Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	work_n	work_v	worth_n	16	3	8.6467	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B12200	The vvonderfull mysterie of spirituall growth Describing the necessitie, nature, manner, measure, and markes thereof. As also, laying downe necessarie rules for the wise discerning of the same. And resoluing many speciall cases of conscience incident hereunto, tending to the comfort of distressed spirits, and so to the attaining of perfect holinesse. Diuided into two bookes.	Cooper, Thomas, fl. 1626.	1622 (1622)	STC 5709; ESTC S114304	141,549	449

downe to shadow out the same all which do necessarily inferre our liuing by faith as hath beene manifested before in the vse of that point concerning the manner of our spirituall growth Aboue all be we skilfull in obseruing these speciall waies of God in bringing light out of darkenesse and shewing his power in our weakenesse And therein we shall discerne the necessitie and excellency 〈◊〉 the golden rule that we must walke by faith and not by sight Thus as by the consideration of Gods manner of working in vs by bringing light out of darknesse we see a necessitie of liuing by faith euen beyond and contrary to sense So also if we consider on the other side our weakenesse in apprehending this wisedome of our God our difference in applying Christ we may yet further see a greater necessitie of this rule euen still to liue by faith and not by sense both for our triall and comfort herein As first for Triall Whereas the manner of our growth is in general in a mysterie had we not need of faith to discerne the same if we walke by sense and not by faith shall wee not misse in the discerning and iudging thereof 2 Wheras the mysterie of this growth though it bee in part discerned of vs not so much as wee haue knowledge thereof as we find the practise and experience of the same yet in regard our knowledg 〈◊〉 imperfect euen in what we do apprehend much more to seek of what is not yet reuealed our best experienced practise is generally subiect to infirmity so to distraction error how can wee be sustained in hope of what is yet in expectation vnlesse wee liue by faith to make it present vnto vs that so in patience we may wait for the same Explaine we yet I pray you a little these particulars Surely as is our sanctification so is our apprehension of the end thereof euen euerlasting glory such is our faith feeling of the present earnest of that glory euen so long as we are strangers in this world and trauellers to that city which is aboue For as by faith we are ingrafted into Christ so as liuing members of that mystical body do bring forth fruit in holines righteousnes so hereby an entrance is ministred vnto vs aboundantly into the euerlasting kingdom of our Lord Sauiour Christ Iesus 2. Pet. 1.11 as being sealed with the spirit of promise apprehended by faith wherby we are assured of our interest in that happines Eph. 1.13 And this ful assurance making that present vnto vs which is yet to come and so in this hope wee daily renue our hold in Christ by faith to a further purging preparing of our selues to perfect holines that so wee may bee pure as he is pure 1. Ioh. 3.3 so being at length throughly purified by faith in the son of God perfected in due time wee receiue the end of our Faith which it the saluation of our soules 1. Pet. 1.5 so that as there is not an end of faith which is of things not seen till we see God as he is euen face to face 1. Ioh. 3.2 and so remaine for euer with him so as long as wee are absent from the Lord wee must needes liue by faith in the apprehending of him we must needs walke by faith and not by sight that so we may see him which is inuisible Heb. 11.28 wee must of necessitie still fight the good fight of faith that wee may lay hold on eternall life 1. Tim. 6.12 And seeing the reason that wee are absent from the Lord is because we are not yet pure as he is pure because yet we haue not attained to perfection but so long as wee liue are subiect to infirmities more or lesse therfore also is our faith subiect to much weaknes difference in apprehēding our interest in Christ that so still his power may appeare more glorious in sustaining vs in this weaknesse and his free mercie may bee more aduanced in accepting our weake hold aboue it worth and by it weaknesse wonderfully occasioning the encrease thereof For as it is the greater triall of our Faith though it hold bee but weake and somtimes staggering yet not to let go it hold because the vertue of faith consists not so much in it owne abilitie or worth in apprehending Christ for so it had wherein to beast in it selfe and not in God but in the worthinesse of what it apprehendeth which is the more aduanced by how much our worke is debased so by so much the more doth it thriue and encrease as it ascribes the glory in it weaknesse to it head Christ Iesus as hereby receiuing new power from Christ whereby it may yet get faster hold and so preuaile more victoriously euen with God himselfe by how much it hath more ouermastred the wisedome of the flesh And therefore seeing as long as wee liue in the flesh wee are and shall be subiect eftsoones to this weaknesse of faith more or lesse may wee not hereby discerne a necessitie of liuing by faith that so wee may be sustained by the mighty power of God in present weaknesse and so may be abased in all present measure there of by renouncing the worth of the worke as if thereby it might challenge it interest in Christ And so we may proceede from faith to faith from present weaknesse to further strength by the power of Christ cōforming vs more and more to his Image whereby being made meeter for that glorious inheritance layd vp for vs with him in the heauens we may more cleerely discerne by faith within the vaile so by faith lay hold of eternall life The summe of all is that Christ is as well the finisher as the authour of our faith Heb. 12.2 and that both of whatsoeuer we do beleeue concerning the end eternall life frō the first ground of our election to the very end euen our glorification as also of the meanes wherby faith is wrought euen the preaching of faith by the operation of the holy Ghost And so of that instrument and special gift of the spirit whereby we doe beleeue as both opening our vnderstanding to discerne this great mysterie of Christ and also opening our hearts enclining our wils and affections to assent to and embrace the same seeing it is Col. 1 21. I say the power of Christ which worketh in vs all these mightily both for enabling of the worke in truth and also for the accepting thereof aboue it worth This doth plainly euince a necessitie of liuing by faith First I say it is faith onely whereby wee receiue power dayly from Christ being thereby vnited and ingrafted in him to beginne and proceed in the truth of holinesse and 2. By Faith alone wee apprehend in Christ the Acceptance of our persons aboue all worth of our seruice and so are abased in our selues to giue God the glorie of his free mercy

to that which is before Phil. 3.13 and that still looking to Iesus the Authour and finisher of our faith that so wee may endeauour to perfect holinesse Thus we must liue by faith in discerning the manner of our growth And this will affoord vs many Comfortable conclusions to settle vs against diuers tentations which are incident hereto As first Whereas it much distracts the Saints that because they cannot sensibly discerne for the present the ma●ner of their Spirituall growth no more then they can their naturall therefore they question oftimes the truth thereof If now they shall know that in the discerning thereof they must liue by faith and not by sense this distraction will easily be remedied For now seeing that may be beleeued by Faith which is not apprehended nay is contrary to sense therefore though our growing be not discernable to sense nay sense apprehends somewhat that may be contrarie to our growth therefore notwithstanding these we may still grow in grace Nay seeing we grow by faith and not by sense therefore is this vnto vs a true euidence that we doe grow indeed when we doe not sensibly discerne it for the present when we find somewhat in appearance opposition contrarie thereto if we yeeld not hereunto but rather liue by faith in the power and wisedome of our God bringing light out of darknesse and shewing his power in our weakenesse this indeed is a true token that we grow in spirituall knowledge and heauenly wisedome to discerne things that differ and so also that we grow in grace and so doe hereby fight the good fight of Faith 2. Whereas to liue by Faith is not only to haue some feeling of what wee beleeue by the seale of the spirit in generall as that thereby we are persuaded of the truth of the worke in vs But to liue by faith is further to rely vpon the free power and goodnesse of God aboue what presently wee feele Rom. 4.17 18. lest our present feeling causing spirituall Pride and so securitie and so hardnesse of heart and remissenesse in well-doing do thereby hinder our spirituall growth therefore howsoeuer we may haue some such sense of the worke of grace as that we may iustifie the truth of it for the present in the meanes at least in humbling vs for our fayling and imperfection therein that so it may not be in vaine Yet still we must liue by faith aboue any such present feeling both to haue the comfort of the acceptance of what we haue done aboue the worth thereof as also to looke forward and lay hold vpon the fulnesse of Christ in whom our imperfections shall be holpen and our wants daily supplied vnto the perfecting of the worke of grace in vs. And therefore Though we feele but so much for the present as may keepe vs from sincking in despaire yet still we must liue by faith aboue all present feeling or desire that we may be kept from presumpt●on and kept in a continuall hunger after the best graces And this meeteth with a second tentation arising from present feeling of the worke of grace teaching vs to auoid Spirituall Pride Presumption c. by liuing still by faith aboue and beyond all present feeling And secondly though in our best performance of holy duties we finde not that present answer as we expect but rather meete with what is contrarie thereunto yet if now we can liue by faith we shall be fully satisfied For faith will now teach vs to performe obedience vnto God simply because he commands and not so much for what is promised and so to measure our Spirituall growth rather by encrease of our obedience then returne of the issue thereof Yea though we haue not our particular answer for the present yet the triall of our faith will bring forth Patience Iam. 1.3 and Patience will perfect the worke by pe●seuerance therein yea faith Heb. 11.1 which is of things not seene will enable vs to see a farre off into that great Reward Heb. 11.26 which will sufficiently supply and recompence all our present disappointments and waitings Nay though we meete with contrarie blasts and issues to our desires yet Faith that purifieth the heart Acts 15.9 will reueale vnto vs some inward cause of these contrarie effects and so will enable vs to purge out such secret euils of Spirituall pride vaine-glory and such like which vndoubtedly haue staied Gods hands from giuing vs our desires yea such herein is the power of Faith that resting vs vpon the power good pleasure of God it will thereby pacifie the minde in what God pleaseth to dispense and satisfie also the same that this is best for vs though for the present we cannot discerne it through impatience pride or such like yea the power of faith will dispell these fogs and make manifest to the aduised Spirit what may be best for it Yea herein also appeareth the wonderfull vertue of faith that it will keep the worke a foote more earnestly the more it seems to be crossed continue the same more eagerly in hope at lēgth to preuaile and neuer giue ouer till it hath ouercome the Lord. Oh that we could wisely consider thereof Indeed wee haue a Promise that if wee beleeue wee shall obtaine whatsoeuer wee aske so that it may seeme that if we doe not obtaine wee doe not beleeue But if we remember withall that we must aske according to Gods will and that Beggars must be no choosers and that we may not indent with God either for the time or particular for so we liue by Faith we may vndoubtedly obtaine what is best for vs if not the particular for the present yet what meane-while shall be better and the particular if necessarie in the time most conuenient Only let vs pray in Faith Iam. 1.6 and so wait with Patience apprehending him which is inuisible and in him the glory to be reuealed and so shall we obtaine whatsoeuer may further thereunto in that time and manner and measure as may be most auaileable To conclude this Point The necessitie of this life by Faith ariseth from these two considerations 1. From that admirable and wise manner of Gods dealing with vs in leading forward to perfection 2. From our weake and diuers manner of apprehending the same i. Gods dealing herein is discerned First by bringing light out of darknesse that is by producing contraries out of contraries good out of euill grace out of sin And this the Lord doth diuers waies First Generally working out of euery sinne 1. Sense of our owne inabilitie and corruption 2. So sorrow for the same and so repentance so more humilitie warines against future assaults and greater tentations so that of necessitie here we must liue by Faith that by this peircing and cleere light we may be able to discerne through the thicke cloude of voluntarie sinning notwithstanding an vnwillingnesse to commit the same that in the sweet of sin

our further enabling this is a gracious euidence of the Measure of our Growth 2 Seeing the Grace of God is free and so constant as to perfect the worke hee hath begun in vs and therefore wee shall certainely in due time attaine perfection therefore if in all our endeuours and proceeding wee still relye on Gods free grace both for the acceptance of our persons that wee may bee enabled to well doing as also for the vndertaking and prosecuting of the worke meerely held of his free grace specially in the issue thereof submit wholy thereto and comfort our selues in the acceptance of our persons aboue all worth of our well doing and in the truth of Gods promises beyond al present performance of the same liuing still by faith in Iesus Christ and seeing a farre off by faith into the glory which shal be reuealed shall endeauour still to cast away euery thing that presseth downe and shake off the speciall sinne that hangeth so fast on vs that so wee may runne with ioy the race that is set before vs. This is a sure euidence of our spirituall growth hereby wee shall approue and improue dayly the measure thereof Lastly seeing whatsoeuer wee are or shall be is of Gods free bountie and superaboundant grace therefore if in whatsoeuer we are or doe we ascribe all to the meere goodnesse of God doing all our workes for vs and crowning all our workes in vs enabling vs to doe aboue what wee can desire or thinke and accepting what wee doe aboue any abilitie or worth in and of our selues Hereby wee may truely euidence the measure of our spirituall growth the more wee can depend vpon the absolute goodnesse of God and so may gratiously improue and further our hastning on to perfection A fourth rule hereunto is That As there are diuers measures of glory so there are also diuers measures of grace sutable thereunto And yet each shall haue sufficient to make vp his particular measure and this according to the free grace of God who giueth to each as it pleaseth him And this according to his vnspeakeable Wisedome to reserue the glory of his mercie intirely vnto himselfe yet so as that 1 In the diuersitie of measure each shall haue sufficient to the end they are ordained 2 Each shall hereby be more seruiceable to each other for the present common good and future maine End euen the glorie of God 3 And so each shall hereby prouoke other more effectually in their seuerall measure to their maine End the glorie of God and their owne saluation Out of which Ground arise these most comfortable Conclusions 1 That seeing the wise Lord dispenseth seuerally according to his pleasure therefore wee must bee contented with what hee hath disposed and yet not neglect the meanes whereby wee may both confirme what wee haue and also encrease it in our seuerall occasions 2 That seeing in this Diuersitie yet each shall haue sufficient therefore wee may neyther enuie the greater measure of others nor bee deiected in our owne lesse but rather with thankfulnesse blesse our God that it is more then wee deserue and in all chearefulnesse and diligence improue the same finding this as an euidence of the truth of the Measure and our good husbandry therein that we so rest in the same as still to hasten forward to the Price that is set before vs and measure our selues and others as wee follow Christ and endeuour to be partakers of his fulnesse that God may bee be all in all in vs. And hereunto serues a fift Rule That the Spirit worketh freely as in the manner so especially in the measure thereof That is Whereas the worke of Grace is the onely worke of Gods Power and Goodnesse and that onely for his glory therefore seeing nothing in vs can further or hinder him therein it must needs follow that as by his Spirit hee begins the worke in vs freely when and how hee pleaseth so also doth hee most freely lead forward the same both by what meanes manner seemes best to his diuine wisedome yea then doth most expresse this admirable libertie when by reason of greater oppositions without and tentations within his glory may bee the more preserued or impeached And this fals out in the greater measure of our Groweth Because now we shall be subiect to more inward buffettings of spirituall Pride vaine glory Hypocrisie or the like to hinder our true iudgement thereof or the further thriuing therein And now we shal be more priuie to the deceitfullnesse of our hearts and power of corruption which without his speciall grace may distract and confound vs in the same Yea we shall want greater oppositions from without by slaunders persecutions and to discourage and deiect therein And therefore herein the liberty of the spirit doth appeare more wisely and gloriously either suspending some opperations thereof which might cause those spirituall ends or leauing vs to some outward euils to purge out those that are inward and yet sustaining vs wonderfully with secret euidences to controule the deceitfulnes of the heart and satisfie vs gratiously against the chalenges thereof and to comfort vs also in the greatest sence of inward corruption Yea mightily arming vs with inward power to ouercome all outward oppositions and recompensing the same gloriously with more inward vnspeakable and glorious ioy And yet in all these working most freely both concerning the time and measure and meanes as pleaseth him That he may haue the only glory of all his workes and flesh may bee confounded in all confidence therein Of which more Particularly in the Cases hereafter From whence arise these most comfortable Rules for the Triall of the measure of our Growth and proceeding therein As first that seeing the Spirit worketh freely euen from the Beginning to the end of the worke therefore we must discerne the Measure of our Growth by the Free working of the Spirit both affording what measure of ability it pleaseth him in weldoing as also giuing such successe thereto as may still euidence it absolute libertie and reserue the glorie intirely vnto God that so wee may neyther bee puffed vp with good successe to hinder further proceeding nor confounded in the contrary to challenge the truth of the worke 2 That in our greatest measure wee still depend vpon the libertie of the Spirit affording comfort therein and abilitie to improue the same aright and so still to goe forward and also wisely tempering our best endeuours with many interruptions and disappointments that so the flesh may be abased and all carnall glory confounded But of this before in the opening of that Resemblance A sixt Rule hereto is That the Power of God is seene in our weakenesse and his glorie perfited in our infirmities That is Seeing our estate in Grace is imperfect at the best by reason of inward Corruption still accompanying the same and also of outward Tentations hindering thereof and all this that God onely may haue the glorie of all his