Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	true_a	worship_v	worshipper_n	3,990	5	12.1152	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01554	Two sermons tending to direction for Christian cariage [sic] both in afflictions incumbent, and in judgements imminent : the former on Psalm 13.1, the latter on Hebr. 11.7 / by Thomas Gataker, B. in D. and pastor of Rotherhith.	Gataker, Thomas, 1574-1654.	1623 (1623)	STC 11681.3; ESTC S118743	126,618	154

humble you and to proue you and to know what is in your heart whether you loue him heartily and will constantly keepe his Commandements or no. As a Father will sometimes crosse his Sonne to trie the Childes disposition to see how he will take it whether he will mutter and grumble at it and grow humorous and waiward neglect his dutie to his Father because his Father seemeth to neglect him or make offer to runne away and withdraw himselfe from his Fathers obedience because he seemeth to cary himselfe harshly and roughly toward him and to prouoke him thereunto So doth God likewise oft-times crosse his children and seemeth to neglect them to trie their disposition what mettall they are made of how they stand affected toward him whether they will neglect God because God seemeth to neglect them forbeare to serue him because hee seemeth to forget them cease to depend vpon him because hee seemeth not to looke after them to prouide for them or to protect them like ●…orams prophane Purseuant This euill saith hee is of God and why should I depend then on God any longer Or whether they will still constantly cleaue to him though he seeme not to regard them nor to haue any care of them and say with Esay Yet will I wait vpon God though hee haue hid his face from vs and I will looke for him though he looke not on vs for they are all blessed that wait on him and he will not faile in due time to shew mercy vnto all them that doe so constantly wait on him As Samuel dealt with Saul he kept away till the last houre to see what Saul would doe when Samuel seemed not to keepe touch with him So doth God with his Saints and with those that be in league with him hee withdraweth himselfe oft and keepeth aloofe off for a long time together to trie what they will doe and what courses they will take when God seemeth to break with them and to leaue them in the suds as we say amids many difficulties much perplexed as it was with DAVID at this time Thus was Sauls hypocrisie discouered Hee would seeme to depend on God and sought to him in his troubles and asked aduice of him But when God seemed to neglect him and ga●…e him no answer neither by dreame nor vision nor by Vrim and Thummim neither by Prophet nor by Prie●…t then left he God and sought to the Sorceresse and by the Sorceresse to Satan Where a question may be moued how that is true that the Holy Ghost saith else-where that Saul did not at all aske counsell of God Saul asked counsell of God saith one place but the Lord gaue him no answer And Thus died Saul in his sinne saith another place which he sinned in that he asked counsell of a Witch and asked not of God and therefore the Lord ●…ew him But the answer is easie and may be returned in two Rules of the Ciuill Law 1. That is not deemed done that is not sincerely done or that is not done so as it should God accounteth that as not 〈◊〉 that is not done in sinceritie Take it b●… 〈◊〉 like It is said of the idolatrous Heathen that were placed in Samaria that they feared the Lord and yet serued their owne Idols too and yet in the very next verse againe it is said of the very same persons Neither they nor their children feare God to this day Their Feare was no feare because no sincere feare and so Sauls seeking to God no seeking because no sincere seeking The Lord is neere to all that call on him but that call on him in sinceritie And The true worshippers are such as worship in Spirit and Truth But no counterfeit coine will go for currant with him 2. That is not done that holdeth not out that keepeth not firme There is nothing said to be done as long as ought is yet vndone Perseuerance is all in all He is faithfull indeed that holdeth out to the last He is a true louer that loueth euer But He neuer loued truly that loueth not continually He was neuer a true friend that euer ceaseth to be a friend that is not a friend alwaies that loueth not in aduersitie as well as in prosperitie nor is content to take part with him whom hee seemeth to loue in either So he neuer truly trusted in God that euer ceaseth to depend vpon him that dareth not trust God as well at sea as on land as well in aduersitie as in prosperity that is readie to leaue and giue ouer relying on God so soone as God leaueth in outward shew at least to looke after him On the other side thus was Iobs sinceritie approued Why saith he to God doest thou hide thy face away from me and carriest thy selfe as an enemie towards me Surely for no other end Iob but to trie thy sinceritie and to make it manifest what thou art The Deuill slandered Iob and traduced him as if he had beene but an hireling one that serued God onely to serue his owne turne vpon God and would therefore soone leaue God if God should seeme to leaue him yea would not stick to curse God if he should but a little anger him to his face But the Deuill proued a lier like himselfe it was farre otherwise with Iob As he was no hireling so he proued no changeling As the Heathen man saith of one Hee ceased not to worship euen an angrie God Though he slay me saith Iob yet I will trust still in him And thus the Saints of God approue vnto God their owne sinceritie in that though God had forgotten them yet they had not forgotten him though he had smitten them that is by smiting throwne and thrust them downe to the very bottome of the Sea the place where the Whales lodge and had ouer-whelmed them with the shadow of death and suffered them to be butchered and massacred all the day long as if they were no other than sheepe sent to the shambles and set apart for the slaughter yet for all this they would not from him nor seeke to any other but him As Diogenes the Cynick somtime told his Master Antisthenes there was no cudgell so crabbed that could driue them away from him Secondly God doth this to exercise the gifts and graces of his Spirit in them For many graces of God as Patience Confidence in God and the like are like Torches and Tapers that shew dimme in the light but burne cleere in the darke or like the Moone and the Starres that are not seene in the day but shine bright in the night There is no vse of patience when all things goe well with vs. Yee haue heard of Iobs patience saith Iames. But we had neuer heard of it had Iob neuer

faith for a man to trust Gods pledge or pawne more than God himselfe and so to trust him no further than he seeth or feeleth what he doth Yea thetruth is that in these cases when we dare trust God no further ●…orrely on him any longer than we haue so me pledga or pawne of his prouidence we must not him but we trust his pledge as hee trusteth not the poore man but trusteth only his pawne that dare not lend him ought but vpon his pawne And hereby may we try and examine the sincerity and the soundnesse of our faith what it is indeed that we rely vpon what it is that we trust to If we can say as DAVID here afterward in the shutting vp of the Psalme That we then trust in Gods mercy and expect safetie from him euen when hee seemeth to haue forgotten vs and to haue hidden his face from vs if we can then comfort our selues in the Lord our God when all other aids and comforts haue taken their leaue of vs. It is a feeble faith that cannot stand without stilts a lame faith that cannot goe without crutches Hereby will appeare whether a mans stilts beare him vp or no if hee be able to stand when they are taken away from him if he can it is a signe he rested not on them though he made vse of them if hee cannot it were they not his legs that vpheld him And hereby may it appeare what our faith and confidence is founded on whether on Gods word or his pledge his pawne or his promise If when the pledge or the pawne is gone yet our faith abideth stil firme it is a signe that it was fixed on God himselfe and not on it But if when it is gone our faith falleth to the ground it is a signe that our faith was wholly founded on it not on God or Gods word which abiding still firme our faith were it thereon founded would continue stedfast with it For Those that trust in the Lord saith the Psalmist are as Mount Sion that standeth fast and neuer stirreth And this is that that we should by all meanes labour and striue vnto that our faith may rest and rely on God himselfe and his infallible and vnfaileable word of promise not vpon the outward pledges and pawnes of his prouidence nor on the ordinary effects and fruits of his fauour that so when these shal be withdrawne yea and withheld long it may be from vs so that God may in anger seeme to haue hid his fare from vs and to haue forgotten vs which as we see hath beene o●…t-times the state and condition of Gods children yet wee may not be disheartened but see light euen in darknesse and be able to discerne the sweet sunne-shine of Gods fauour euen thorow the thickest clouds of his fiercest wrath So likewise for the Church of God when we shall see it either in generall or in some principal parts of it so left vnto the fury and rage of her malitions and mischieueus-minded Aduersaries that God seemeth not to regard it or what becommeth of it but euen suffereth them to haue their owne will vpon it in so much that as Gregory Nazianzen saith of his time Gods former prouidence and care of keeping his Church may seeme vtterly to faile and that hee hath ceased and giuen ouer to doe for it in these daies as hee had wont to doe in former times yea when we shall see it left in such plight not for a short space only but for so long a time together her enemies might and malice daily growing more and more and her meanes on the other side daily more and more failing and her might and power daily more and more impaired and impouerished that God may seeme cleane to haue forgotten her and to thinke no more of her but euen to haue cast her off for euer yet must we not despaire euen then of her preseruation and of the raising of her vp againe But as Iehoshaphat in his straights haue the eyes of our faith fixed vpon God and his word who hath promised and his promise shall neuer faile or proue false neuer to leane or forsake his though for a time he may seeme so to doe And wee must withall remember that this is no new matter but the same that oft-times hath befallen the Church of God formerly That mans extremitie is Gods opportunitie It is now time for thee saith DAVID Lord to put to thy hand when men haue euen destroyed thy Law So then is Gods time to helpe his Church when it seemeth readie to be destroyed and euen vtterly swallowed vp for euer Then is the fittest time for the Angell to call to Abraham to stay his hand when the knife is euen at Isaaks throat and he giuen vp now for dead And then is the seasonablest time for God to set in foot for the rescuing of his Church and children and the deliuerance of his chosen ones when the enemies dagger is at their very heart and they seeme now giuen vp for gone As Philo sometime told his people That he was verily perswaded that God would now doe some thing for them because Caius was so earnestly bent against them yea that then Gods helpe is nearest when man 's is furthest off As it is commonly said Where the Philosopher endeth there the Physitian beginneth and where the Physitian endeth there the Diuine beginneth So where mans aid endeth there Gods aid beginneth Deliuerance is oft nearest when destruction seemeth surest It is neuer fitter time for God to put to his helping hand than when all humane helpes that are wont to be as vailes and curtaines drawn betweene our eye and Gods hand doe vtterly faile When iudgement saith the Prophet was turned backe and Iustice stood aloofe off and Truth was fallen in the streets and Equitte could not enter and all true dealing failed and by refraining from euill men made themselues but a prey to the euill and the Lord saw it and wondred that no man would stand vp or put forth himselfe to stand for the truth Then did he himselfe put in to saue by his owne arme and by his iustice to support those that were readie to sinke Then put he on Iudgement as a Corslet and Saluation as an Helmet and Vengeance as a 〈◊〉 and Wrath as a Cloake to repay the furie of his aduersaries and to recompeno●… his enemies Then saith the Prophet God did thus and why not till then Surely to omit all other ends to get himselfe the more glory That they might feare the Name of the Lord from the West and his glorie from the Sunne-rising when with a blast of his breath hee should suddenly turne the Tide againe and the Spirit of the Lord should driue back yea and cary away the enemie that brake in like a fl●…d had surrounded a

Apostle is the euidence of things not seene and the ground of things hoped for And to Thomas saith our Sauiour Thomas thou beleeuest because thou hast seene But Blessed are those that beleeue and see not And yet Thomas he beleeued also more than hee saw for hee saw one thing saith Augustine and he beleeued another thing but blessed are they that beleeue though they see nothing at all For as the hope that is seene saith the Apostle is no hope so that Faith the ground of Hope that is seene that is the obiect whereof is seene is to speake properly no faith Faith is of no vse or force saith Gregorie there where outward sense yea or naturall reason is able to enforme vs of ought It is the efficacie of faith to beleeue what wee see not the reward of faith it shall be to see what wee beleeue when wee shall come to walke as the Apostle speaketh not by faith but by sight Who almost would beleeue that the fire of Gods wrath should be kindled already and yet not breake forth till an hundred and twentie yeeres after who would beleeue that the whole world should be drowned and returne againe to that Chaos wherein it lay buried at the first before sea and land were distinguished and seuered either from other If God should haue sent NOA but into England supposing it to haue beene then as now it is to foretell the Inhabitants of this Iland that within a few yeeres their whole Countrey should be swallowed vp of the sea would not most men haue deemed it a thing altogether impossible yet did NOA beleeue it vpon Gods bare word not concerning some one Iland a little patch of the world no more to the maine Continent than a small pond or poole to the maine Ocean but concerning the whole world and accordingly it came to passe Somewhat the like wee may obserue in the King of Nineueh and his people There commeth Ionas a Iew a meere stranger among them and telleth them that not within an hundred yeeres but within fortie daies Niniueh the greatest the strongest the chiefe the head Citie of the whole world a great part whereof the King thereof then commanded should be vtterly destroyed Had Ionas come to London and there preached the like some fortnight or three weekes before that Powder-plot was to haue beene executed who would haue beleeued it or thought it a thing credible yea or possible almost And yet wee know well how neere wee were to an vtter subuersion if God in mercy had not preuented mans malice But the Nineuites as well Prince as People though they saw no preparation towards no enemie at hand no likelihood of any sudden inuasion or of subuersion by other meanes taking Ionas as he was indeed for a Prophet of God beleeued him on his word and by their repentance and humiliation preuented that which otherwise had beene Adde we but one Example more and that shall be of the Prophet Ieremies confident cariage in this kinde He had foretold that Ierusalem should be sacked by the Chaldeans And the Chaldeans accordingly came and begirt it But the Iewes thus besieged send to Aegypt for succour And the King of Aegypt commeth with a great force raiseth the siege and releeueth the Citie Hereupon began the false Prophets to triumph and insult ouer Ieremie as if he were taken now with the manner and detected of falsehood as one that had fore-told that that was not like to be effected But the Prophet telleth them confidently relying on Gods word That though they had smitten the Chaldeans and left not one of them aliue yet should those very slaine men rise vp out of their tents and set fire vpon that Citie And the Reason hereof is because Faith resteth relieth vpon two immouable Props Gods abilitie and his fidelitie his might and his truth First vpon his abilitie might and power that was the ground of Abrahams Faith the Father of the faithfull able to bring the most vnlikely things that are to passe in an instant For many things are impossible with man but nothing is impossible yea nothing difficult with him nothing but hee can doe and doe with ease whose word is his will and his will his worke who as with a word of his mouth hee made all things of nothing so with a blast of his breath is able to bring all things againe vnto nothing For worke is as easie as word with him who can doe any thing more easily than any can say it There is much difference betweene saying and doing saith Bernard but with man not with God Secondly vpon his 〈◊〉 his truth his veracitie the maine prop of Saraes Faith Let God be true saith the Apostle and all men liers all that speake without him or not from him saith Augustine God therefore is true yea he is a God of truth And not only Deus veritatis a God of Truth but Deus veritas God Truth Truth it selfe And being Truth it selfe hee cannot lie nor deny himselfe It were a want of abilitie to be able to do so Though heauen and earth should passe away saith our Sauiour yet shall no one iot or tittle of his word passe away vntill it bee all out euerie whit of it fulfilled Now this then should admonish vs to imitate faithful NOA our father herein if we desire to be his children as well after the Faith as we are after the Flesh to take warning when God giues it giue credit to Gods threatnings though we see them not seconded with any outward effect yet And surely if wee ought to take notice with NOA of such Iudgements as Gods word alone giueth warning of though no print or foot-step of them be to be seene otherwise how much more when we haue such euident and apparent signes euen to outward sense of some storme cōming toward vs as we cannot but see vnlesse we be of those of whom Bernard saith That they seake strawes to put out their eyes withall or of whom Iustine Martyr saith That they winke wilfully that they may not see what is comming toward them when some vnsauoury potion is ministred to them which they are content though it goe against the stomacke with them to take Yea hereby may we trie the efficacie of our Faith if we can beleeue God on his bare word when we see no likelihood of performance As for his promises when wee dare trust him on his word for the performance of them not trust him as we say only so farre as we see him trust him no further than we can see our selues that is not to trust him at all it is to trust our eyes and not him nor to trust him onely when we haue his pledge or his