Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	apostle_n	faith_n	speak_v	2,156	5	4.5953	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A97125	God iudging among the gods. Opened in a sermon before the Honourable House of Commons assembled in Parliament, upon the solemn day of monethly fast, March 26. 1645. / By Iohn Ward, minister of the gospel in Ipswich, and a member of the Assembly of Divines.	Ward, John, d. 1665.	1645 (1645)	Wing W773; Thomason E279_5; ESTC R200028	47,681	68

events and issues of government that the hand of the Lord doth all these things possibly we may finde matter of humiliation upon a diligent enquirie Certainely there is a very generall ignorance and unmindfulnesse of this matter seeing many things but observing not opening the eares but not hearing willing ignorance grosse negligence They will not see they know not neither will they understand but walke on in darkenesse slightnesse of spirit in overly and superficiall inquirie Athenian curiositie hearing and telling of news great contempt of God and his providence The wicked in the pride of his countenance will not seeke after God God is not in all his thoughts thy iudgements are farre above out of his sight Nay unbeliefe even to Atheisme and blasphemie they belie the Lord and say it is not hee It is a manifold sinne and hath its gradations and aggravations a mightie provocation They regard not the worke of the Lord nor consider the operation of his hands therefore they are gone into captivity because they have no knowledge c. It s very brutish foolishnesse not to know nor understand this and who knows but for this very cause God may be so grieved with this geneneration who erre in their hearts and have not known his wayes as to sweare in his wrath that they shall not enter into his rest It is a sore and heavy judgement to have seen the great signes and wonders of God and to want an heart to perceive eyes to see and eares to heare to this day Deut. 29. 4. Let us awake at length and be ashamed and turn aside and see what God doth Come and see come and behold the works of the Lord The works of the Lord are great sought out of all them that have pleasure therein and truly there is a myne of pleasure and profit too in the contemplation of the works of creation and common providence there is much Divinity to be read in those books of nature the Holy Ghost reades us many Lectures out of them and holy men have not thought even those unworthy their most serious meditation but there is more in the speciall providence of God about men the moderating or ordering of humane affairs by and amongst men Every handy-work of God is glorious but farre more of his glory is shed abroad in these especially if we consider them in their reference to the Church they shew all his glory and the invisible things of God are by them made very visible and very legible in the fairest Character they are his Name in great letters They are an excellent explication of the Law of God copying out the righteousnesse and justice of it in particular instances and examples a cleare Commentarie upon all the Word of God Oh let them not be counted a strange thing a sealed booke especially our own story the wayes of God amongst us some few yeeres last past and unto this day where almost every work of God in judging amongst us is not like a great lettser in a booke with a gaye about it that takes up a great deale of roome but hath nothing more then another in pronounciation but as Hieroglyphicks and emblems and some kindes of Characters full of morall and sense a Booke a volume of marvellous workes wonders repeated and multiplyed The Bible new translated and printed in a letter that best fits the Worlds dull and decayed sight the old stories wrought over againe the Promises fulfilled the Prophecies receiving their accomplishment a revelation of the Revelation which God gave unto Jesus Christ to shew unto his servants things which should come to passe an interpretation of of the visions which were seen of old a Key to open the dark and heard things in former praedictions the unclasping of the sealed Booke that even they that cannot read may yet see and consider and understand together that the hand of the Lord hath done all this A praelude or praesage rather of the great day of the Lord and the judgement to come He that stands with the wise man in the windowe of his observation may see God preparing his throne for the judging of the great Whore bringing Babylon into remembrance calling his people out from thence delivering the cup of trembling into the hands of the Nations c. Or as Moses when he was put in the cleff of the Rock may behold the glory of all Gods goodnesse made to passe before him in moderation of judgements patient forbearance unlooked for deliverance suddaine and unexpected rescuing from off the praecipice and Brink of ruine May perceive the rowling and yearnings of his bowels and compassions toward his poor afflicted people that pray May see him triumphing gloriously in the greatnesse of his excellency lifting up himself above his adversaries in the things wherein they deale proudly raising the Trophies of his Glory out of oppositions contradictions and impossibilities May observe the bright shining forth of his manifold wisdome in out-witting cunning men turning crafty counsells into foolishnesse frustrating the tokens of lyars and making diviners mad May take notice of many evident demonstrations of his faithfulnesse in remembring his promises hearing prayers and shewing himself nigh unto his people in all that they call upon him for One may see his eyes running to and fro through the earth to shew himself to the hearts of them whose hearts are towards him with very remarkable testimonies of his justice in judgements and executions done upon his enemies and may receive abundance of instruction and learne much righteousnesse But I forget my self and tyre out your patience Therefore Secondly and more particularly to you Honourable and beloved yet another word of exhortation to iudge for God and as God iudgeth 1. For God There are matters of God as well as matters of the King or Kingdome the care whereof must be upon you as well as upon us His Church his Kingdome his Citty his House his People his Spouse his Children his Body ye as nursing fathers must tender the good and welfare of them that they may find harbour and protection injoy their just Priviledges and Liberties wherewith Christ hath made them free not such licentiousnesse as is abused for a cloake of naughtinesse Ye must see to Order and unity amongst them that there be no rents and Schismes surely our Saviour that ascended into Heaven and gave gifts to men some Apostles c. that we might all meet in the unity of Faith and hath divers times and after sundry manners given that very thing in charge to his ministers would not have the magistrate left at large from providing and endeavouring that speaking or following the truth in love we may grow up making increase by edifying our selves and one another in Love Ye must do that which we are to pray that ye may do viz. Take a course that Christians may live a peaceable and quiet life

according to his most just and holy will But there needs no Paraphrase the words speake their owne meaning plainly 3. It is all gathered together and abridged into a short summe Prov. 8. 15 16. By me Kings reigne Princes decree iustice by me Princes rule and Nobles even all the Iudges of the earth They are the words of a greater then Solomon the Lord Jesus Christ the power of God and the wisdome of God and they clearely hold forth this truth that All the great men of the earth doe shine in the beames of his Majestie the highest of all exercise authoritie Counsellors of State give advice such as have ashare in the Legislative power make Statutes and Ordinances convenient for the occasions Militarie men manage the Militia the Nobilitie and Gentrie are eminent and usefull in a Kingdome and all that have any hand in the distributing of justice or execution of the law both are and serve in their places in him and by him whether for the land or for correction or mercy as Elihu speakes of the raine Iob 37. 13. But I shall produce no more testimonies of Scripture the rather because this mysterie is not among those deepe things which are hid in God and cannot be discovered otherwise then by revelation for that which may be knowne of God herein is manifest in men for God hath shewed it to them 1. There is a light of it shining in mens minds by nature Whence els was it that the very heathens without God in the world did sacrifice to God make triall by Auguries and consult with the Oracles in all great undertakings and in all difficult and hazardous cases applied themselves to their deities according to their blinde devotions Whence els was it that their Lawgivers pretended to have received all their rules of Government out of some divine hand doubtlesse there was some religion in their superstition and some truth in their very fables Heare one of them speake for all the rest what their faith of this was Flatter we our selves as much as we please yet we have not overcome the Spaniards by number nor the French by strength nor the Carthaginians by craft nor the Greeks by wiles but by Piety and Religion and by this onely wisdome that we have discerned and doe acknowledge that all things are governed by the power of Gods Secondly there is a law of nature concerning it and men shew their workes of that law written in their hearts by an universall abhorrencie of Anarchie and submitting themselves to Authoritie rather Tyranny we say then Anarchy Better live where nothing is lawfull then where every thing neither have there anywhere or at any time beene found such sonnes of 〈◊〉 as have desire to be absolutely without a Ruler among them In the greatest Insurrections and Rebellions nothing more hath beene affected then a change of Government the very Anabaptists themselves erected a government among themselves and made themselves a King Thus the currencie of it through the world sheweth something more then Gods Image and superscription upon it for though possibly the basenesse of some people may have given occasion to some persons to put a yoake upon them or ambition of some Nimrod may have incited him to usurpe Authoritie over others the arts and insinuations of crafty men may have introduced it in some places the pompe and lustre of Magistracie may have set it up in other and the benefit thereof by a benigne and prudent administration of it may have made many willing to beare the burthens of it yet considering what an humour of libertie and Independencie what an itch of being Gods to themselves runs in the corrupt bloud of all man-kinde by nature it is impossible to imagine that all Nations from the beginning nay all men in all their generations should of themselves stoope to government and yeeld it honour and subjection unlesse God were in the judgement It is an Argument like that of the Apostle for the greatnesse of the mysterie of Christ {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} without controversie or by universall consent c. Thirdly that diverse kinde or degree of honour which waits upon men in authority according as they use it well or ill speakes something to this purpose Honour goeth alwayes along with Power as the shadow followeth the body but evil men that transgresse in the judgement receive it blended with contempt or hatred or base fear or flattery and with much diminution but such as are good and do good have it cast upon them with love and reverence and abundance of affection Wicked Magistrates and corrupt Officers are worshipped as the devil by the poor Indians that they may not doe them mischief but the just and godly men after Gods own heart are clothed upon with some of the raies of Gods own Majesty Certainly the hearts of men would never after this manner be drawne to or from them that judge in the earth unlesse he that sitteth in the Heavens did judge amongst them more then the needle in the compasse would turn to or from a piece of Iron if it did not act by the vertue of the Loadstone that had toucht it Fourthly this is yet made more manifest as the heat of the Sunn in the reflection by the difference of the spirits of publique persons and private men in the same men in the place of Power and out of that relation Private persons are self centered like clods of the earth and their providence is like that of the Pismire a wise and industrious creature for it self but many times mischievous to the garden or orchard where it is harbored but publique persons are turned into other men and have a publique spirit as Saul when he was anointed to be King and the seventy Elders called to assist Moses to the government I appeal to your selves had you such thoughts such cares such designes your mindes so inclined so resolved so prepared so fixed before you were chosen to be Trusters for your Countries as since you came to sit in Parliament I do not say every man is thus affected the more is the pity but this I say commonly and for the more part there is an affection sutable to the relation And this also sheweth God amongst them Fifthly the raising or sinking the enlarging or straitning of their hearts according to the work of God in hand or about to be done doth as manifestly argue the working of God in them as the unevēnesse of activity in the limbs doth prove the animating and the moving of the body by the soul or the inequality of valour and strength in Shamgar Gideon Samson and other the Iudges and Worthies of old did declare that the Spirit of God came upon them and did move them at times Sixthly there is some further evidence and demonstration of this in the libertie the confidence the peace the triumph the heaven on the one hand and again