Selected quad for the lemma: saint_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
saint_n judgement_n lord_n ungodly_a 1,215 5 10.0738 5 false
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A13569 The ballance of the sanctuarie shewing hovv vve must behaue our selues when wee see and behold the people of God in miserie and oppression vnder the tyranny of their enemies. Written by William Teelinck, minister of the Word of God at Midlebrough in Zealand. Teellinck, Willem, 1579-1629.; Gataker, Thomas, 1574-1654.; Harmar, Christopher, attributed name. 1621 (1621) STC 23860; ESTC S118307 55,093 128

There are 3 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

and abound in wealth This many men cannot brooke while they are perswaded that it standeth not with the great Maiestie of the God-head and the Iustice of God to deale in such manner and the reason is because they looke vpon nothing but the outward shew and consider not the end for which God doth it for if in the lest degree they did but thinke and remember that God meaneth well to the godly and that their oppressions are wholesome medicines for their soules the better to prepare them for the life to come And on the contrarie that the prosperitie of the vngodly is like the Quale● to the children of Israel that died while they were in their mouthes then they would presently see and perceiue that they haue no cause to doubt of or to misconster and stumble at the workes of God For to speake the truth who is he that will longer stumble at or thinke it strange to see that God loseth and slacketh the bridle to the children of the world but tu●●reth holdeth in restraineth instantly and suffereth not his children to haue their wills when hee remembreth that the Lord doth it to his children to the end that they may become the more spirituall and better prepared for the kingdome of heauen doe wee not the like in matters of lesse importance continually in our houses to our children wee suffer our dogs that we● breed in our houses to runne at libertie loose and vntied and haue no regard what they doe nor how it fareth with them but is it not our manner to looke narrowly to our children to keepe them short to teach and instruct them and why doe we so but onely to bring them vp to all vertuous actions and for their better preferment So that it is to a speciall end that wee haue so great a care of our children which in no wise wee doe intend to our dogges but let them runne where they list The word of God therefore aduiseth vs to cast off all doubts and feares touching the workes of God and to rid vs thereof willeth vs not to looke onely vpon the outward end of the children of men and to consider of nothing else but the course of this present world euen as the state of the rich glutton and of poore Lazarus is set downe and declared vnto vs by Iesus Christ himselfe Luk. 16. So the Apostle Saint Paul warneth vs saying Remember those that haue the rule ouer you who haue spoken vnto you the word of God whose faith follow considering the end of their conuersation Heb. 13. 7. And to the same end Saint Iames sayth Behold wee count them happy which indure you haue heard of the patience of Iob and haue seene the end of the Lord for the Lord is very pittifull and of tender mercy Iames 5. 11. Touching the prosperity of the vngodly who would be grieued thereat when wee marke and thinke vpon their endes they stand vpon slipperie ground and soone fall downe and then comes in the hard and heauie reckonings which they must make at the latter day see the 49. Psalme What is hee that grudgeth at the good that men doe to those that are condemned to die or at the friendship that is shewed vnto them by some when they are led to execution to be broken on wheeles or who would not chuse to passe thorough a troublesome and durtie way to inioy a great inheritance then thorough a faire and pleasant way to goe to execution doe not many honest housholders dislike of swaggering companions that dayly and hourely haunt the best Innes and Tauernes in the Citie and consume their wealth in banket after banket as long as their credits last and doe they not thinke them men of little wisedome or consideration and is it not found to bee so when they make vp their reckonings at home in their houses So it stands with the prosperitie of the vngodly many times here in this world they haue great wealth and abundance but they spend vpon their owne stockes and a hard reckoning followeth after it whereas on the contrary godly men that in this world are kept short and spend vpon their fathers purse whether it be superfluously or otherwise as their father thinkes it good haue no feare of an after reckoning all is freely forgiuen them Thus their ends differ much one from another This when the Psalmist considered although before touching this point of the workes of God how the vngodly prosper and the godly liue poore and miserably hee was somewhat troubled and muttred thereat yet at last hee was perswaded as hee himselfe witnesseth saying When I thought to know this it was too painefull for mee vntill I went into the Sanctuary of God then vnderstood I their end Psalm 73. 16. 17. CHAP. VIII That there is no cause why men should bee so much abashed when they shall consider how the enemies of Gods people when they incounter in battaile with the people of GOD and haue the vpper hand and ouerthrow them YET this is not all that which causeth greatest dislike in the hearts of many men touching the workes of God done among the sonnes of men the chiefest reason consisteth herein that men oftentimes see and behold that not onely many vngodly men liue in great prosperitie and many righteous men in great miserie but that men see and obserue that the vngodly oftentimes oppresse the godly and that when Gods people and their enemies encounter in battaile and fight together many times their enemies haue the victorie and ouercome them This is the point that produceth greatest difficultie and many men cannot be resolued how it should come to passe that the seruantes of the most high God that haue his cause in hand that are iealous of his glory and fight for his truth should be ouercome by those that are Gods enemies that Gods cause should turne the backe and falshood and deceit haue the vpper hand this by many men cannot be conceiued nor considered as it should bee for that as things are brought to passe they see nothing but contrary effects The vngodly are hardened in their vngodlinesse and the godly weepe and mourne all thinges are worse and worse and the name of the Lord by this meanes slandred and euill spoken of and his truth blamed I answer we must needes confesse and acknowledge that these are most profound wayes of God but the Lord also in his holy word hath giuen vs to vnderstand what the meaning is of these his most wonderfull workes and telleth vs that he hath reason so to doe both in respect of the godly and the vngodly and of his people and their enemies and first giueth vs to vnderstand that in these occurrents hee is patient and long suffering Luk. 18. 7. That he is not so hastie as wee are Psal 116. 11. Hee can indure that his cause and his peoples cause should sometime bee hindred and that the vngodly should domineire as if Baal or As●aroth and not the
of God done among the children of men for the most part are hidden from vs and incomprehensible yet that which our good God hath openly made knowne vnto vs in his word instructeth and inableth vs with speciall profit fruit and comfort to marke and looke into the workes of God It remaineth then that wee set downe and further speake of certaine notable fruits that grow out of that which wee haue before set downe which wee will doe in the Chapter following ⸪ CHAP. X. That without contradiction it appeareth by the aforesaia order of the workes of God done among the children of men that there shall bee an after reckoning made with all the children of men in the world to come SEEING that it is euidently knowne that God the Lord is a righteous Iudge For the workes of man shall bee rendred vnto him and he will cause euery man to finde according to his wayes Iob 34. 11. and that it is alwayes found that the Lord in this world maketh no euen reckoning with the children of men when hee suffereth a godly man all his life time to liue in great trouble and aduersitie and to dye therein and sendeth great riches and ioy to an vngodly man all his life long and they haue no crosses but their strength is firme Psal 17. 14. and Psal 73. 4. And also by experience in the common course of the world it is found that many of the deare children of God are persecuted and euilly dealt withall onely because they take Gods cause in hand are iealous of God honour seeke the spreading abroad of the Gospel and the prosperitie of his people and that it oftentimes fareth so with them that they are oppressed and lose their liues therefore as it happeneth also to many other Martyrs of God and faithfull witnesses of his truth Apoc. 2. 13. wee must of necessitie therefore hence conclude That God for certaine will make an after reckoning in the world to come for it can by no meanes stand with the righteousnesse and goodnesse of our God that hee should indure or suffer his owne children and his faithfull seruants who for the fulfilling of his will did not refuse to yeeld their liues into the enemies handes and to dye and that for his cause were shamefully handled cursed abased and slaine should not be reuenged Luke 18. 7. 8. Apocal. 6. 9. 10. 11. Could a iust and an vpright Prince endure that his trustie seruants and officers should be assayled persecuted and slaine by his subiects because they seeke to mainetaine and vphold his lawfull commandements and to see them executed without taking their causes in hand reuenging their blood and punishing the offendours as they had deserued Much lesse will the Lord suffer the hard dealing with and handling of his children that are slaine and murthered in this world to goe vnreuenged Therefore if there were no other reasons then that onely for which God should make a common reckoning with the children of men at the latter day yet were this cause enough for it So the Apostle setteth downe the necessitie of the last day of iudgement to consist vpon this That the godly are here oftentimes so cruelly oppressed by the vngodly and saith to the Thessalonians that it is a manifest token of the righteous Iudgement of God that yee may be counted worthie of the kingdome of God for which yee also suffer seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you who are troubled rest with vs when the Lord Iesus shall bee reuealed from heauen with his mightie Angells 2 Thess 1. 5. 6. 7. Then also it shall be made manifest though it bee neuer so much forgotten here in the world and how little regard or knowledg soeuer seemes to be taken of the godly and those that are righteous That God harkened and heard it and a booke of remembrance was layd before him for them that feared the Lord and thought vpon his name and accordingly it shall then also be knowne what difference there is betweene the righteous and the wicked betweene him that serueth the Lord and him that serueth him not Mala. 3. 16. 17. 18. Herewith the godly also must comfort themselues as the Prophet also witnesseth and take heede that they partake not with the vngodly of whom Salomon sayth Because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the sonnes of men is fully set in them to doe euill Eccl 8. 11. But they must rather seeing God here in this world permitteth things to passe in such manner bee thereby more certainely assured that hereafter there shall come a great day of judgement wherein all things shall be made right and set straight and euery one shall be rewarded according as hee hath done whether it be good or euill Act. 3. 21. and 2 Cor. 5. 10. And accordingly the more crossely and confusedly we see things done and executed here in this world the more must wee learne to make reckoning of the great day of Iudgement make full account thereof and prepare our selues for it holding for certaine as Salomon also in the aforesaid place witnesseth That though a sinner doe euill an hundred tymes and his dayes be prolonged yet surely I know it shall be well not with the vngodly but with them that feare God which feare before him Eccl. 8. 12. This therefore should moue all the godly to long for the last day the comming of the Lord when we shall not onely be reuenged for all their hard speeches which vngodly sinners haue spoken against him Iude 15 And all instruments that are formed against vs shall not prosper Esa 54. 17. But besides that all the partes and pieces of that great worke of the prouidence of God ouer the things of this world that here are so confusedly cast together vpon a heape shall be seene to be laid very orderly by the wise and powerfull hand of our God and from them wee shall see a most notable peece of worke to bee framed and brought forth wherein the vngodly with their wicked workes shall serue as shadowes Eccl 8. 13. to set more beautie and luster vpon the great glory of the Children of God who shall then glister like the Sunne Mat. 13. 34. As also the godly are to expect the same for this cause that howsoeuer they cannot here conceiue why this or that thing comes so to passe yet they may assure themselues when the Lord shall come to Iudgement to make all straight and to bee glorified in his Saints 2 Thess 1. 10. Hee will then bring forth so glorious a peice of worke and shew it vnto vs that wee shall alwayes reioyce therein and prayse and glorifie our God for the same world without end CHAP. XI That not all outward prosperitie is a signe that the Lord loueth that man to whom he sendeth the same SIth by all that which is said before it manifestly appeareth that God
many times sendeth great wealth and prosperitie to the vngodly it is euident and not to be contradicted that not all wealth prosperitie is a signe or token that God fauoureth that man to whom he giueth it for the Lord our wonderfull God giueth in his wrath and anger to some men that which they wish and desire as he gaue Quailes to the Children of Israell at their desire but they dyed while they were eating of them Numb 11. Many a man hath earnestly desired and also obtained that which in the end was his ouerthrow So that it is most certaine that the wealth and prosperitie of the vngodly is nothing else but as it were a pasturing of Beastes for the day of slaughter This God taught Ieremie when touching the prosperitie of the vngodly hee looked into and searched the wayes of God Righteous art thou O Lord when I plead with thee yet let me talke with thee of thy Iudgements Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper Wherefore are all they happie that deale very trecherously Thou hast planted them yea they haue taken roote they grow yea they bring forth fruit thou art neere in their mouth and farre from their reines But thou O Lord knowest me thou hast seene me and tryed mine heart towardes thee Put them out like sheepe for the slaughter and prepare them for the day of slaughter Iere. 12. 1. 2. 3. This is the cause why those that prosper in this world reioyce though they are vngodly they glory in themselues because all things goe well with them and are perswaded that it shall alwaies be so with them yea and that God fauoureth and liketh them which notwithstanding is not so The Lord often times in this life giueth great wealth and prosperitie and whatsoeuer they wish or desire vnto those to whom after this life he will giue hell and vtter damnation for their reward Gods wayes in these thinges are not like the wayes of men to those that men hate and cannot abide they wish no good no not so much as may continue the twinckling of an eye But it is not so with our God hee endureth the vessels of wrath with great patience beares long with the vngodly to see if they will once repent and turne from their wicked waies and feare that good God from whom they haue receiued so many good things which if they doe not but ●●●ll continue in their wickednes Then vndoubtedly such is the case of the vngodly that the more wealth and prosperitie they haue in this world the more hated and accursed of God they are For this is most certaine that there can come no greater plague in the world then this to the Children of men when doing euill it falleth out well as they imagine with them for thereby they imbolden themselues in their wicked wayes and take such a course that they shun no wickednesse and then that draweth more vnto them which the Psalmist sayth When the wicked spring like the grasse and when all the workers of iniquitie flourish it is that they shall be destroyed for euer Psal 92. 7. Therefore the Prophet cryeth out against the Children of this world in this manner saying O that they were wise that they vnderstood this that they would consider their latter end Deut. 32. 29. Reioyce not then you Children of the world because you flourish and prosper here for behold and see that it standeth thus with you as long as you feare not the Lord for you can finde nothing to make for you out of any place in the word of God but that Gods intent and meaning is to feed you in this fatt pasture for the day of slaughter Ier. 12. 3. And that in this world hee will bring that vpon you which you deserue as it hapned to Absolon Hammon and others This is most certaine you stand vpon slipperie ground and God that iudgeth you is strong and in the twinckling of an eye can throw you downe God I say whom you feare not and therefore is against you comes to Iudgement as a theefe in the night Therefore looke before hand that you stand vpon your gard turne speedily vnto him and repent least with the couetous rich man for a short and transicorie worldly life you bee soone carried away from hence into euerlasting paine and damnation CHAP. XII That all worldly crosses and tribulations are not a shew or signe that God will refuse that man to whom he sendeth them SEeing that by the reasons and proofes aforesaid it is cleare and euident that God also suffereth crosses and tribulations to fall vpon the most godly men that are here in this world it appeareth thereby also without contradiction that all tribulations and troubles are not a crosse of God neither an argument that God will ouerthrow and at once consume vs when he layeth tribulations vpon vs but on the contrary God sometimes suffereth his owne louing and dearest children whom he liketh well and approueth of to fall into great miseries and calamities sometimes So wonderfull is God in his workes to mankind those that he loueth and most certainely determineth to giue vnto them the kingdome of heauen and euerlasting ioy yet them giueth hee oft into their enemies hands Ier. 12. 7. For so hee witnesseth vnto vs in his word And he is wont to Chasten as many as he loueth Apo 3. 19. For whom the Lordloueth hee chasteneth and scourgeth euery sonne whom he receiueth Heb 12. 6. Yea because hee loueth them and because hee liketh them therefore he instructeth and chastneth them the more hearken what he sayth to that purpose to the Children of Israell his darlings You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities Amos 3. 2. He will come to visite you at home to make you better that you may not perish with the wicked world 1 Cor. 11. 32. This might abashe those that are so plagued and yet are happie who otherwise in their weaknesse many times when crosses fall vpon them are wont to say as Sion sayd in her griefe The Lord hath for saken me and my God hath forgotten me Esa 49. 14. But what sayth Gods answer Can a woman forget her sucking Child that she should not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe though they may forget yet will I not forget thee Behold I haue grauen thee vpon the palmes of my hands thy walles are continually before me thy Children shall make hast thy destroyers and they that make thee wast shall goe forth of thee I i ft vp thy eyes round about and behold all these gather themselues together and come to thee as I liue sayth the Lord thou shalt surely cloth thee with them all as with a raiment and bi●● them on thee as a bride doth for thy wast and thy desolate places and the land of thy destruction shall euen now be too narrow by reason of the Inhabitants and they that