Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	seem_v	zeal_n	zealous_a	74	3	9.4304	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01711	Certaine sermons, vpon diuers textes of Holie Scripture Whereof some haue been seuerally before published, and other some for the greater benefit of the godly reader are here now added. By M. George Giffard, preacher of the worde of God at Mauldon Essex.	Gifford, George, d. 1620.; Gifford, George, d. 1620. A sermon on the parable of the sower. aut; Gifford, George, d. 1620. Two sermons upon I. Peter 5. vers. 8 and 9. aut; Gifford, George, d. 1620. Foure sermons uppon the seven chiefe vertues of faith. aut; Gifford, George, d. 1620. A godlie, zealous, and profitable sermon upon the second chapter of saint James. aut; Gifford, George, d. 1620. A sermon preached at Pauls Crosse the thirtie day of May. aut; Gifford, George, d. 1620. A sermon on the third chapter of Saint Iames. aut	1597 (1597)	STC 11848.5; ESTC S120470	152,707	288

holy booke of God be our ground let it bee brought foorth to cut downe all controuersies and let men if they looke for any part of the blessing here promised yeeld all honour and glorie vnto this sacred word yea let no man stand vpon his owne honour or reputation if he haue maintained any thing awry but so soone as euer hee espieth the truth in any matter yeeld thereunto let the trueth of God goe before and lead vs the way For this is the onely way to grow into this holy vnitie And let such as walke a wrie forsake their euill waies embrace the heauenly truth and follow the rules thereof if they will be accounted studious of peace and concord Ioyning thus vnto the truth both in faith and godlines of life wee shall be ioyned togither in the Lord and it shall be saide Behold how good and how comely a thing it is for brethren also to dwell at vnitie It shall bee like that precious ointment vpon the head of Aaron c. The heauenly graces gifts of the holy ghost shall come downe vpon vs plenteously and flow vnto euerie member wee shall bring foorth fruite vnto God watered with heauenly dewes wee shall haue that great and high blessing of God almightie vnto eternall life Therefore if it bee not too late that the sinnes of this land haue prouoked the Lorde to displeasure let all men lift vp their hearts and crie vnto the Lord that he will bestow this precious iewell vpon vs that wee may bee at vnitie not in all manner of wicked vices nor in errours but in the Lord. And now who shall seeke this vnitie who shall studie to aduance it This may be in question I answer euen all states and degrees of men priuat persons rulers and teachers euen all and euery one that wil looke for any part of gods blessing must aduance it Euery man I say must looke vnto the heauenly truth of the holy religion and embrace the same with all loue and heartie affection Euery man ought to be zealous in spirit for the glorie of Christ For if a man haue not the zeale of religion hee can not be a good man whether hee be ruler or priuate man though hee seeme to be neuer so peaceable but as the Lord saith to the Angell of the Church of Laodicea Reu. 3. Because thou art neither hot nor colde I vvill spewe thee out of my mouth God doth reiect all such dull and drowsie Atheistes and irreligious persons which are so earthly minded as that they regard not the heauenly graces which are offered in the Gospell Let all men therefore stirre vp their heartes to be feruent in Gods truth and let not godly zeale be quenched Then further as I haue also shewed before wee must ioyne the practise of this holy word as the Apostle S. Iames willeth Be doers of the worde and not hearers onely deceiuing your selues Iam. 2.19 for the great disturbāce of peace the grieuous breaches of vnity all bitter dissentions do chiefly arise from hence that all sorts degrees of men walke not in the rules which God hath prescribed vnto them in his word Wee must therefore enter more particularly into this matter that we may see how ech mā is to further this blessed vnitie I begin with the priuat person for whome there are rules prescribed in Gods word for him to obserue if he wil be a true member of the Church a seeker preseruer of this vnitie so a partaker of Gods blessing vnto life euerlasting One rule is touching subiection reuerence vnto gouernors both ciuill and ecclesiasticall for God hath commanded to honor obey them Submit your selues vnto all manner ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be vnto the king as vnto the superiour or vnto gouernors as vnto them that are sent of him for the punishment of euill doers and for the praise of them that doe well 1. Pet. 2. v. 13 14. Also of this obedience and subiection for conscience sake of this reuerence and honour to be rendred S. Paul writeth Rom. 13. v. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Likewise obey them that haue the ouersight of you and submit your selues for they watch for your soules as they that must giue accounts c. Heb. 13.17 The neglect and breach of this rule euen the denying of obedience reuerence and honour vnto the rulers gouernours and teachers disturbeth and ouerthroweth the vnitie which is here praised If then a man will not make conscience to performe this dutie in obeying the holy doctrine of the Lord what is he other then an enemy vnto the true concord a dissoluer of vnitie peace But what if rulers offend pastors and gouernors faile and come short in some duties and therby seeme vnworthy to be regarded I say if they do they shall answer before God for it but yet priuate men are not set at libertie they are not discharged from this obedience and rendring honor vnto them for it is vnto the authoritie and vnto Gods ordinance that they doe it and not in respect of man God hath not prescribed the duties of men which are to be done vnto others vnder this condition if they perfourme all that which they ought to doe on their parts or if they be such maner of men as they ought to be But he hath prescribed euery mans duty absolutely If an other faile in his hee shall answer as I said for it before God thou hast no warrant hereby to depart from the rule which God hath set vnto thee For thou art tied in conscience vnto God to obey his will not in regard of man or of thine owne benefit to doe this or that for by the doctrine of the blessed Apostle wee see that Christian subiects and faithfull seruants are commanded euen for conscience to giue honour vnto heathen princes and infidell masters Rom. 13.1 Tim. 6.1 wee must then from this expresse worde of God obserue that when gouernours doe amisse men haue not their tongues set at libertie to reuile and to reproch them or to dishonour them with euil speech seeing it is also written Thou shalt not curse the ruler of the people Exod. 22. v. 28. But contrariwise praiers and supplications are to be made vnto God for rulers and teachers of the Lords people When they offend it is with great hurt to the Church and therefore men are to lament and mourne for it and not to make themselues merrie with iestes and reproches Let all euill speeches of disgrace then be turned into praiers and the laughter into teares for this shall be more pleasing vnto God Let no man beare himselfe in hād that he is not guilty of the breach of holy concord when he obserueth not the rules of this doctrine of submission of reuerence and honour to be giuen vnto gouernours Another rule is giuen by the Apostle in these words That ye studie to be quiet and to meddle with your

well therefore I thinke good not to disquiet them Heere is now woonderfull patience these are verie godly and charitable persons yea euen a treacherie towards God and men For is there anie of them which being slandered with some foule crime wherby they shuld receiue great iniurie or be spitefully rayled vpon if some of their neere friendes sit by and hold their tougues when they know they be iniuried that cannot by and by feele say this was colde friendship that they could not haue dealt so vnlouinglie towardes their friendes by whomsoeeuer they should haue heard them so abused they could not haue helde their tonges Then belike God nor his truth are none of their deare friends that they can put vp such iniurie done towardes him There is plentie of this patience in all places but godlinesse cannot be suffered to come neere for hee is a breake peace and a verie vnpleasant fellowe hee is ouer rough and precise and ouer captious there was good neighbourhood and friendship before he came they could bee merie together and bee in vnitie without any iarre had it not beene better to vse gentlenesse and patience then to haue this broyle for there is nothing better then loue where that is not there is nothing good O miserable dayes this is the good loue now among men that they cannot loue one another but they must hate God to haue peace and concord with men to be at oddes with God for mens sake to put vp the dishonoring of his name not to continue in patience vnles godlines be wanting The vngodlie world and leud nature that is in men taketh occasion to accuse godlie zeale vnder this pretence and to finde fault with the preaching of the word because say they it setteth men at strife But wee must learne in this place to ioyne godlines with our patience for otherwise we shall bee found to bee nothing els but irreligious and prophane dogs although we pretend loue neuer so much The time will not suffer to handle the rest which remaineth in this Text. Let vs rememeber that which hath beene said and giue all diligence to pursue these excellent vertues that so wee may approoue our selues to be right Christians and look for the blessed hope promised in Iesu Christ THE THIRD SERMON 7 And with godlinesse brotherlie kindnesse and with brotherlie kindnesse loue 8 For if these things be with you and abound they will make you that ye shall not bee idle nor vnfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ 9 For he that hath not these things is blind and seeth not a farre off and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sinnes ANd with godlinesse brotherlie kindnesse c. We haue heard alreadie that with our faith must be ioyned vertue or godly deedes which it cannot bee without if it bee a true faith with vertue wee are commaunded to ioyne knowledge which may bee a guide thereunto our knowledge must goe with temperance with this must come patience and thereunto must be ioyned godlinesse There remaine yet two branches of these speciall vertues about which wee are to trauell the first of these is brotherlie loue or kindnesse which must be yoked with godlinesse as I said that this godlinesse hee speaketh of is referred to the first Table of the Lawe respecting God and his religion that we be sound and zealous in the same and not as those which are for all all times and all religions and therefore care not what bee said against religion being very bellie-gods and Atheistes so this is referred to the second table shewing what we owe vnto men This is verie fitlie and necessarily added for as there bee manie which regarding men onely how to please and not to grieue or offend them altogether forgetting their dutie towardes the Lord God and wholie shutting him out as though their chiefe care should be of men let passe godlinesse so there bee some that offende on the other side which looking alwaies so high as to haue respect to the Lord and his trueth to bee earnest and fierie in that ouerlooke men forgetting the duties which they owe vnto them the holie Apostle meeteth with this mischiefe and telleth vs that we must so loue God that we also loue men ioyne saith he to your godlines brotherly kindnesse For vnlesse this bee ioyned and goe with our zeale of Gods worde it is no true godlines although we bee neuer so sound in iudgement and seem to be as hot as Moses or Elias yea euen to bee swallowed vp with burning zeale for it doth not proceed from Gods spirit who doth also work the loue towards men whersoeuer he goeth but it doeth proceed of some corrupt cause as of vaine glorie or selfe-loue and such like and deserueth not indeed to bee called godlie deuotion no more than the true faith can bee without vertue or deserueth to bee called ought saue a shadowe or image of faith if it bee without good workes but it is a bitternesse which resembleth the true zeale which doth euermore carrie with it a loue and care towards men True it is that to be zealous in spirit is a singular and speciall gift of God they which be without it are but brutish and sencelesse creatures not knowing God nor how precious his glorie is yet this must bee looked vnto in euerie one of vs whether we beare a louing affection toward our brethren or no for if we loue God we must needs loue men which beare his image If we delight in the word of God this is one chief point of doctrin that is taught in it that we be louing kind vnto men Therfore as S. Paul 1. Cor. 13. sheweth that verie excellent gifts doe not profit without loue so likewise in this place we be taught that if wee would seeme to bee godlie and haue not loue it is nothing woorth Let euery man therefore lay this doctrine to his heart that he must be earnest in the causes of the Lord zealous in religion preferring God and his truth before all men whosoeuer and whatsoeuer they be but yet withall that hee must look downe vnto men rendring vnto them their due also this doing hee may bee bolde he is in the right way Vnto this brotherlie loue we be charged to ioyne loue It may bee heere demaunded againe what maner of speech this is which the Apostle doth vse for is not brotherlie kindnes or brotherly loue as the word doth signifie and loue all one Wee must bee farre from thinking Saint Peter to deale with so little heede as to will vs to ioine the very same thing to the same we must therefore seeke a difference betweene these two Wee may take this difference either that the first of these doth expresse what we owe towardes the godly who bee chieflie called the brethren and the latter what wee owe vnto all both good and bad or els the former doth signifie the inward affection of loue and the

whome it is written how they may as we vse to say make this thing dead sure for there is many a godly man which after long trauell and much care to please God is yet so matched with stubborn nature so deeply infected and poisoned with sinne that he is compelled although hee haue gained much and doeth feele the power of Gods spirit in him sometimes to be in doubt and to thinke his labour but lost because he can not get so great a victorie as hee would faine let not this man be dismaied but let him goe forward remembring what is here promised the more he wanteth the more let him striue and he shall plainly perceiue that God regardeth his care trauell considereth his sighes and grones and will performe all his desires let him remember that these men whome S. Peter wrote vnto had obtained the precious faith did know and were established in the present trueth and yet they were not so far but that they may be mooued to make their election sure to seeke a further entrance into the kingdome of Christ so to continue that which was but begun Wee ought the more to be mooued hereunto because the world is euer full of fearefull examples which if they were wel considered would make a mans haire to stand vpright when he shall see that for want of this doctrine or at the least the not practising of it there be many which seeme not only to haue had some good liking of the truth but also a great zeale euen to suffer somewhat for the same which are become as cold as ice scarse any point of godlines left in thē yea though they would beare men in hand that they haue like good schollers proceeded to the highest fourme yet when our great master shall pose them they shall not be allowed to sit in the lowest so dangerous a thing it is once to relent or slacken our care vntill we haue gotten this full assurance and made this rich entrance into the kingdome of Christ that wee feele our selues to be led by the spirit of God feele it not by the vaine conceit of our owne foolish braine nor by sensles securitie but by the working and fruits of the same spirit If this were well weighed men would not content themselues with so little or nothing they would not make so sleight account of teaching they would leaue off their slanderous reprochfull railings they would not like filthy swine wallow themselues still in the filthy mire of their sins they would not prattle so much of this that al are sinners therefore thinke all are alike shuffling togither one with another nay God will sunder them for hee hath taught here who be godly and faithfull such as hee taketh and accepteth for his children and who be vngodly Infidels children of the deuill and heires of hell For in very deed though all be sinners yet they greatly differ for some continue in their sinnes seducing deceiuing themselues with vaine hope of Gods mercie some do repent after the maner here prescribed them which standeth in this that they clense themselues more and more from all filthines of the flesh and grow in all vertues and graces vntill they be decked in their soules with heauenly ornaments and haue yeelded vp themselues to haue Christ raigne in them As for the common repentance to cry onely with words for mercie in some light measure to be greeued to feare the iudgements of God and yet the soule within nothing changed nor the spirit renued nor Christ raigning in the heart it doth but deceiue al which trust to it Most true it is that what time soeuer a sinner doth repent he is forgiuē but this is as like to that repentance which is here by S. Peter described as wee say an apple is to an oister for if we looke well vnto them both we shall find thē to agree but in very few things those euen the least Let vs I say once againe fasten our steps in this way let vs goe forward and not so much as looke backe vntill such time as wee haue by our owne experience prooued that to be true which is taught by S. Peter For it is not enough to beleeue that this is true although that be somwhat vnles we trie it to be so by our selues Hee is now a starke foole which seeth this to be the only way to happines and for sloth will not walke in it as though the kingdome of heauen were not worth the trauelling for Wee may gather also in this place if wee be not senslesse how great enemies they be to the saluation of men which would vtterly debarre them of the word that is appointed to be the instrument by which God worketh all these good things in his seruants for without that as it may be easily gathered here we can do nothing It doeth also appeare that those are in a miserable case whose office and duty is not only to shew mē some part of Gods will but to bring them thus far as S. Peter doth require if they be not well furnished haue walked first this way themselues for how shal they bring other mē to that which themselues haue not nor know not It doeth appeare also that God hath shewed a sore iudgement against that people which haue such a guide as can not shew them this way which is the onely way to heauen for doubtles it is more then if he should thunder vpō them from heauen or fire their houses ouer their heads especially whē they are so blind that they see not the plague but thinke themselues in better case then those whom God ouer rules by his word But wo be to those blind guides which do not feed wretched is that people that want a shepheard For how shal they euer hear of these things We cā but pity their miserie and desire the Lord to send redresse in so lamentable and desperate a case which is thought to be nothing because in deed the most men knowe nothing for had they but knowen what God requireth in that man whome he will saue though they were not partakers of it themselues yet they would consent and agree to the doctrine and confesse that there is no way to attaine eternall life but by so sound teaching as may bring people to the things here required But I will here make an end O Lord graunt that this doctrine which thou hast taught vs in this thy holy worde may enter into vs and dwell in vs for euer that so we may be sure of thy fauour and of eternall life through Iesus Christ thy deare sonne our Lord and onely Sauiour Amen FINIS A godlie zealous and profitable Sermon vpon the second Chapter of Saint Iames. The Text. vers 14 15 c. 14 What auaileth it my brethren though a man saith he hath faith when he hath no workes can that faith saue him 15 For if a brother or sister bee

God and if they be continued in without redresse who is able to shewe the punishments and calamities which in time will ensue and come vpon vs in this land The contempt of the Gospell and growing into Atheisme thereby will drawe downe infinite plagues and miseries For the righteous God will not alwaies suffer such abuse vnreuenged Then seeing vnitie is so good bringing so many blessings and discord so euill drawing such an heape of mischiefes with it the one as a nourisher of true life is to be sought for and maintained by all godly Christians and the other is to be eschued as a deadly pestilence and this is to be done of vs speedily because dissention is like the breaking out of waters the longer it continueth the wider is the breach made and so becommeth the more difficult to be recouered This being confessed of all for there is no man I thinke that will denie but that it is a most necessary thing in Gods Church and among brethren to eschewe discord and to seeke vnitie therefore let vs in the next place consider and vnderstand how it is to be sought for let it be that we both agree it is to be sought and also doe seeke for it yet if we seeke not the right way we are neuer the better for seeking First then knowe this that there are two sorts of vnitie and agreement the one is in God being in the truth in the spirite in true holinesse and sanctification The other is in error and sinne and not in the Lord. Now indeed it is the holy vnitie in the Lord which is praised in this Psalme and which we must seeke after vpon which the blessing of God shall come This may yee see by that exhortation of Saint Paul Ephes 4. When hee saith studying to keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the band of peace for hee addeth as the reason There is one bodie and one spirit as yee are all called in hope of your calling one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and father of all c. For like as all the members of the naturall bodie are coupled togither by one soule and make but one bodie so by one spirit of the Lord all the faithfull are vnited and become all one mysticall bodie of Iesus Christ by one faith and by one baptisme they are all in one Lord and in one God The foundation of this vnitie is in the truth and by it men grow vp togither in God and for this cause it is said in the first verse of the Psalme Brethren also to dwell in vnitie Hee saith also because as there is a reconciliation wrought by Christ betweene God and man and so a man is come into vnitie with God he must also growe into vnitie with those which are togither reconciled to the Lorde with him seeke this vnitie to bee vnited with our brethren vnto God otherwise all shall be dissolued and scattered againe in confusion Touching that other concorde which is in errour and wickednesse they which possesse it who are of diuers sorts do commend it and much complaine of the disturbance and breach thereof As first of all the Papists make a great exclamation against vs which professe the glorious Gospell and haue forsaken them that like wicked Schismaticks we haue disturbed and broken this holy vnitie by rending our selues from the true Church and so from the faith and from Christes mysticall bodie this is a grieuous and a sore accusation if their vnitie which they glorie of were in the truth But seeing it is most euident that they haue forsaken the truth of God blaspheme and condemne it and set vp abominable errours and cursed Idolatrie all their agreements all their holy league as they tearme it is no more but a most wicked and cursed conspiracie against God and his people What is their vnitie more then that which is described by the Prophet Dauid Psal 2. Why do the Gentils rage and the people meditate that which is vaine The kings of the earth stand vp and the Princes take counsell togither against the Lorde and against his Christ Here is a great vnitie nay a conspiracie of wicked traitors against Christ This perplexitie is fulfilled by them And wee haue the commandement of God by the voice of the Angel Come out from among them my people and separate your selues so that all their cry is nothing against vs wee haue not dissolued this blessed vnity here commended but haue forsaken their cursed conspiracy which the neerer a mā is ioyned vnto the further off he is from God Let no man therefore be troubled or disquieted by their great wordes but forsaking them imbrace the holy faith and be vnited thereby togither with the Prophets and Apostles and all holy men vnto Iesus Christ Ye shall heare many other sorts of men complaine that there is not fellowship and vnity kept with them When indeede as they walke after their wicked and vncleane lustes in all abominable sinnes as in contempt of gods word in drunkennesse whoredom pride ambition couetousnes vsury extortion briberie oppression enuie and many such like The holy ghost saith vnto vs Haue no fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darkenes but rather reprooue them Ephes 5.11 We can not ioyne Christ and Belial we can not be vnited to the Lord and haue fellowshippe in wicked sinnes If wee say wee haue fellowship with him saith S. Iohn and walke in darkenesse wee lie c. 1. Iohn vers 6. Ephes 5.11 Hee that crieth out for peace and doth walke in vngodly waies straying from the truth and from sanctification whatsoeuer he will seeme to be he is nothing els but a disturber and breaker of all holy vnitie For who can take part with him in those things but he shall separate himselfe as I haue shewed from truth and godlines without which there can be no blessed vnitie Saint Peter calleth our Lorde Iesus Christ a liuing stone vnto whome all the faithfull comming as liuing stones are built vp and become a spirituall house 1. Pet. 2. If stones be not squared and made smooth to fit ioyne togither how shall they grow into one building If men be not framed in faith and godlines how shall they be vnited in the Lord Indeede there be imperfections both in doctrine and manners all the best he wen stones haue some ruggednesse remaining and men must beare one with another in much for charitie must couer the multitude of sinnes 1. Pet. 4 while the Temple of God is in the world the stones are not perfectly set togither but the worke is still in hand this Temple is still in building wee must beware of the downefall on that side also Then seeing this blessed vnitie must be in God in the truth in the spirit to be built vp in Christ Iesus in true sanctification for hee that is in Christ is a new creature and seeing all concord without this foundation shall fall downe as a rotten building let the