Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	worthy_a	write_n	year_n	16	3	4.2211	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17384	A commentary: or, sermons vpon the second chapter of the first epistle of Saint Peter vvherein method, sense, doctrine, and vse, is, with great variety of matter, profitably handled; and sundry heads of diuinity largely discussed. By Nicholas Byfield, late preacher of God's Word at Isle-worth in Middlesex.	Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622.; Gouge, William, 1578-1653.	1623 (1623)	STC 4211; ESTC S107078	497,216	958

deuote our selues vnto godlinesse that thereby we may proue what this good and acceptable will of God is Let vs try Gods acceptation and wee shall certainly finde it shall go well with the iust Rom. 12.1 2. Yea wee should from hence gather much encouragement to imploy our selues in piety and mercy It is enough if God accept of vs. Quest. But what should we doo that we may be sure our sacrifices be accepted of God How shall we knowe when God doth accept our seruice in any holy duty Ans. That a mans conscience may be soundly established in this point of God's acceptation we must look to three things First that the person be sanctified None but Priests must approach to offer sacrifice to God They that are in the flesh cannot please GOD Rom. 8.8 The sonnes of Leui must bee purified and refined as the siluer is refined before their offring will bee pleasing Mal. 3.3 4. When the Lord reiected with so much disdain the sacrifices of the Iewes hee shewes what they should haue done to please him they should haue washed themselues by true repentance and put away the euill of their works Esay 1.11 16. Onely the works of the penitent cannot bee accepted if the person be not in fauour the works are hated For they are sanctified by the holy Ghost Rom. 15.16 Secondly that the manner of performing our seruice bee right there are diuers things in the manner are hatefull and diuers things pleasing The things specially hatefull are first beloued sinnes secondly hypocrisie thirdly malice and fourthly luke-warmnesse The sacrifice is lothsome if it be blinde or lame or blemished that is if men bring to Gods seruice the loue of any foule sinne the seruice is lothsome Malach. 1. So if mens hearts be carried away with continuall distractions that seruice is lost this is To come neer to God with our lips when our harts are farre from him Hypocrisie is leauen as beloued sin is hony both forbidden Again when a man comes to God's work and hath not forgiuen his brother hee keeps the Feast with some leauen his Passeouer is defiled nor can his own sinnes be forgiuen because he forgiues not Mat. 6. 1. Cor. 5.8 Finally luke-warmnesse is like a vomit to God when wee are neither hot nor cold They are lothed like the Laodiceans Reuel 3. There are other things wonderfull pleasing to God as First when a man doth whatsoeuer he doth in the Name of Christ this is the Altar that sanctifieth the gift and the sacrifices are heer acceptable through Iesus Christ Heb. 13.15 Col. 3.17 Secondly when our works are soundly powdered with salt that is when we soundly confess our owne vnworthinesse and giue all glory to God in Iesus Christ. Thirdly when wee loue mercy and piety accounting it our delight to doo God's will and thinking our selues greatly honoured to bee admitted to doo this seruice Mic. 6.8 2. Cor. 8.5 Fourthly when we can bring faith that is a heart well perswaded of God so as wee can beleeue all good of him and his mercy Without faith no man can please God Heb. 11.6 and God takes no delight in him that withdraweth himself through vnbelief Heb. 10.36 37. Fiftly when it is our euery-daies work Sacrifice will please God if it be continuall Hebrewes 13.15 Thus of the second thing Thirdly wee may knowe that our sacrifice is accepted if the Lord burn it to ashes with fire from heauen Thus God did put a difference between the sacrifice of Cain and Abel by some visible signe and though wee may not limit God and expect he should answer vs by visible signes yet God hath not left vs without testimony of his fauour For by his word of promise and by his Spirit bearing witnes to our spirits hath hee manifested euen from heauen his acceptation and in particular when the beleeuer stands before the Lord with his sacrifice duely offered when the Lord doth ●uddenly fill his heart with the cloud of his presence or warm his soule with the ioyes of the holy Ghost what is this but the signe of his acceptation Question What if we be accepted in our seruice of God what great thing is that to vs Answ. When God accepts thine offrings thou maist be assured of three things First that all thy sins bee forgiuen thee God hath purged away thine iniquity he hath receiued an atonement in Iesus Christ Psal 65.2 3. Secondly God is exceedingly delighted in them Thy sacrifice is a sweet smell vnto God he reioyceth ouer thee with ioy Phil. 4.18 Thirdly it is a pledge vnto thee that God wil supply all thy necessities out of the riches of his glory in Iesus Christ our Sauiour Phil. 4.19 Verse 6. Wherfore also it is contained in the Scripture Behold I put in Sion a chief corner-stone elect and precious and hee that beleeueth therein shall not be ashamed HItherto of the proposition of the exhortation The confirmation follows where the Apostle giues reasons why wee should make our recourse to Christ to seek holinesse of life from him and the reasons are two The first is taken from the testimony of God verses 6 7 8. The other is taken from the consideration of the excellent priuiledges of Christians vnto which they are brought by Christ verses 9 10. The testimony of God is both cited verse 6. and expounded verses 7 8. In the testimony of God obserue first where it is to be found viz. In Scripture secondly how it is there It is contained there thirdly what is testified Now the matter testified concerns either the giuing of Christ for the good of the Church or the safety of the Christian that by faith receiueth Christ. The giuing of Christ is exprest in these words Behold I lay in Sion a chief corner stone elect precious the safety and happinesse of the Christian that receiueth Christ in these words And hee that beleeues in him shall not be confounded First of the place where this testimony is found viz. in the Scripture By the Scripture is vsually meant all the Books of the old and new Testament written after an extraordinary manner by inspiration of the holy Ghost But heer he means it of the Books of the old Testament but yet so as the word doth agree to all the Books of both Testaments Now this very word giues vs occasion to consider of the nature of these Books and of their vse and of their excellency and of their harmony These Books are called Scripture because they contain in writing the whole will of God necessary to be knowne of vs they are the Treasures of all truth The doctrine which was before deliuered by tradition for 2000 yeers was afterwards written down and explained in these Books so as nothing needfull was left out or omitted Secondly this word imports the excellency of the Bible aboue all other bookes because it is called Scripture as if no other writings were worthy to be mentioned in comparison of these The Scripture exceedes