Selected quad for the lemma: fire_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
fire_n	cloud_n	night_n	pillar_n	4,723	5	10.5941	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93347	Gods unchangeableness: or Gods continued providence, in preserving, governing, ordering and disposing of all creatures, men, actions, counsels and things, as at the beginning of the world, so to the end of the world, for ever, according to the counsel of his own will. From whence is gatherd six necessary inferences very applicable to the changes, alterations and vicissitude of these our present times. Wherein is clearly demonstrated and proved, that Oliver Cromwell is by the providence of God, Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland, &c. to whom the people owe obedience, as to him whom God hath set over them. Unto which is added, the causes of discontent, repining and murmurings of men: also, some serious advertisements, and seasonable admonitions to the discontented, and reprehensions to all impetuous, arrogant murmurers. Together with answers to some cheif objections made against the Lord Protector and his present government, endeavouring (if possible) satisfaction to all men. / Therefore written and published for publicke good, by George Smith, Gent.	Smith, George, 1602 or 3-1658.	1655 (1655)	Wing S4036; Thomason E824_4; ESTC R207687	84,417	65

for them who shall be heirs of salvation And the b Psalmist exhorting us to the praise of God saith Who is like the Lord our God that hath his dwelling on high and yet abaseth himself to behold the things in the heaven and in the earth Psa. 113. 5 6. He so beholdeth all things as to order all things and all actions not only Men and Angels but the unreasonable creatures yea inanimate things by a providence As the Israelites were led through the wildernesse by a pillar of a cloud by day and by a pillar of fire by night So all creatures are guided by providence You know that when the cloud was taken up from the Tabernacle the Israelites journeyed and went forward so long as the pillar went before them but when the ●●pillar staid they staid in that place where the cloud abode there they pitched their tents as is said Num. 9. 17. Again when the cloud was taken up whether by day or by night they journeyed and so long as it rested they remained in their Tents whether it was for a day or for daies for moneths or for years c God is the same to us that he was to Israel his providence is the same though altered in the dispensations c. God is eternal and he is unchangeable in all his waies he made himself known in times past by his wondrous works and special Revelations but now he maketh himself known by his word as well as by his works The visible things created which are but part of the works of God do set forth to the whole world his power and wisedom Psa. 19. and as the Psalmist saith The Lord is known by the judgements which he executeth Psa. 9. 16. But especially by his word he hath made himself known to his people his word is contained in the sacred Scriptures of the Old and New Testament there he hath revealed himself in his Attributes Names Titles eternal essence and being and by his word we come to know what his works are they are revealed in Scripture to be Decree Creation and Providence Decree was the purpose of God before all time what should be in time and till time shall be no more Creation was the making of the worlds and all things in them of nothing and that was in the beginning of time Providence is the governing and disposing of all things by which God the Creator doth exercise his Kingly power for ever according to the decree and secret counsel of God effecting every purpose in the time place and by the means pre-ordained by God Now that there is such a ruling providence that ordereth all things and every thing in the world is necessary to be known and beleeved by all Therefore I shall endeavour to prove it by Scripture and experience and that nothing comes to passe by chance or meerly by nature nor can be effected and done by any devisings contrivings wisedom or power of men without the disposing of providence For if there be a God that made all things it must needs be that the same God governs all things and their Actions according to his will But God made all things that 's confessed why did God make the creature not for themselves nor to leave them to act and do as they list But God made all for himself for his own glo●y d yea he made the wicked for the day of wrath It was indeed a glorious work to make the worlds and all creatures but it is a more glorious work to govern the worlds and every creature by his most wise providence This providence he calleth the eyes of his glory e by it his glory is manifested in every thing and this glory he will not give unto any other f Providence is the absolute Soveraign power of God over the creatures exercising his eternal Decrees and secret counsell ordering things and actions according to his good pleasure after the counsell of his own will g Thus saith the Lord speaking of things done from the beginning of the world and things to be done my Counsell shall stand and I will do all my pleasure h Seek ye out of the Book of the Lord saith the Prophet and reade not one of these things shall fail nor ssiall misse one of another i All things shall come to passe and be so ordered and fitted unto another as the sword to the Scabbard or knife to the sheath I will speak the word and the word that I speak shall be done k The Lord of Hosts purposeth and who shall disanull it l he spake and it was done saith the Psalmist he commanded and it stood fast m There was a sore Famine in Samaria and the Prophet telleth them that the next day there should be great plenty but this seemed a thing impossible and was not beleeved the Assyrians being then with a mighty Army besieging Samaria n Now the Lord made the host of the Assyrians to hear a noyse of horses aad chariots and of a mighty host and for fear they all fled from their Tents and left their Tents and Camp even as it was with all provisions and fled for their lives o Now there were four lepers that were in distresse and ventured themselves to go to the Camp of the Assyrians where they found abundance of food and treasure and all the host was fled these bring tidings to Samaria And as the Lord had said by his Prophet so it came to passe p Here was no contrivance nor wisedom nor power of men in all this but the work of providence So you shall see that when two men go into the field to hew wood the head of the Axe sticth from the helve at unawares and killeth one of these men q This is the work of providence and in such a case God himself saith I have delivered such a man to the slayers hand r If God take care of a Sparrow he much more taketh care of a man But a Sparrow falleth not to the ground without the providence of God and a mani of more value then many Sparrows ſ Two men travell on the way the one is robbed of his purse the other is never assaulted this is providence in the one and in the other You know Ahab would needs go up to Ramoth-Gilead he was very confident of victory he takes much advice and counsell about it strengthens himself by the assistance of King Jehosapha● and is encouraged by no lesse then four hundred false Prophets all say to him Go and prosper t Only Mic●iah the Prophet of the Lord tels him from the mouth of God that he should not return in peace Ahab scorns the Prophets words and imprisons him and goes on with confidence of his design Now what crossed him in his design contrivements and power c. the Text tels you a certain man drew a bow at a venture ●nd shot an arrow He knew not Ahab nor

gave him a pillar of a cloud by day and of fire by night to go before them and the Ark of the Lord went before to finde out a resting-place w for where the Ark rested they staied and as long as the Cloud rested upon the Ark they rested in their Tents x This was providence guiding the people to conven●ent places for water and rest yet Moses the Servant of God is very inquisitive with his Father in Law whom Providence had brought to him and who was acquainted with the waies of the wildernesse and places where was Springs of water to instruct him in the way and be a guide unto him y he would not be wanting in the use of any lawful means When the Prophet Nathan sent from God tels David that his childe should surely die David notwithstanding sets himself to the use of means to preserve the childes life z yet David did not therein oppose himself against Gods will for David knew that the use of lawful means was no way crossing of Gods purpose He well knew that Gods comminations are sometimes conditional and sometimes absolute as indeed they are and so are the promises of mercies Gods threatning of judgement against Nineveh was conditional Yet forty daies and Ninevth shall be destroied that is if Nineveh do not repent but Ni●eveh repented and was spared a The Text saith God saw they turned from their evil waies and repented of the evil he said he would do to them Not that God indeed repented or can repent or be changed the word repent we finde several times in Scripture 1 Sam. 15. 35. The Lord repented that he made Saul King and Gen. 6. 6. It repented the Lord that he had made man So in Ioel 2. 13. God is slow to anger and of great kindenesse and repenteth of the evil and in ver. 14. who knoweth if he will repent and leave a blessing behinde him These and other the like Scriptures are by some objected against the absolute decrees and purpose of God as if God did not absolutely determine what he would do but as if there were a contingency in God and that he upon occasion changeth his decree and purpose To this I answer That the word repent or repentings is but an expression which the holy Ghost useth after the manner of the speech of men whereby the pity and compassion of God is set forth unto us and how unwilling he is to punish his creatures as in Lam. 3. 33. He doth not afflict willingly that is he delighteth not to punish to afflict or to grieve the ●hildren of men but as he is provoked by their sins which he hateth and he hateth nothing but sin or for sin but God is said to delight in mercy Mic. 7. 18. We are not to search into the secret decrees of God which is absolute nor which is conditional but we know God is unchangeable in all his purposes and varieth not The strength of Israel saith the Prophet will not lie nor repent for he is not a man that he should repent b Therefore repentance in God is nothing else but his unchangeable ordering and disposing of changeable things God is not changed in any thing but things change and alter Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world c and what he hath purposed shall be done nothing can alter it as is shewed in our former discourse God is immutable he changeth not In him i● no variablenesse nor shadow of turning d But God is said to change when they whom God loveth and taketh care of are changed then God changeth the course of things so as it is for their good God unchangeably forgiveth them that repent as he did Nineveh and unchangeably punisheth them that go on in their wicked waies as he did Saul All comminations of God are means to repentance and to reformation and repentance with reformation is the means to prevent the judgements threatned except where the Decree is absolute as in the case of Esau Heb. 12. 17. and with Cain or Iudas c. and in case of resisting the means and motions of repentance as the stiff-necked Israelites Heb. 3. 11. to whom there is no place for repentings But this is the secret counsell of God and belongs not to us to search into farther then it is revealed in Scripture and the Revealed will of God is our rule we are to look no further but practise according to what it holds forth to us whether the threatning of judgements be absolute or conditionall it is not for us to enquire into it but we are to use all lawful means to prevent it as to obtain any mercy promised For all comminations of God are either for our repentance that we may prevent the evil or to our obduration that we may be without all excuse therefore God saith At what instant he shall speak concerning a Nation or concerning a Kingdom to pluck up and to pull down and to destroy it If that Nation turn from their evil I will repent of the evil I thought to do unto them and at what instant he shall speak concerning a Nation or Kingdom to build and to plant it if it do evil in his sight he will repent of the good wherewith he said he would benefit them e God is pleased to give encouragement to all and the Covenants which God hath made between himself and mankinde are conditional The Covenant with Adam was upon exact obedience on mans part Do this and live The Covenant in Christ is not of works but of grace established upon better promises as the Apostle reacheth f given by the hand of a Mediator ties us by the condition to beleeve and repent the fi●st Covenant under the Law sheweth what we should do but cannot The second Covenant under the Gospel teacheth us how all is done for us if we beleeve and repent The promises of the Law are to the exact workers and doers of the Law g The promises of the Gospel are to him that worketh not but beleeveth in him that justifieth the ungodly h c. Now if we break the condition on our part God is no way bound to us for if we beleeve not we shall be condemned i if we repent not we shall perish k Thus it was to the Nation of the Jews wrath came on them to the utmost because of their Impenitency and Unbelief how much more shall it be so to all other Nations and so it is to England Great blessings are promised and destroying udgements a●e threatned But God will surely withhold our mercies will pluck up what he planted and will hasten destroying judgements if we do not beleeve and repent Therefore it is Englands duty to be diligent in the use of all lawfull means to obtain mercies and to avoid Judgements Here let me give caution in two things 1. That we use no means but such as is lawful