you praying you that all things may be done amongst you in love And praying for you That the God of truth would lead you on from this day and fix and establish you in the Truth Finally brethren farewel be perfect be of good comfort be of one mind live in love and peace and the God of love and peace shal be with you yea now the very God of peace sanctifie you all throughout And now the Lord of peace himself give you peace by all means The Lord be with you all FINIS
and counsel you Especially upon the discovery of a late large and numerous Recruit on the Enemies Partie for the most part all consisting of such as have revolted from our own Partie and have quit their ground of truths The Commander in cheif of this Regiment is Error whose Colours are fresh and of glorious resplendency but changeable and therefore stand fast for his fairest quarter is ruine which appeareth by his free quarter in your families when his first actings are to division yea betwixt those of the neerest and deared relations and a house divided cannot stand I by Commission am ingaged for your relief and therefore for your future security I shal intreat you to strengthen your selves by this Recruit consisting of three Divisions First Fidelity or Constancy Stand fast in the truth quit your selvs like men be strong Second Spiritual Gallantry Stand fast in the truth quit your selvs like men be strong Third Unity Let all things be done in love The first of these wil keep you from being Routed The second from being Conquered The third from being Ruined The first wil argue you men The second wil report you gallant men or men of men The third wil demonstrate you holy and humble Christian men And therefore now beloved Officers and Christian fellow Soldiers take Courage take you the Field to scare not to face your Enemies and give me leave to shew you your General compleatly accoutred in Johns vision observe his ordering the Feild and give me leave leaving the issue to God to fal on First let Constancy in the Faith and all the Truths of Jesus Christ have the Battalia Secondly let spiritual Courage have the right wing Thirdly let Love have the lest and overcome all I shal adventure to fal on with Constancy second me with Courage and I beseech you that all may be done and suffered by the conquest of Love First of the first Stand fast that 's the Word Faith in the heart not in the head is the signal Stand fast not a while and then revolt or give ground To walk a while in the truth and after for any ends to desert it is base it argues not a Soldier to list his name and to purchase a feather shews are light things in military actings or wear a sword or to appear on the march if they either take hedge or windmil for a shelter or quit their ground or trust in the shock of Battail Truly we say a drunken man never made good Souldier nor a reeling headed man a good Christian Soldier Secondly In the Faith not in falshoods in the truths not shews zeal and stedfastnesse are right when the one is a sharp weapon for Truth and the other is stiffe and unbending for the Faith Now you are to know there is a two-fold Faith One by which wee beleeve Secondly Is that which is beleeved and this is called Doctrinall Faith Now when Christians are zealous resolute and will dye in the Truths and for the Truths of Jesus Christ this is to stand fast in the Faith Observation Standing fast to the Truths of Jesus Christ strenuously with constancy is a notable peece of spirituall Gallantry This you shal find hinted to the Angel of the Church of Smirnians Revel 2.10 Fear none of these things which thou shalt suffer for the truth and in the 11. verse and latter end Be faithful to the death and I wil give thee a crown of life The Spirit of God records this point of Gallantry in the Church of Pergamus verse 13. I know thy works where thou dwellest where Sathan hath his seat i. e. where wicked men are in authority and heresie prevaileth yet thou holdest fast my name and hast not denyed the faith even in those dayes wherein Antipas my faithful Martyr suffered c. Rev. 3.10 11 12. 1 Joh. 2.23 24. Let that therefore abide in you which ye have heard from the beginning If that shall abide in you ye shal continue in the Son und in the Father now to be in God is to be Heroick indeed 2 Pet. 1.12 That ye be established in the present truth 1 Pet. 5.9 Whom resist stedfast in the Faith 2 Thes 2.15 Therefore brethren stand fast It was Gallantry in the Grecian women who when their sons put on their sheilds gave them in charge either to bring them back or dye It is storyed of Epaminondes that hee was so addicted to his buckler that he was wont to say I wil either hold thee or dye with the losse of thee It was the gallant resolution of a Roman Officer either to keep his ground or lose his life Truly Christian friends it is gallantry in you in these sad times of Alaruming Truth in its quarters and upon the several charges is given the men of truth daily to stand or fall with it in our hearts Quaere But Sir I pray what is truth one saith he is for truth and this is truth another says that is and is for it what is the truth you councel us to stand fast unto Solut. There are humane moral Truths rules in secular Arts such as Paul held fast until his conversion but then let go not the use of them but the abuse of them he left glorying in them counted all dung for the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ. Secondly There are Divine truths called Scripture truths these are either Imaginary or Real I do not say it is gallantry to stand fast to all that every man delivers to you for truth or propounds or conjectures to bee so but such as Scripture determines to be so such as the word wil own and wil own the word upon demand in the evidence of his not our own spirits For truly it is with Truth at this day as with the Infant brought to Solomon the false mothers cry divide it and let every one share in that limb which his own conscience which indeed is no conscience guides him unto which is to profer themselves to posterity the founders of an intolerable Toleration of all Errors and by this way Antichrist himself against whom we have solemnly protested and before God so unanimously covenanted must be in equity admitted a childs portion The LORD direct our Solomons to that height of surpassing wisdome as to give the child of Truth to its own Parents that cry a whole and one or none To stand fast to this whole truth of God and for it is indeed Spiritual gallantry Athanasius and others of the Nicene Fathers would not add one jot about the Diety of Jesus Christ no not in any time Times may differ men may change and vary but Truth never whether in prosperity as in Constantines days or in adversity as in Neroes truth is the same The fixed stars shine in the coldest nights yea then brightest Josephus reports of the Samaritans that if any good befel the Jews then they would claim their kindred and boast that they came from Jacob but if in any misery or