Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	wonderful_a	work_n	wrought_v	70	3	7.3264	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09339	A golden chaine: or The description of theologie containing the order of the causes of saluation and damnation, according to Gods word. A view whereof is to be seene in the table annexed. Hereunto is adioyned the order which M. Theodore Beza vsed in comforting afflicted consciences.; Selections	Perkins, William, 1558-1602.; Bèze, Théodore de, 1519-1605.	1600 (1600)	STC 19646; ESTC S114458	1,329,897	1,121

vpon the land againe then his will was free and he had power to goe whither God sent him and to what God commanded him his owne imagination laid apart for he had beene at a new schoole and in a furnace where he was purged of much refuse drosse of fleshly wisdom which resisted the wisdome of God For as farre as we be blind in Adam we cannot but seeke and will our owne profit pleasure and glorie and as farre as we be taught in the spirit we cannot but seeke and will the pleasure of God onely Then Ionas preached to Niniue and they repented then Ionas shewed again his corrupt nature for all his trying in the Whales bellie He was so displeased because the Niniuites perished not that he was wearie of his life and wished death for very sorrow that he had lost the glorie of his prophecying in that his prophecy came not to passe but he was rebuked of God as in his prophecie you may read The Apostles Christ taught them euer to be meeke and to humble themselues yet oft they striued among themselues who should be greatest the sons of Zebede would fit one on the right hand of Christ the other on the left They would pray that fire might descend from heauen and consume the Samaritans When Christ asked Who say men that I am Peter answered Thou art the sonne of the liuing God as though Peter had bin as perfect as an angel But immediatly after when Christ preached vnto them of his death and passion Peter was angrie and rebuked Christ thought earnestly that he had raued and not wist what he had saide as at another time in which Christ was so feruently busied in healing the people that he had no leasure to eate they went out to hold him supposing that he had bin beside himselfe And one that cast forth diuels in Christs name they forbad because he waited not on them so glorious were they yet And though Christ taught alway to forgiue yet Peter after long going to schoole asked whether men should forgiue seuen times thinking that eight times had beene too much And at the last supper Peter would haue died with Christ but yet within few houres after he denied him both cowardly and shamefully And after the same manner though he had so long heard that no man must auenge himselfe but rather turne the other cheeke to the smiter againe yet when Christ was in taking Peter asked whether it were lawfull to smite with the sword and taried no answer but laide on rashly So that although we be once reconciled to God yet at the first we be but children and young schollers weake and feeble and must haue leisure to grow in the spirit in knowledge loue and deedes thereof as yong children must haue time to grow in their bodies and so in like manner the sting of the serpe●● is not pulled out at once but the poison of our nature is minished by little and little and cannot before the houre of death be wholly taken away Timoth. I perceiue by your godly discourse the manifold conflicts between the flesh and the spirit and that the flesh is like to a mightie gyant such a one as was Goliah strong lustie stirring enemie to God confederate with the deuill the spirit like to a little child such a one as was little Dauid new borne weake and feeble not alwaies stirring now then what meanes doe you vse to weaken the flesh and strengthen the spirit Euseb. I vse to tame my flesh with praier and fasting watching deedes of mercie holy meditations and reading the Scriptures and in bodily labour and in withdrawing all manner of pleasures from the flesh and with exercises contrarie to the vices which I finde my bodie most inclined to and with abstaining from all things that encourage the flesh against the spirit as reading of toyes and wanton bookes seeing of playes and enterludes wanton communication foolish iesting and effeminate thoughts and talking of couetousnesse which Paul forbiddeth Eph. 5. magnifying of worldly promotions If these will not mortifie my flesh then God sendeth me some troubles and so maketh me to grow and waxe perfect and fineth and trieth me as golde in the fire of tentations and tribulations Thus very often he maketh me to take vp my crosse and nayleth my flesh vnto it for the mortifying thereof Marke this if God send thee to the sea and promise to go with thee he wil raise vp a tempest against thee to prooue whether thou wilt abide his word and that thou maist feele thy faith and weaknesse and perceiue his goodnes for if it were alwaies faire weather and thou neuer brought into such ieopardie whence his mercie onely deliuereth thee thy faith should be onely a presumption thou shouldest be euer vnthankfull to God and mercilesse vnto thy neighbour If God promise riches the way thereupon is pouertie whome he loueth him he chasteneth whome he exalteth he casteth downe whome he saueth he first damneth he bringeth no man to heauen except he send him to hell first if he promise life he slayeth first when he buildeth he casteth downe all first he is no patcher he cannot abide another mans foundation he will not worke till all be past remedie and brought to such a case that men may see how that his hand his power his mercie his goodnes his truth hath wrought altogether he will let no man be partaker with him of his praise and glorie his works are wonderfull and contrarie to mans workes who euer saue he deliuered his owne son his onely sonne his deere sonne his darling vnto the death and for his enemies to win his enemies to ouercome them with loue that they might see loue and loue again and of loue likewise to doe to other men and to ouercome them with well doing Ioseph saw the sunne and the moone and seuen starres worshipping him neuerthelesse ere that came to passe God laide him where he could see neither sunne nor moone neither any starre of the skie and that many yeares and also vndeserued to nurture him to make him humble and meeke and to teach him Gods waies and to make him apt and meete for the roome and honour againe he came to it that he might be strong in the spirit to minister it well God promised the children of Israel a land with riuers of milke and honie yet he brought them forth the space of fourtie yeares into a land wherein no riuers of milke and honie were but where so m●ch as a drop of water was not to nurture and teach them as a father doth his sonne and to doe them good at the latter ende to subdue their cankred nature to make them strong in the spirit to vse his benefits aright Lastly God promised Dauid a kingdome and immediatly stirred vp Saul against him to persecute him and to hunt him as men doe hares with gray-hounds and to ferret him out of euery hole and that for the space of

nothing regarded A blinde man neuer seeing the sunne is not brought to wonder at it and earthly minded men neither seeing nor feeling what an excellent thing it is to bee the childe of God cannot bee brought to seeke after it But let all such as feare God enter into a serious consideration of the vnspeakeable goodnesse of God comforting themselues in this that God the father hath vouchsafed by his owne sonne to make them of the vassals of satan to be his owne deere children Nowe followe the duties which are two First we beleeue that Iesus Christ who was to be the Sauiour of mankinde must needs be God what is the reason hereof surely because no creature no not all the creatures in heauen and earth were able to saue one man so vile wretched and miserable is our estate by Adams fall And therefore the sonne of God himselfe pitied our estate and beeing king of heauen and earth was faine to come from heauen and lay downe his crowne and become a seruant and taking vpon him our nature was also faine to take vpon him our case and condition and suffer death for our sinnes which otherwise euery one of vs should haue suffered both in bodie and soule world without ende To make this more plaine let vs suppose that some one hath committed an offence against a prince and the trespasse to be so grieuous that no man can appease the kings wrath saue only the kings onely sonne and which is more the kings sonne himselfe cannot release him vnlesse hee suffer the punishment for him in his owne person which is due vnto the malefactour Nowe what is to be thought of this mans estate surely all men will say that he is in a most miserable taking and that his trespasse is notorious and so it is with euery one of vs by nature whatsoeuer we are No man could saue our soules no not all the angels in heauen vnlesse the king of heauen and earth the onely sonne of God had come down from heauen and suffered for vs bearing our punishment Nowe the consideration of this must humble vs and make vs to cast downe our selues vnder the hand of God for our sinnes and pray continually that the Lord would send some Moses or other which might smite the rockes of our hearts that some teares of sorrowe and repentance might gush out for this our wofull miserie Secondly whereas God the Father of Christ gaue his onley sonne to be our Sauiour as we must be thankefull to God for all things so especially for this great and vnspeakable benefit Common blessings of God as meat drinke health wealth and libertie must at all times mooue vs to be thankeful but this that Christ Iesus the onely sonne of God redeemed vs beeing vtterly lost this I say must be the maine point of all our thankfulnes but alas mens hearts are so frozen in the dreggs of their sinnes that this dutie comes little in practise nowe adaies When our Sauiour Christ clensed ten lepers there was but one of them that returned to giue him thankes and this is as true in the leprosie of the soule for though saluation by Christ be offered vnto vs daily by Gods ministers yet not one of tenne nay scarse one of a thousand giues praise and thankes to God for it because men take no delight in things which concerne the kingdome of heauen they thinke not that they haue neede of saluation neither do they feele any want of a Sauiour But we for our parts must learne to say with Dauid What shall I render vnto the Lord for all his benefits yea we are to practise that which Salomon saith My sonne giue me thy heart for we should giue vnto God both bodie and soule in token of our thankefulnesse for this wonderful blessing that he hath giuen his onely sonne to bee our Sauiour and we are to hold this for trueth that they which are not thankfull for it let them say what they will they haue no soundnes of grace or power of religion at the heart And thus much of the third title The fourth and last title is in these wordes our Lord. Christ Iesus the onely sonne of God is our Lord three waies first by creation in that he made vs of nothing when we were not secondly he is our Lord in the right of redemption In former times the custome hath bin when one is taken prisoner in the field he that paies his raunsome shall becom alwaies after his Lord so Christ when we were bondslaues vnder hell death and condemnation paide the ransome of our redemption and freed vs from the bondage of sinne and satan and therfore in that respect he is our Lord. Thirdly he is the head of the Church as the husband is the wiues head to rule and gouerne the same by his word and spirit And therefore in that respect also Christ is our Lord. And thus much for the meaning Nowe followe the duties And first of al if Christ be our Soueraigne Lord we must performe absolute obedience vnto him that is whatsoeuer he commandes vs that must we doe And I say absolute obedience because Magistrates Masters Rulers and fathers may command and must bee obeyed yet not simply but so farre foorth as that which they command doth agree with the word and commandement of God but Christs will and word is righteousnesse it selfe and therfore it is a rule and direction of all our actions whatsoeuer and for this cause he must be absolutely obeyed Thus he requires the obedience of the morall lawe but why because he is the Lord our god And in Malachie he saith If I be your Lord where is my feare And againe we must resigne both bodie and soule heart mind wil affections and the course of our whole liues to be ruled by the will of Christ. He is Lord not onely of the bodie but of the spirit and soule of man he must therefore haue homage of both As wee adore him by the knee of the bodie so must the thoughts and the affections of our hearts haue their knees also to worship him and to shewe their subiection to his commandements As for such as doe hold him for their Lord in word but in the meane season will not indeauour to shewe their loyaltie in all manner of obedience they are indeede no better then starke rebels Secondly when by the hande of Christ straunge iudgements shall come to passe as it is vsuall in all places continually we must stay ourselues without murmuring or finding fault because he is an absolute Lorde ouer all his creatures all things are in his handes and hee may doe with his owne whatsoeuer he will and therefore wee must rather feare and tremble whensoeuer we see or heare of them so Dauid saith I was dumbe and opened not my mouth because thou didst it And againe My flesh trembleth for feare of thee and I am afraid of thy iudgements Thirdly before wee vse

not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine And the Angels in reuerence to Gods Maiestie couer their faces Isai. 6.2 Concerning our neighbour wee are to consider whether the thing which we are about to speake be good or euill This being weighed if it be good and so commendable then we are readily and cheerefully and that vpon euery occasion to vtter it especially in his absence whether he be a friend or a foe as Saint Iohn writeth of Demetrius Demetrius saith he hath good report of all men and of the trueth it selfe yea and we our selues beare record and ye know that our testimonie is true As for the euill which any shall knowe by his neighbour hee is in no wise to speake of it whether it be an infirmitie or a grosse sinne vnlesse in his conscience he shall find himselfe called of God to speake A man is called to speak in three cases First when he is called before a magistrate and is lawfully required to testifie the euil which he knoweth by another II. When any is to admonish his brother of any fault for his amendment III. When the hurt or danger that may arise of the euil is to be preuented in others As a man may say to one well disposed Take heed of such a mans cōpany for he is giuen to such or such a vice To this ende they of the house of Cloe doe certifie Paul of the disorders in Corinth And Ioseph certifieth his father of his brethrens slanders In this case all treasons are to be reuealed as tending to the ruine of the whole common wealth Thus Elisha reuealeth the secret of the king of Syria And if it shall be thought conuenient to mention the euil which we know by any man it must be done onely in generall manner the person and all circumstances which wil descrie the person concealed Concerning things which are secret in our neighbour we are not to be suspitious but to suspēd both speech iudgement Loue suspecteth no euill Iudge nothing saith Paul before the time vntill the Lord come who will lighten thinges that are hid in darkenes and make the counsels of the heart manifest Augustine hath a good and speciall rule to this purpose that there be three things of which we must giue no iudgement Gods predestination the Scriptures and the estate of men vncalled As touching a mans selfe hee is neither to praise nor dispraise himselfe As Salomon saith Let another praise thee and not thine owne mouth a straunger and not thine owne lippes Yet otherwhiles the times doe fall out that a man may vse an holy kind of boasting especially when the disgrace of the person is the disgrace also of the gospell and of religion and of God himselfe as Paul did But wherein saith he any will vse boldnesse I speake foolishly I will vse boldnes They are Hebrewes so am I c. CHAP. III. Of the manner of our speech and what must be done before we speake THus much of the matter of our speech Nowe followeth the manner In the manner of our speaking three things are to bee pondered what must be done before we speake what in speaking what after wee haue spoken Before we speake consideration must bee vsed of the thing to be spoken and of the ende Iames requireth that men should be slowe to speake and swift to heare Salomon saith Hee that answereth a matter before he heare it it is folly and shame to him The minde is the guid of the tongue therefore men must consider before they speake The tongue is the messenger of the heart and therefore as oft as we speake without meditation going before so oft the messenger runneth without his arrand The tongue is placed in the middle of the mouth and it is compassed in with lips and teeth as with a double trench to shewe vs howe we are to vse heede and preconsideration before wee speake and therefore it is good aduise to keep the key of the mouth not in the mouth but in the cupbord of the mouth Augustine saith well that as in eating and drinking men make choice of meates so in manifolde speeches wee should make choice of talke Here are condemned idle words that is such wordes as are spoken to little or no end or purpose And they are not to be esteemed as little sinnes when as men are to giue account of euery idle word CHAP. IV. What is to be done in speaking and of wisdome VVHen we are in speaking two things are to bee practised first care must be had of the speech that it be gratious secondly it is to be vttered with conuenient bonds of trueth The speech is gratious whē it is so vttered that the graces of god wrought in the heart by the holy Ghost are as it were pictured and painted forth in the same for speech is the very image of the heart Contrarie to this is rotten speech that is all such talke as is voide of grace which is the heart and pith of our speech And by this it appeareth that no voice can bee named but with disliking and hereupon in Scriptures when by occasion a vice should be named in token of a loathing thereof the name of the vice is omitted and the name of the contrarie vertue vsed in the roome thereof as in these wordes For Iob thought It may be that my sonnes haue sinned and blessed that is blasphemed God This being true then by proportion the visible representation of the vices of men in the world which is the substance and matter whereof plaies and enterludes are made is much more to be auoided Gods graces which we are to shew forth in our communication are thes● Wisdome Truth Reuerence Modestie Meekenes Sobrietie in iudgement Vrbanitie Fidelitie Care of others good name and let vs consider of them in order Wisdome in our speech is a goodly ornament The Apostles when they waited for the holy Ghost in Ierusalem it descended vpon them in the forme of fierie tongues then it is said that they spake as the holy Ghost gaue them vtterance in Apophthegmes or wise sentences And hee that gouerns his tongue wisely addeth doctrine to the lips that is so speaketh as that others be made wise thereby This wisedome is then shewed when a man can in iudgement apply his talke and as it were in good manner make it fit to al the circumstances of persons times places things A foole poureth out all his minde but a wise man keepeth in till afterward A word spoken in his place is like apples of gold with pictures of siluer Now he that would haue his speech to be wise must first of al himselfe become a wise man And the wise man of whome the holy scriptures speake is a godly man and such an one as feareth God because this feare of God is the beginning and head of wisdome as on the contrarie