Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	believe_v	hear_v	word_n	5,231	5	4.7330	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02260	The happines of enjoying, and making a true and speedie use of Christ Setting forth, first, the fulnesse of Christ. Secondly, the danger of neglecting Christ, and the opportunity of grace. Thirdly, the Lord Jesus the soules last refuge. Whereunto is added, St. Pauls legacie, or farewell to the men of Corinth. By Alexander Grosse B.D. Minister of the Gospel, and pastour of Bridford.	Grosse, Alexander, 1596?-1654.	1640 (1640)	STC 12395; ESTC S103450	151,344	397

Saint Paul to Titus hath appeared teaching men to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously c Acts 26.16 and go●●●● in this present evill world And 〈…〉 Christ to Paul have appeared 〈…〉 ●●is purpose to make thee a Mi●●ster 〈◊〉 witnesse both of these things which thou hast seene and of those things in the which I will appeare unto thee delivering thee from the people and from the Gentiles unto whom now I send thee to open their eyes and to turne them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God In regard of Gods expectation The husband-man after the long manuring of the field lookes for fruit from the field Who is the d Mat. 21. housholder in the parable that planted a vineyard but the Lord What is the vineyard but the Church and what are the vines but the several mēbers of the Church Who are the servants but the Ministers whom God sends to dresse his vineyard what is the fruit which God there expects but knowledge faith repentance the fruit of his Ministers labours in the soules of his servants The shepheard lookes for increase from the flocke which he watcheth feedeth conducteth and defendeth the husband lookes for children from the wife whom he espouseth the fruit of his wedlocke and God the husband and shepheard of our soules lookes for fruit from us over whom by his Ministers hee watcheth whom by their labours he feedeth conducteth and defendeth and espouseth to himselfe The Teacher expecteth learning from his scholer and herein saith Christ is my Father glorified e Joh. 15.8 that ye beare much fruit so shall ye be my Disciples In regard of honouring and glorifying the Word and Ministers thereof The fruitfulnesse of the field is the glory of the seed sowne in it and of the husband-man which sowed it f Psa 128.3 the wife which is as the vine by the sides of the house and the children standing like Olive plants round about the Table are the glory of the house and husband g Psal 127.5 happy is he that hath his quiver full of them sayth the Psalmist he shall not be ashamed The fruitfulnesse of the people when the Congregation is full of spirituall fruit like a vine growing by the house side and the severall members thereof fat and flourishing in grace like Olive plants then the Word is glorified then the Minister is honoured happy is that Messenger of God that hath his quiver the house of his Ministery full of them It is sayd of the Gentiles h Acts 13.48 that they heard and glorified the Word of God and as many as were ordained unto life beleeved They glorified the word of God by acknowledging the truth of it by beleeving the promises of salvation proposed in it by submitting themselves to the power and authoritie of it by walking answerably to it Mans obedience is the glory of Gods ordinance the fruitfulnesse of the hearers is the crowne of Gods Messengers In regard of peace and consolation to their owne soules The good effects of Physicke make the patient joyfull the fructification of the word in the heart of man makes the soule of man comfortable When the Gospel commeth not in i 1 Thess 1.5 word onely but in power also in power in lightning in power converting and changing the heart of man working and perfecting grace in the inward man then the soule of man is filled with joy in the holy Ghost then the Word is the joy and rejoycing of the heart then the k Isai 5.7.19 fruit of the lippe is peace spirituall inward universall plentifull and perpetuall peace peace with God peace with man peace with the conscience a paradise of heavenly comforts a river of peace which no humane understanding can fathome And therefore it must bee the care of men to see that they grow to much spirituall perfection after the Ministers long and frequent preaching This therefore reproveth such as after the long and frequent preaching of the Gospel continue barren and unfruitfull Use like the grounds about l 2 King 2.19 Iericho which were not made fertile but rather barren by the waters which did flow upon them to whom the waters drawne out of the wells of salvation are as waters powred upon the rocke which bringeth forth no fruit from whom the sounding of the trumpet of the Gospel and the constant cry of Gods watchmen like the m 1 King 18 26. call and cry of Baals worshippers from the morning to the evening upon Baal hath no voyce nor answer of faith in Gods promises of obedience to Gods precepts nor of godly sorrow for mens transgressions ministring matter of complaint to God provoking the site of Gods indignation against their soules I n Isa 64.2 have spred out my hands all the day long saith the Lord unto a rebellious people which walketh in a way that is not good after their owne thoughts a people that provoketh me to anger continually 〈…〉 face ministring cause of great complaint to Gods Messengers causing them to say with the Prophet Esay o Isa 53.1 Who hath beleeved our report and to whom hath the arme of the Lord been revealed to mourne wish with Jeremy O p Jer. 9.1 that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountaine of teares that I might weepe day and night for the slaine of the daughter of my people O that I had in the wildernesse a lodging of way-faring men that I might leave my people and goe from them for they are all adulterers an assembly of treacherous men Great is the griefe arising in the soules of Gods Ministers when men continue barren under their labours And when men thrive not ascend not to perfection in grace by the care industry of Gods watch-men they lose that q Pro. 2.10 knowledge the presence whereof is more pleasant then the sun that r 1 Pet. 1.6 faith the enioyment whereof is more pretious then all gold that peace which is more comfortable and delightfull then any paradise then the garden of Eden it self and that communion with God in cōparison wherof the sweetest communion with men is but an exilement continuing their soules under the dominion of sin which is more loathsome full of torment then any sicknes under that bondage of Satan which is infinitely worse then captivity under any mortall tyrant provoking God at length to leave them and making their last account for all the Sermons which they have heard most dreadfull and most uncomfortable Therefore let it bee our care after the long and frequent preaching of the Gospel after the due and faithfull discharge of the Ministers dutie towards us to discharge our dutie also towards God the Lord hath caused the Starre of his Gospel a long time to shine amongst you and hath made the dew of his doctrine to drop for divers years upon you he hath shewed you his statutes and

their sinne their profane and evill estate it is a great terrour to them it troubles them as the star did i Mat. 2.2 Herod the men of Ierusalem Man can never take pleasure in that fulnesse of light which shineth from Christ Jesus untill hee hath emptied himselfe of the fulnesse of his corruptions Secondly from the want of love to the truth The woman that wants love to her husband readily prostitutes her selfe to strangers The soule that loves not Christ and his truth doth easily open it selfe to corrupt and deceitfull doctrines because they k 2 Thes 2.9 10. received not the love of the truth that they might bee saved for this cause saith the Apostle God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeve a lye Corrupt and carnall doctrine is very welcome where the love of the truth is wanting hee that receives not the truth into his affection as well as into his judgement will soone bee drawne from it Under the Law it was usuall for a man that married a l Deut. 24.1 woman if hee loved her not to give her a bill of divorcement and send her out of his house It is common with men under the Gospel who in regard of externall covenant and profession are married to the truth yet afterwards through the want of love they give the truth a bill of divorce and become strangers to it It is love to the truth that causeth man to continue constant with it m Cant. 8.6 7. Love it and you shall never depart from it Thirdly from a desire of novelty Men naturally desire new things as they desire new fashions of apparrell for their bodies so new doctrines for their soules The eye is little affected with the Sun because it shineth every day it much admires a blazing star because but seldome seene Things of greatest worth because common are little esteemed vaine and empty things because new are much regarded Saint Paul tells Timothy that the time will come when men will not n 2 Tim. 4.3 endure sound doctrine but after their owne lusts shall they heap unto themselves teachers having itching eares Men having the itch delight in scraping men over-spred with the loathsome scab of unclean lusts desire to bee soothed daubed flattered in their sinnes and to have their eares tickled and pleased with some new and strange things with o Isay 30.10 smooth things and deceits with the p 1 Cor. 2.3 enticing words of mens wisedome The Israelites q Numb 11.5 loathed the Manna and lusted after the Onions of Egypt Men of corrupt hearts after a while loath the pure and plaine preaching of Christ and fall a lusting after Philosophicall superstitious and vaine doctrines No man so desires change of new and strange doctrines as he that meanes not to change his conversation were the hearts of men truly changed the true and common doctrine of Christ would bee very pleasant the soule would never grow weary of it Fourthly from their estrangement from Christ they discerne not Christs beauties they taste not Christs sweetnesse they feele not Christs goodnesse there is no sutablenesse between Christ and their hearts they have not r Ephes 4.21 learned Christ as the truth is in him they have not learned the wisedome of Christ to bee guided by him the authoritie of Christ to subject themselves unto him the beauties of Christ to admire him the love of Christ to delight themselves in him the death of Christ to mortifie their lusts the resurrection of Christ quickning them to a new life the power of Christ to depend upon him the holinesse of Christ to imitate him the all-sufficiencie of Christ to content themselves with him Christ is to them a ſ Rev. 2.17 hidden Manna whom they taste not they see t Isay 53.2 nothing in him for which they should desire him It is recorded of Agesilaus comming to help the King of Egypt in his distresse that ob corpus incultum vestis vilitatem venit in contemptum ejus gentis hominibus qui sperarunt se visuros Spartanum regem talem qualis esset rex Persarum corpore decentissimè ornatum for the unhansomnesse of his body basenesse of his garment hee was had in contempt among the men of that nation who hoped to have seene a Spartan King such as the King of the Persians most comely adorned in his body So Christ comming to helpe us in our distresse for the want of externall pompe in his Ordinances and worldly glory in his Ministers and Members the splendor of humane eloquence in his doctrines is despised by the men who frame and forme unto themselves a Christ like to one of the mighty Monarches of the earth Hee that discernes not the spirituall beauty of Christ in his doctrine doth easily degenerate to humane superstition Fifthly from the disagreement betweene them and Christs doctrine There is no proportion no likenesse no answerablenesse betweene their hearts and this doctrine they are darknesse and this is light they are carnall and this is spirituall they are from beneath and this is from above their wayes are contrary to it their hearts are full of enmitie against it they hate it as u 1 King 22.8 Ahab hated Micaiah because hee never prophesied good to him Such is the brightnesse the holinesse the power of it that they cannot endure it they are loath to bee searched to have their sinne discovered as Rahel when shee sate upon her Idoll unwilling to bee reproved to have their lusts mortified as David was to have Absolom put to w 2 Sam. 18.3 death and therefore charged the Captaines of his Army to deale gently with the young man The rough handling of profane mens vices makes them weary of Gods ordinances and moves them to seeke out some more gentle and easie doctrines But brethren The vanity of humane doctrine displayed as Solomon sometime said of Laughter It is mad and of Mirth what doth it so let me say to you of this rotten deceitfull and pleasant doctrine It is mad the words of wisedome and sobernesse are not in it and of all humane observations and Philosophicall dictates in the Schoole of Christ What do they Why surely they doe x Isai 8.20 not discover sinne they search as Laban did not as the Master in Ionah did they are but a key of straw they open not the doore of the heart they leave man ignorant of God and himselfe No doctrine can shew us God but that which is from God Secondly they humble not the soul As Zebah Zalmunna said of Iether y Iudg. 8.21 Such as the man is such is his strength so such as the doctrine is such is its strength The Divell regarded not the sonnes of z Acts 19.15 Sceva's adjuration his holds are never cast downe by a humane doctrine Thirdly they nourish not The a Luke 15. Prodigall was like to starve before hee returned to his

enlivening the soules of men graciously reigning and ruling within them plentifully ministring all spirituall and heavenly gifts unto them k Rev. 7.15 Hee that sitteth on the throne saith Saint John shall dwell among them they shall enjoy his grace and favour here and his glory hereafter The God-head dwells in the humane nature of Christ by personall and perpetuall union of both natures and this is the dwelling here spoken of Whence wee see that Doctr. Christ is God and man in one person by an inseparable union The pillar which conducted Israel was a fire and a cloud yet both but one Pillar Christ the great conductor and guide of Gods Israel is God and likewise man yet in both but one person therefore called l Isa 7.14 Immanuel God with us or God made flesh noting the union of his two natures in one person and his office of mediation between God and Man being the authour of salvation both temporall and eternall to the soule and body of man The Temple was a type of Christ stone without and gold within Christ was flesh without according to his humane nature full of resplendent glory and divine majestie within in respect of his divine nature In the Temple the glory of God appeared the Temple was filled with it in the flesh of Christ the God-head inhabiteth most gloriously replenishing it The m Iohn 1.14 Word sayth Saint John was made flesh and dwelt among us and wee beheld his glory as the glory of the onely begotten of the Father full of grace and truth The Word was made flesh not by bare and naked inhabitation in the flesh presence with the flesh affection to the flesh or grace and dignity conferred on the flesh nor by conversion of the word into flesh or commixture of the Word with the flesh but by the assumption of our flesh into the unitie of his person the hypostasis or subsistence of the Sonne being made the hypostasis or subsistence of the flesh assumed the flesh subsisting in the person of the Word The Apostle makes mention of the Sonne thus speaking to the Father n Heb. 10.5 Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not but a body hast thou fitted me by incarnation by uniting it to my person and this union is not a union of two persons in one Christ but of two natures in one person the subsistence of the word is so communicated to the flesh that the Word and flesh are one person the naturall properties and operations of both natures remaining distinct and without confusion the divine and humane nature are both united the humane nature is assumed the divine nature is the assument not the person but the nature of man not man but the humanitie is taken by Christ into the unitie of his person otherwise hee should not bee one but two persons not one but two Christs The Scripture therefore calles him Davids o Mat. 22.45 Sonne and Davids Lord because hee is both God and Man in one person And this union is without mutation of the divine Person without division confusion or separation of the natures the union is everlastingly permanent Of this Christs appearing to the Fathers of old in the shape of man were Praeludiums Symbols and this was also typified by the Tabernacle of Moses in the Desert that being a type of Christs assuming our flesh and dwelling amongst us as in a Tabernacle The Tabernacle was a testimony of Gods presence with his people p Luk 1.18 78 79. God by his Sonne made flesh doth testifie himselfe to bee graciously present with us The people came to the Tabernacle to worship invocate and offer their Sacrifice unto God God will not bee invocated and adored by man but in and through Christ manifested in the flesh of man And it was necessary that Christ should be God and Man in one person 2 Grounds hereof In regard of the exaltation of the humane nature of Christ above all creatures all Men and Angels 1. Christs exaltation Saints and Angels are one with God and Christ by gracious qualities consent of will and opinion and mysticall conjunction the humane nature of Christ is one with his divine person by a more transcendent eminent and immediate conjunction being assumed into the unity of his person Ioseph was exalted above his brethren above all the Nobles in the Court of Pharaoh Christ even according to the flesh is exalted above all men yea above all the Angels the choycest Nobles of him that is the King of kings From this personall union is derived an incomprehensible communication of all divine and heavenly gifts to the humane nature of Christ an unction above q Ps 45 7. all his fellowes like that of Ioseph to Benjamin five times as good many degrees more excellent then that which is bestowed on his brethren whether Angels or Men the Spirit being given unto him r Ioh. 3.34 above measure having all heavenly fulnesse like the fulnesse of light in the Sunne or waters in the Sea From this union the humane nature obtaines the honour of adoration yet not of the flesh as flesh but of the God-head in the flesh the God-head and the manhood making but one person in the Sonne and hee is said to bee set downe at the right hand of God being made so Å¿ Heb. 1.4 much better then the Angels as hee hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name then they the Angels being servants Christ a Sonne both by eternall generation and hypostaticall union 2. Mans salvation In regard of mans salvation Such was mans necessitie of Christs incarnation of his assuming mans flesh into the unity of his person that hee could not bee saved but by such a Redeemer as was both God and Man in one person First the Majesty of God the poverty and indigencie of man the greatnesse of the evill to bee removed and the greatnesse of the good to bee restored required that mans Redeemer should bee God Such is the Majesty of God that none could interpose himselfe but hee that is one with the Father the Angels could not they themselves have need of a mediator of t Col. 1.16 17. union and confirmation they themselves compared with God are not u Job 15.15 pure in his sight and therefore they w Isa 6.2 cover their faces how much lesse can man doe it when not one of them is x Rev. 3.10 righteous The evill to be taken away sinne and the consequents of sinne the wrath of God the power of Satan death temporall and eternall are a disease of that difficultie that none can cure it a fire of that heat that none can endure it a burthen of that weight that none can stand under it but hee that is omnipotent for by whose passion can the offence of an infinite Majestie bee expiated but by his who is also infinite By whose intercession can the wrath of God be appeased but by his

which Christ hath assumed abides unchangeably united to the person of the Sonne so o Ioh. 15.7 abide with Christ in attendance on his ordinances in faith in his promises in love to his truth and in obedience to his precepts As the assumed nature is ascended from the earth to heaven so raise thy thoughts and affections p Col. 3.2 from the things below to the things above ascend continually by meditation by faith by love and longing to the things which are spirituall As the assumed nature hath no subsistence but in the person of the Sonne so have thou no dependance upon any thing but on Christ alone let him q Psal 73.15 bee all in all And as the assumed nature is filled with the fulnesse of the Godhead so labour more and more to bee filled with the fulnesse of all grace and holinesse so shalt thou maintaine that honour to which Christ hath exalted thy nature CHAP. XII Shewing that mans choycest excellencie consisteth in union with God THis sheweth us wherein the choycest excellencie of man consisteth even in being united unto God in having God dwelling in his heart Wherein stands the excellencie of Christ as Man but in having the Godhead dwelling in his flesh in being assumed into the unity of the second person And wherein stands the excellencie the glory and the happinesse of man but in being reconciled and brought nigh to God in being entred into a sweet and gracious communion with God Is it not the excellencie of the branches to bee united to the Vine of the members to bee united to the head of the wife to have communion with the husband and of the children to have communion with the parent And what is the excellencie the joy and comfort of the soule but sweet and gracious communion with God in Christ Jerusalem though the joy of the whole earth pleased not Absolom unlesse hee might r 2 Sam. 14.32 see the face of his father David The paradise of the world is but a wilderness to to the childe of God unlesse hee see the face enjoy the comfortable presence of God his Father Whom doth the Psalmist pronounce blessed Him that hath communion with Princes in their Courts with Nobles in their honours with valiant men in their victories with rich men in their wealth voluptuous men in their pleasures or him that hath communion with his God in his ordinances in his spirituall comforts Å¿ Psal 65.4 Blessed saith he is the man whom thou chusest and causest to approch unto thee whom thou chusest embracing him with thy love adopting him for thy sonne and making him a member of thy Church and causest him to approch unto thee as a Scholler to thy Schoole as a friend to thy house as a childe to thy table as a bride into the bosome of thy love to know thy will to beleeve thy truth to receive thy grace and to feele thy love and to bee satisfied with the goodnesse of thy house even of thy holy Temple What is the fruit and end of all the labours of Gods Ministers but to worke and draw home the soules of men to God to the fruition enjoyment of God to union and communion with God All the labour of Eleazar was to bring home Rebecca unto Isaac to espouse her to Isaac and all the labour of Gods Ministers his servants is to bring men home to Christ to espouse them to Christ as Paul saith I t 2 Cor. 11.2 have espoused you to one husband This is the summe of all to gather men home to God and Christ as Chicken to the Henne as Sheep unto the Shepheard as Children to the Parent that they may bee u 2 Cor. 5.19 reconciled unto God made one with God and have the blessed enjoyment of God as their highest excellency chiefest good And what are the longings of the soules of holy men who have discerned Gods beauties who have tasted Gods loving kindnesse but the fruition of God in his ordinances and in his graces w Ps 42.2 My soul saith David thirsteth for God O when shall I come appeare before God! And againe My soule x Ps 119.20 breaketh for the longings which it hath unto thy judgements at all times Very vehement and laborious are the desires of Gods servants after him and his testimonies desires which doe even consume and weare out the strength and vigour of their soules desires of perseverance longing at all times in prosperitie and adversitie The soule of a good man is restlesse untill it hath the enjoyment of God and Jesus Christ nothing else can content and answere it Herein stands the excellencie the glory and comfort of it untill it attaine this it is unquiet Union and communion with God makes the soule flourish Benefits of union and communion with God as the branches by union with the vine They y Ps 92.12 that are planted in the house of the Lord that draw nigh to God conscionably frequent his word and are ingrafted into Christ they shall flourish in the courts of our God as a watered garden or a tree planted by the waters side this fils the soule with spirituall life with heavenly sense and motion as the members which are united to the head z 1 Ioh. 5.12 Hee that hath the sonne hath life power strength a blessed fulnesse of holy and heavenly life hee spiritually moves and eates and walkes and workes and rejoyceth like a living man this makes him strong as the a Mat. 7. house that was united to the rocke no windes nor waves of trouble can beate him downe this makes him strong as Christ is strong to beare afflictions and to runne like a strong man the race of Gods commandements this sustaines him in all worldly desertions this is in stead of light when he is in darknesse in stead of b Psa 4.6 wealth when he is poore c. Union and communion with God answers all things O be assured then that the top and flower of the soules happinesse consists in union with God and Christ Jesus And as the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth in the humane nature of Christ bodily substantially so labour to feele God in Christ dwelling in thy soule spiritually feele him dwelling there by illumination as the sun dwelleth in the aire by ministration as the vine to the branches by powerfull and gracious gubernation as a centurion in the army a master in the house and a king in his courts by spirituall and holy inclination bowing bending and framing the heart to doe the will of God As the pilot at the sterne workes the ship towards the haven as the spirit of the living creatures in Ezekiels vision being in the wheeles Wheresoever the Spirit moved c Ezek. 1.20 they moved so feele the Spirit of Christ in thy soule so possessing sanctifying and framing it that there be a disposition and readinesse within thee to move as God in his word