Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A42018
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The sound-hearted Christian, or, A treatise of soundness of heart with several other sermons ... / by William Greenhill.
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Greenhill, William, 1591-1671.
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1670
(1670)
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Wing G1859; ESTC R7468
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196,980
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326
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either some profit or pleasure or some sweetness and therefore would enjoy it and delight in it So that desire is the reaching out of the Soul after some good affected not present but absent 2. The second thing is that as Gold is desirable so upon the same account are the truths of God the Laws and Statutes and Judgements of God We shall see upon several accounts that Gold is commendable and desirable and upon the same the word of God is so too 1. Gold is precious there 's a preciousness in it Ezr. 8.27 precious as Gold The Heathens yea and many others to did so esteem it as they made Gods of Gold they thought nothing more precious to make their Gods of than Gold 1 King 12.28 Jeroboam made two Golden Calves and said to Israel these are thy Gods and in the 115. Psal 4. v. Their Idols are Silver and Gold speaking of the Nations So addicted were Nations unto this practice of making Gods of Gold that God forbids his people to make Gods of Silver or Gold Exod. 20.23 yea in the 17. Acts 29. you will find that they did liken the very Godhead unto Gold So then Gold is very precious and as that is precious so is the Word of God that is precious as Gold 't is of great worth and value The word is full of great and precious promises and every promise is a Pearl of great price Prov. 3.13 14 15. Happy is the man that findeth wisdom and the man that getteth understanding for the Merchandize of it is better than the Merchandize of Silver and the Gain thereof than fine Gold It 's more worth then all Rubies The Word of God is very precious Psal 138.2 Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name what 's the Name of God The whole creation all his works are his Name they hold forth his power his wisdom his goodness his mercy his loving kindness bounty and the like now God doth magnifie his Word or his Law above all his Name he prizes it above the wrole creation hence saith Christ that not one jot or syllable of it shall fall to the ground So that if Gold be precious the Word of God is precious and so desirable upon that account 2. Gold contains much in a little A little piece of Gold contains many Shillings And Gold is Ductile a little piece of Gold may be drawn out to cover a great piece of ground So the Word of God contains much in a little Fear God there 's a great deal contain'd in these words God manifested in flesh how much is contained in that word And Cast all your care upon him a great deal contained in that word who can tell what treasure is in any one Text of holy Scripture There is more than any man than all men can find or draw out Christ is the Image of the invisible God who can find out all that is in those words In him is all fullness who can find out all the fullness of Christ So that if Gold contains much in it and is desirable upon that account the Word of God contains much in it and is desirable upon the same account 3. Gold is very pure Rev. 21.18 The City was of pure Gold and Psal 21.3 Thou settest a Crown of pure Gold on his head Gold is very pure 't is purified and cleansed from all dross so the Word of God If Gold be desirable because of its purity so it the Word of God being very pure Prov. 30.5 Every Word of God is pure Not onely one word but every word of God is pure and Psal 114.140 Thy word is very pure there is nothing comparable to the Word of God for purity and therefore desirable as Gold is upon that account 4. Gold hath a beautiful splendor in it therefore Rev. 21.21 'T is put for the Glory of the new Jerusasalem a Similitudine aurorae aurum ab aura dictum i. e. a Splendore Martinius in Lexic v. aurum or Heaven it hath it's name from its splendor and the word of God is very beautiful and shining Prov. 6.23 The Law is light and light is a shining and a glorious thing and the Gospel is light and the Gospel is glorious 2 Cor. 4.4 The Glorious Gospel Full of Glory and beauty and splendor is the Word of God and therefore desirable as Gold is upon that account 5. Gold is sollid and weighty the Hobrew word for fine Gold is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mippaz and Phaz or Phez is from Phazaz to consolidate to strengthen and make firm such is the Word of God it is firm and sollid hold fast the pattern of sound words and Tit. 1.9 sound Doctrine The Doctrine of Law and Gospel is sound Doctrine and Prov. 2.7 he layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous wisdom that hath substance and being for the righteous and the truths of God are called Gold 1 Cor. 3.12 for the sollidity of them now if any man build upon this Foundation Gold Silver precious Stones Wood Hay Stubble Build Gold upon the Foundation that is if he build sound Doctrine upon the Foundation Christ that 's sollid masly and weighty Corrupt Doctrines are wood and stubble and will burn The Word of God is very sollid and weighty The soul that sins shall dye what a weighty truth is this Every â—dâ—e word we speak we shall give account thereof a weighty truth We must all appear before the Judgement seat of Christ a weighty truth 2 Cor. 10.10 say they his words are weighty and so are all the Words of God they are sollid and weighty 6. Gold it is of great use it is of use First to adorn and beautifie what an Ornament was the Gold Chain about Joseph's neck Gen. 41.42 So Saul he put on Ornaments of Gold upon the Apparel of the Daughters of Israel 2 Sam. 1.24 Gold doth adorn and beautifie things you beautifie many things your Rooms and Books and many other things with Gold So the Word of God is of an adorning and beautifying nature Prov. 4.9 She shall give to thine head an Ornament of Grace a Crown of Glory shall she deliver to thee The word of God the wisdom of God 't is an ornament of Grace a crown of Glory nothing becomes a Christian more than the Truths of God they adorn the soul and the very outward man and makes the outward man lovely and beautiful when we hold forth the word of Life and the word of God and of Jesus Christ Secondly Gold is of use to make Vessels for they made Vessels for the Sanctuary and for the Temple there were Golden Tongs Golden Candlesticks and Golden Lamds c. as you may find in the 1. King 7. and 2 Chron. 7. and Heb. 9.4 So the word the word makes Golden Vessels it makes Golden Candlesticks Golden Churches All true Christians and Believers are Golden Vessels in the Temple of God Lam. 4.2 The precious Sons of Zion comparable to fine Gold
an unsound wisdom the wisdome of the world the wisdom of the flesh The word for sound wisdom is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which notes essence the Law of God is substance it is essence get the truths of God into your hearts and these will be essence soundness and substance unto you thy Law is within my heart saith David and the Law was written in Christs heart and they had soundness of heart so that the way to have found hearts is to get sound truths into your hearts Thirdly if you would have sound hearts be much in examination of your hearts Many go from week to week and year to year and never examine what hearts they have but you should examine your hearts frequently daily and the more the better you will look to your houses that they be wind tite and weather tite you will look to your Ships whether they leak or no and will you not look to your hearts whether they be wind tite or weather tite whether any wind of Doctrine have got into them whether any corrupt lusts do stir in them examine and say what 's my heart is it sound in the Faith hath it sound principles is it healthy is it undivided hath it true grace is it free from hypocrisie if you examine your hearts you will mind them and know what 's in them the Scripture puts you upon it you have examples and Commands 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether you be in the faith or no prove your own selves try whether you be Gold or Silver true Gold or counterfeit Gold prove your selves know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you unless you be Reprobates what will you leave it at randome whether you be Reprobates or no when a man comes to try himself and finds he is sick mortally wounded or hath a plurisie c. he wil seek for remedy so if you would take pains this way you would come to soundness of heart quickly in Psal 77.6 I commune with mine own heart and my Spirit made diligent search Commune with your own hearts let your Spirits make diligent search if there be no worms no weeds no ill principles there and that 's the way to come to soundness of heart therefore be much in examination 4. If you would have soundness of heart then be sure not to bring your own sence to the Scriptures but learn to know the sence of Scripture and take up Scripture sence many have unsound hearts because they put sences upon the truths of God which they never will bear You erre said Christ to the Sadduces not knowing the Scriptures therefore bring not your sences to the Scriptures but take the Scripture sence and lay by your own and that you may have that compare spiritual things with spiritual as Paul saith 1 Cor. 2.13 we compare one Scripture with another and see whether it will hold currant for one Scripture may be dark yet another may be light and so the Scripture may go hand in hand therefore if you would have sound hearts take the sence of God in Scripture his mind in his word and not the opinions of men of corrupt minds or of your own fancies Fifthly Would you have soundness of heart then be willing to hearken to reproof that 's a thing that few can bear but it shews they have unsound hearts reproof is call'd a reproof of life and you shall find it 's the way to have soundness of heart to hearken to reproof for every man is subject to erre and may step aside now reproof is a healing Medicine and doth much good Prov. 5.12 saith he how have I hated Instruction and my heart despised reproof my heart despised reproof and therefore I have had an unsound heart that hath gone out after women and spent estate and strength and contracted guilt the wrath and displeasure of God and what was the ground of it why I despised reproof now look into the 15. ch 31. v. The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise why art thou dead and hast a rotten and unsound heart a reproof is the reproof of life and when life comes soundness comes now if thy ear hearken to the reproof of life thou abidest among the wise and v. 32. he that refuseth Instruction despiseth his own soul but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding So that to hearken to reproof reproof of Parents reproof of Masters reproof of Ministers he that hearkens to these gets understanding they prove the reproofs of life and see in 1 Tit. 13. This witness is true wherefore rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the faith sharp rebukes make soundness in the faith this is out of practice in our dayes were it more in practice that one friend would deal impartially with another in a wise and humble way this would make sound hearts every where Sixthly Lastly to get a sound heart go unto God who hath the hearts of all in his hand and can turn them and change them as he please and make them sound though they be never so corrupt and rotten Prov. 2.7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the Righteous Parents lay up sound wealth for their Children and God layeth up sound wisdom for his and Prov. 8.14 Counsel is mine and sound wisdom there 's none hath true Counsel and sound wisdom to give but God wisdom that hath essence and substance in it therefore go to the Lord and intreat him to give you of this sound wisdom And you must go to him in good earnest go and cry to him for it Prov. 2. If thou cryest after knowledge and liftest up thy voice for understanding if thou seekest her as Silver and searchest for her as for hid Treasures Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God If you will cry for her and use means to get sound wisdom God will give it for he hath lay'd it up on purpose for you you are directed and shewed the way to get it therefore cry to God and put forth your utmost strength and power to get sound wisdom that you may have soundness of heart and desire God to give you his holy spirit and that will make your hearts sound indeed for saith the Apostle God hath not given us the Spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound mind Gods spirit is a spirit of truth a spirit of wisdom a spirit of a sound mind and will make you have a sound mind whensoever it comes into you The second thing is to know how to preserve a sound mind when you have gotten it First have nothing to do with those that are unsound neither unsound men nor unsound books have nothing to do with them do you think ever to preserve your selves in a sound healthy condition if you will run where the Plague the Pox and the Leprosie are 't is impossible you should but if you will preserve health you