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	lie_n	unrighteousness_n	2,384	5	11.3357	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15579	Iacobs staffe To beare vp, the faithfull. And to beate downe, the profane. Touching the one's assured, and the others conceited title, vnto God himself, and all his precious promises. VVherin. The saints interest is justified, to be absolutely infaillible, the sinners clayme detected, to be apparantly deceivable, notwithstanding all infernall suggestions of feare, and infidelity in the one, or of presumption, and security in the other. Formerly preachcd [sic] at Hamburgh by Iohn VVing late pastor to the English Church there, as his farewell to the famous followship [sic] of Merchant Adventurers of England resident in that city. And now published, and dedicated, to the honor and vse, of that most worthy Society, there, or wheresoever being.; Jacobs staffe to bear up, the faithful and to beate downe, the profane	Wing, John, of Flushing, Zealand.	1621 (1621)	STC 25846; ESTC S120115	141,154	226

Iudas with many others who are so farre from being comforted by their names registred that they are shamed branded haue their names left for everlasting reproach and infamy that all ages and generations of men to the worlds end might know what monstrous hypocrttes they were on earth what miserable reprobates they are in hell For the second who knoweth not that the true joy comfort of a christian cannot consist at all in being named in Gods booke for even many of his holy ones are also markt with a black coale for some saylings wherby they are blemished to this day but that which may joy them indeede is the assurance of their names being written in the booke of life many may have names in the Bible who have none in that booke but whosoever hath his name written there is sure of all comforts that are revealed and promised here Hence it was that our sauiour gave that Item to his disciples who returning from the excecution of their commission were almost ouerjoyed with the happy successe they founde and came to Christ with most glad harts Master Luk 10 9. even the divells are subdued to us well sayes he that is some matter to joy in you may be glad of that but if you would joy in that which is indeede a sound cause of rejoycing as being such wherin none but Gods elect have any part ver 20. Rejoyce saith he in this that your names are written in the booke of life in the other reprobates may rejoyce as well as you but in this they have no portion it is your only and your all-sufficient cause of rejoycing And the consolation of being written in this celestiall register is both peculiar only to true christians and common to all none but the faithfull can have it and none of the faithfull but have it So saith the spirit they that overcome Ren. 3.5 their names are written and shall not be blotted out of the lambes booke of life cap. 20.15 and every one wohse name was not founde written in the booke of life was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone but they whose names were found there might enter into that holy cap. 21.27 and most glorious city So then we see plainly by these particulers that these two things will follow to wit 1. that a mā may have his name writtē in the Bible yet not in heauen as many hypocrits and reprobates haue and. 2. that a man may not haue his name here yet written in heaven as millions of the elect haue And if these two propositions be true and vnreproueable as we see they are what validity can be founde in these fonde conceites of ours what consequence of comfort or discomfort is is to any man whether he be named in this booke of God or noe Let vs surcease to mention this which cannot profsit vs and make sure of the other which is such a sure evidence of our salvation And this is our fourth evidence against this pretence Fiftly Eviden ∣ ce 5 this allegation of names is popish doth confirme the papists in their error of denying the ceartainety of the salvation of the elect and when they argue against the truth of God herin they vrge this very thing where say they is it written that I such a one or such a one by name John Thomas Mary Martha or any man or woman shal be saved This is their language vp and downe and shall the people of God speake it shal Satan make christians to speake as antichrist doth God for bid It were a most easy matter to make them a full answer quitt them with like questions in other cases where is it written that any man by name hall rise at the last day is it not therefore sure that they shall because they are not named by this reason all papists must be notorious heretikes as some of their holy fathers have beene who have shewed thēselves damned hell hounds in denying as evident truth as this Againe I would fayne know of any papists whether no more shal be beleeved of any man then that which is written of him by name if not then no man hath any thing at all to beleeve now because no man that now lives hath his name in the scripture if yea then why may not this truth of the assurance of salvation be beleeved of the faithfull as well as any other wherin they are no more named then in this But our purpose is not to refute them now but to reprove you who confirme and harden them in this their falshood heresy by the like allegations of the same things for your selves The divell is equally subtile to seduce you both to witholde the truth of God in vnrighteousnes and to turne it into a lye by suggesting this pretence of names into your myndes and mouthes Doe but thinke what dishonour the Lord hath what disadvantage his truth hath hereby that his aduersarys who speake soe blasphemously can alledge that they speake no other then his owne children doe even the sincerest of them who live and looke to their wayes most exactly Thus Satan make's you ignorant papists vnawares and make's them jmpudent papists through your ignorance herin And shall we support that popery which we hate And this is our fifth Evidence against this pretence The sixt and last is Eviden ∣ ce 6 that this allegation doth also abett prophanes as well as popery It is the manner of the most impious and ignorant persons that live to throw out these or the like interrogatoryes vnto vs and that in a scornefull and vnsavory manner When we have convinced them of their sin and Gods curse due thervnto and that soe plainely by the power and evidence of the scripture that there is noe denyall or evasion to be made but that such a sin and such a sinner must be accursed then as their last refuse in defence of the sin defiance of the reprooffe due vnto it they fly to this where is this or that written of you or of me or of any man particulerly shew vs that by all your divinity if you can soe with this accursed enquiry they insult against God his truth his ministers and make themselues wholy incapable of reformation going on in all vngodlines with a high hand and a hellish hart because forsooth we cannot shew their names entituled to the justice of God and that the arrowes of his vengeance are shott at them personally And this they either doe or may say they haue learned of these pure and scrupulous persons who made a marveilous shew they would in no wise sin against God yet are too well knowne to alledge the same sinfull excuse for themselues And hath any christian a hart to vtter that which hath soe much evill in it and no good at all shall any who feare the Lord vnfaynedly harten proqhane persons and strengthen their handes against him and his word who

propunded we have accordingly given such satisfaction as we have received from God whether in positiue diuinity to explane and confirme a proposition or in textuall to interpret words or phrases or in polemicall to decide a controversy or in scholasticall to vnsolde a nice distinction or in case-divinity to releive a conscience or lastly in that which is mysticall to vnty knotts and reveale obscurities In each of these something we have had sometimes to doe and as the Lord enabled me I have endeavoured to the best of my weake vnderstanding to informe and satiffy you If our discourse were humane then as for your edification before soe for your delight now you will beare me recorde that I have done my best to speake to your contentment in any kinde of learning wherewith I have beene accquainted whether in any of the arts or in history or in poesy or in mythologie in every of which especially in the last I have taken many occasions to report vnto you such things as I have taken notice off out of the Iewish Rabbines and Thalmud and out of the Popes legend wherin are contayned millions of matters wherof many are blasphemous many ridiculous many monstrous many frivolous almost all so foulely fabulous and incapable of truth or creddit that the bookes might well be entituled a very fardle of fables and falshoodes taking their denomination from the farre greater part inasmuch as they swarme with such incedible narrations as no man can judge them to be other then notorious lyes These I have frequently and abundantly related in your hearing not that you should beleue but abhorre the storyes and thinke with commiseration of those miserable soules both Iewes and Papists who are led and fed with this froth and filthy scumme of infernall inventions and have them read instead of the Gospell to giude them As also that we might hence be the more moved to magnify the great name of our good God who hath not dealt soe with vs that we should beleeue lyes but be nourished with his owne word of truth which is his power to our salvation If any were soe weake as once to conceit these things or any the like reported out of other writers were spoken for truth he or they must ever know that what we relate out of our reading must evermore carry creddit according to the authors not the relators creddit It would much disharten schollers and kill the proffit of much pleasant discourse if we should be so grossly mistaken Nay it become's vs to make vse of all kinde of learning as any occasion is offred to vs to vent what we know in any particulers It was a good rule and well given to all men by one bene loquuta quae sapienter audita those things are well spoken which are wisely taken Discretion in hearing doth minister much delight to vs in speaking Not only what we speake but from whome must be well heeded when we have any opportunity to discover things of this nature And as thus it hath beene in our table talke when we have had much sweete society and conference together soe when the Lord hath givē me any occasion of private and secret passage with any of you by way of counsell or admonitton in any case of conscience I cannot say but my or rather Gods words have found such entertainement and acceptance as I can safely truly report and leave vpon perpetuall recorde to the praise of this place the peace and happines of those persons the commendation of your society the consolation of all that may succeede me in this ministery who may hereby conceive comfortably how hopefully they may sowe how happily they may reape and that their labours shall not be in vaine in the Lord. Concerninge my publike ministration it pleased you first to chuse me as an assistant to your Pastor in your weekely lecture some seruice of the sabbath your favour in this was much but it was much more when not long after vpon his departure you tooke me totally into your service and by a lawfull free election put me into the Pastorall charge and functiō and vnder God committed your soules to my ministrey A greater trust cannot be cast vpon a creature And how I would have watched over you the watchman of Israel doth well know and how farre I have actually endeavoured it this publike place I hope doth witnes in part out of which I have not failed to teach you all that I could in my best vnderstanding judge profitable for you I have shewed the whole counsell of God so farre as it pleased him to send it to my knowledge I have not willingly purloyned or witholden any part of his truth that might concerne either the reprehension of your sins or thee in formation of your judgments or the reformation of your lives or the consolation and saluation of your soules And all this in singlenes of hart in sincerity howbeit in much infirmity without partiality flattery which may be called high treason in a Preacher because it betrayeth both the honour of God and the soules of men into the handes of Satan Besides that private inspection which as I was able I carried with a wakefull eye vpon you in particuler that not one of you might wander or be lost for want of looking to And how you have received and embraced these my ministeriall endeavours my cōscience your carriage doe both most comfortably witnes inasmuch as thus much I may truly avouch before the Lord to his praise your approbation that I have never vndertakē to lay seige to any jmpiety which had overun all or the most part as a common enemy but the Lord was the conquerour and you yeelded your selves to be subdued to him ordered by his holy word will It were easy for me if it were expedient for you to instance some few perticulers which as the first fruits of my labours I saw reformed among you but I spare to nominate any but cānot spare to notify thus much that all men may see what glory to himself what good to your selves me the Lord meant vs in his mercy This beginning of good made my service my happines this place began to be like a litle heaven to me yea to speake the truth from my hart as before the Lord I much doubt whether out of heauen I shall ever be soe happy againe as I did apprehend my self to be when you like the Apostles hearers began thus to crowne my labours with the timely earnest of such an amendement my hope was I shoulde have beene longer happy with you but it fayleth me howbeit my soules vncessant desire is and shal be that the hope of your happines may never faile you in any that shall come after me Thus were we both entred into a blessed race to the end wherof I know the Lord can bring vs though we may not goe both together as my soule desired yet

people doe say the same herin that God himself doth But let vs enquire of vngodly men we shall perceive the power of this truth to be such that they who haue not any part or portion in it thēselves are copelled to confesse the comfort of it for others Such is the cleare light the quickening life of it that even these are dazeled with it can doe no lesse but freely acknow ledge the same through that strong conuiction which doth enforce thē to beleeue it yet afford's thē no true comfort by it Many a wicked man standes convinced of much truth Note who can be comforted by none nay the truth they know is so farre from making them any way confortable that it make's them more inexcusable So was it in this point with those two pagan kings Nebuchadnezzar Darius Nebuchadnezzar had tyrānically throwne the three children into the fiery fornace Dan. 3. for refusing to worship his false God The true God was resolved to rescue them seing he saw their faith and affiāce in him to be so sound vnmoveable note that this their resolution of spirituall loyallty was grounded on their interest they had in God as they tell the king to his teeth our God is able to deliuer vs c. being freed from the fury of the king ver 17. feircenes of the fire he who cast thē in evē this heathē tyrant whē he saw their miraculous deliverāce by the mighty hand of God cānot containe himself but must magnify both this their God and those his seruāts that not only by words but by a law and statute made to that end saing Blessed be the God of Shadrach Meshach ver 28. ver 29. Abednego who hath sent his Angell deliuered his servants c. Therefore I make a decree c. The like to this is seene in the 6. Dan. 6 chapter in Daniels case against whome an vnjust cruell act was got that for his piety to the Lord he must now be made a pray to the lions well the decree is grāted irrevocably sealed according to the māner of the Medes Persiās The king assoone as he came to know how it was was exceeding sorry for what he had done doth what he can to free Daniell but whē he see 's that it cānot be he labour's to comfort him against that distresse from which he could not deliver him what is it where with he doth endeavour to cheere him a man would thinke it must sure be some extraordinary argument that must encourage a man in this case why it is even this Thy God whome thou servest ver 16. ver 20. ver 22. he will deliver thee and againe O Daniell the seruant of the liuing God thy God withall note Daniells answer my God hath sent his Angell c. Thus this godles man must give witnes to this gratious truth confesse that a mans right in the Lord is able to beare him out against the greatest cruelty that can be excercised vpon him Nay the Lord did not only make this man but those beasts also Psal 105.15 the lyons after a sort to know that they had a servant of his among them whome they might not touch a prophet to whome they must doe no harme Thus we have abundant evidence hervnto and we see this our second consolation is most cleare that a man who hath the Lord to his freind and is interessed into him 1. Pet. 1.8 hath wherin to joy though for a season he may be in heavines through many afflictions as the apostle Peter speaketh and well may he rejoice in this truth that hath these three to beare record to it when God speaketh it and Godly men acknowledg it and vngodly men cannot deny it it must needes be a truth past all controlement and of singuler good consequent to the marvelous comfort of so many as have part in it For this is a sure thing Note that whensoever the Lord smites any of his owne in what measure soever it be the mercy is infinite which doth accompany their least visitation but as for wicked men being none of his some measure there may be in their present calamities but no mercy at all in any of them And this is the second consolation The third follow'es and that farre exceed'es the two former Consolation against Corruption by how much the vertue of it doth extēd it self to helpe vs against the venyme of our corruption A true christian is much more tender and sensible of sin then of sorrow of transgression then afflictiō of any thing that dishonour's God then of all things that doe or can distresse himselfe Noe darts of the divell can so much dismay the minde of a childe of God and make him feare he is none of Gods as those which Satan shoote's at vs in this respect He knowe's too well that the offences of the faithfull will pinch wring them and therefore he is ever arguing from them against vs to anihilate our interest in our God and labour 's ever to proue that we can haue no good title being guilty of such great and grosse transgression as he vsually by infernall aggrauation suggesteth the sins of Gods saints to be It is his manner to make the most and the worst of all their faylings and to gall and sting their consciences with the greatnes of them When he tempteth vs to them Note they are but naturall infirmities but when he accuseth vs for them they are notorious impieties now we are foule where before we were but frayle And such evills as he can prevaile with vs to commit he vrgeth against the comfort of our interect in him against whome they are commited and thinks he hath enough against vs to proue vs none of Gods because since our calling we have so sinned against him But our God whose children we are and he our Father will have vs to know vnderstand better both in respect of our sins and in respect of our selues Touching our sins that it is too true that after true grace receiued we transgresse too groffly we are no way to deny it but by all meanes to be throughly humbled for it and to greive in our soules that we should liue to greive him by sin who hath taken vs on to be his owne But touching our selues no such consequence can follow as Satan would inferre to wit that because we are sinners therefore we are not saints we are offendors therefore not faithfull we haue such and such euills in vs therefore we haue no interest in God this argumentation is Satanicall God never disputed soe against any of his Nay Gods reasoning is quite contrary for wheras the divell doth vrge our offences to frustrate our right in the Lord the Lord doth vrge our interest in him to confirme his loue and favour to vs and to nullify our sins in his sight And this we will

taken them neere oh how sweete vnto me are thy words c. And lastly ver 103. not to be too tedious in instancing he doth lay a downeright clayme vnto them as his owne land intayled to him and never to be taken from him Thy testimonies haue I claymed as myne heritage for euer ver 111. for thy are the joy of my hart Thus doth good Dauid bestirre him herin and goe's before all Gods people whose commendation and comfort it would assuredly be to trace him in these steps But we neede not stand on particuler persons for we finde that whole churches have done the same in the dayes of their sorrowes So we reade of the church Haue respect to thy covenant and againe The Lord will not cast of his people Psal 74.20 Psal 94.14 micah 7.20 nor forsake his inheritance and yet againe Thou wilt performe thy truth to Iacob and thy mercy to Abraham which thou hast sworne to our fore-fathers of olde In all these and many the like which we spare to vrge we see the saints carriage and practise whether we cōsider them apart or combined together into one body And now is it a small thing that this threefolde corde should be soe lightly broken wherwith the Lord would binde his people to this practise shall himself his law and his holy ones be all so slighted of vs Have we soe many worthy jnducement to draw vs on and soe many worthies that have gone before us and shall we lye behinde and not once striue or stirre that way nay which is yet worse run a cleane contrary course and fly from our owne comforts to the fearfull aishonour of God and danger of our owne soules through this desperate infidelity Oh deare Christians whervnto will this come what shall we say vnto you ● Cor. 4.21 how shall we intreat you let vs demaund the apostles question shall we come among you with a rod or with the spirit of meeknes when we have to doe with you for this fault well I know we must be wonderfull wary when we have to doe with wounded consciences we will not be too tart with the Lords tender lambes but endeavour since reprooffe must have place here to mixe reprehension and commiseration together inasmuch as we have to doe with afflicted soules and humbled spirits which speake not according to the truth in a setled resolution but according to the distraction and terror of some present temptation wherwith their adversary the divell doth so feircely assault and soe furiously fight against them that they are not able to stand vnder his stroakes but faint and sinke because he is so violent and they soe impotent fayne they would be better perswaded and beleeve professe otherwise if they could but their enemy aboundes with outrage and they are voyd of courage and hence it is he overules them and having captivated the power of Gods spirit in them for the present he make's them speake according to his owne the truth is that the people of God in their perplexity are the divels parhots and by him made to vtter that evill which many times he knowe's not well how to vent otherwise Oh that these poore soules the true most proper subiects of all good mens pitty and prayers did but well know and were throughly convinced that it is not they that doe it but sin yea Satan dwelling in them that the Lord will of his especiall grace discharge them of it and charge it as well he may vpon him who is both his adversary and theirs But the divell is so subtile in dealing with Gods sorrowfull saints that he will be exceeding loth to be seene in this or knowne of it but rather layes it vpon God and provokes many a distracted saint that is not himself to surmize that it is no small jmpiety against God to appropriate the promises And the better to seduce them therin he puts such pretences into their mindes and mouthes as they dreame and jmagine to be of God against whome they thinke they should fearfully offend if they should clayme these heavenly comforts to thēselves Which pretences of his seing they are the maine impediments which hynder the happines of Gods people let vs take such knowledge of them as may make them apparantly knowne to be infernall therefore in no wise to be beleeved but alwayes abborted Among many other two to my obseruation are most vsuall doe prevaile vpō the faithfull soe afright them that they dare not meddle but doe in some sort forsake their owne mercy He suggesteth into the dejected soules of these afflicted saints to make their harts the more fearfull 1. that the promises of God are not assigned to them by name how then can they have any interest in them 2. that they are soe vnworthy of them in regard of their wickednes that they dare not owne them or have any thing to doe with them These are the sear-crewes the bug-beares wherwith he make's them to forbeare and put off all But you that thus speake according to temptation now speake according to truth and shame the divell the father of lyes who suborne's these fruitles things against you to rob you of the riches of Gods vnspeakable grace Iob. 28.2 Spake out I say and tell me Is not this to darken the truth of God by words without knowledge which no man ought to doe Is not this to disparage his truth and faithfullnes who is Amen Reu 1.2 Cor. 1.20 the true faithfull witnes that faith that all his promises are yea and Amen vnto us that we might be rooted in the assurance of them Is not this to be beyond all Gods boundes to be besides ones self in our spirituall estate being overcome of a mysticall frenzy to cast of all affiance in the Lord Iob. 9.16 ●7 speaking strōgly in this distemper as Iob did if I had called vnto him and he had answered me yet would J not beleeve that he had hearkened to my voyce And shall we stand on that which we see will not beare vs but let vs fall nay throw vs downe and make vs fall for soe will these aforesayd pretences doe No be it farre from vs to doe soe And that it may be soe let vs come neerer to a more straight and narrow inquisition touching them which that we may the better doe we will set vpon them seuerally and soe set them out before you that we may shew them and you may see them to be the base subornations of Satan and by him bent to abuse God and beguile you of your blessednes and these two are all his only ends For the first which sti●ks so much with many Pretence and wherat they stumble to wit that because they are not named they dare not intermedle they know not that they are mean't or may make bolae with that which is written and wherin others are by name interessed You tell

conforted at all with those that belong to you what are his threatnings more true to me then his promises are to you must I yeelde to the one and you resist the other Goe first learne your owne lesson by hart and when I see that you take your portion to hart I will thinke the more of mine till then I haue as litle reason to be disquieted as you haue to be comforted I will never beleeve that one peice of Gods word is truer then another or that any part of it is more true to me then some part of it is to you And therefore till I see you affected with that which is spoken to you I neither care nor feare what you can say to me What wofull worke is here what heavy disadvantage is taken against you what hellish damage is done to the living God in his eternall truth Before you made voyd the promises now wicked men by you doe make voyde the threatnings and soe betweene both no part of scripture hath any power in it The wicked caitisse that thus cast's off admonition and reprehension shall haue his reward for his offence but woe to them by whome the offence come's Shall the divell and his lyms thus trample vpon and abuse Gods booke and will you be their leaders thervnto shall your evill practise be pleaded to justify theirs shall the Lord speake in vaine to them because you will not beleeve him Can you thinke this to be a smal offence nay rather can you conceive how great it is you shall doe well to deliberate vpon it that you may discerne and detest it See how it disables you to speake a word in season to any either good or bad you must bunge vp your mouth in silence or speake with shame to others till the Lord open your hart to beleeve him your self If you shall offer either to comfort a weake brother or to condemne a wicked transgresser both may and will fall vpon you with your owne infidelity and how justly they may vp brayd you and regect what you speake is easy to vnderstand out of that which we haue sayd And this is the second sin of your not applying Gods promises which you see doth disable the word of God to doe others good as well as your self and vtterly disable you to doe that duty you owe to others in any christian counsell or other vse of the scripture what soever so you are bound from all aledging of it to any till you can assent to it in your owne hart And what a world of wickednes is here O yee that are the saints of the living God see to it see I say wherto your perversues come's that it hath neitther end nor measure either in your selves or any others If you haue a God beleeve in him if he be your father trust him if he haue any truth rest vpon it doe not expose or prostitute his truth to the comtempt of Satan and wicked persons Let this move and make you to take home yours that you may be the fitter and better able to give others theirs or at the least it may be their owne sin alone and no way yours if they doe it not If this may not prevayle what can yet this is not all let vs put on to more if soe any thing may stirre vs. Thirdly then Motiue 3 remember that your refusall of Gods truth in his promises may provoke the Lord against you yet further in another respect and that is this that the Lord in his justice and wrath will suffer those that will not have his promises and the comfort of them now shall live to finde a wofull want of them and in that heavy estate as now they have beene offred in vayne by the Lord to them soe shall they in the time of that extreamity seeke them in vayne of him Now their hart is shut against his hand then shall his hand be shut vp against their harts No counsell command precept or perswasion of God would prevaile with them to receive them and it is come to passe that no prayer cry or supplication will prevaile with God to give them They shall smart throughly for this sin and then know what it was to cast of a comfort when they cry sigh and groane for it and goe without it We deale thus with our froward and foolish children and we thinke it a just course of punishing their perversnes Thus doth the Lord the soules of many of his sons daughters can say it with much sorrow and more shame Shame because they might haue beene happier and would not sorrow because now they would be happier then they are and cannot I shall not neede to produce perticuler examples of any in Gods booke Iob and David and others who in this particuler being somwhat pettish much out of the way sometimes could tell vs the truth of this by deare experience time was when they loathed this celestiall manna and their soules refused comfort and they were deadly sick of this spirituall frett But not long after they longed for that which they would not meddle withall before I know there are more then a good many even of those that be good that haue failed in this sin and felt the like punishment from that just hand of our God who will not suffer such an evill to goe vnavenged in his owne The many and mournefull teares of more then a few have tolde vs how they have wept much for those favours which in time past they esteemed nothing How righteous a thing is it with the Lord to with holde that from us which we would not take from him As then any christian desire 's to avoyd this fearfull sin and wofull punishment so let him take Gods truth to himself while he may have it least his wrath breake out and that to the breaking of your harts both for the giult of your sin in refusing and the greife of your soule in wanting that consolation which might have abounded in you What ingratitude can be grosser then this that Gods kindnes should not be regarded or received of vs when as it is for our greatest good and the least of it wholy vndeserved of vs. His grace and mercy in tendering is vnspeakable by that we may measure the greatnes of our sin in rejecting The truth is that as his goodnes is beyond measure in the one soe is our evill in the other Let vs feare then to be thus foule in a fault so ill taken at our hands and let vs even force our harts to entertaine what the Lord in infinite favour loue doth so graciously cast vpon vs. Remember we that this our sin doth keepe many a soule long without comfort and might keepe them ever empty of it But the grace of God in giving it at last doth not take away or extenvate our egregious impiety in refusing it at first But let vs yet proceede to a fourth motive Fourthly then let it be

seruice to a King so we might well take vp this for a more true even for a most true proverbe yea principle no service to the King of Kings which thing he wil soe evidence and make good that not only his owne shall see it but wicked men shall assent to it Psal 58.11.12 and be forced to say verily there is a reward for the righteous Thirdly Reason 3 the Apostle tell 's vs that piety hath the promise both of this lyfe the lyfe to come of things present and future now how can this be true in case our doctrine were false if it have the promise of both sure it shal be well with them indeede and they cannot but be well dealt with all who wil be ordered by God The Lord cannot frustrate neither will make voide any whitt of that worde of truth he hath spoken but justify and verify every jott in his worke vpon his faithfull one 's But if he should not deale well with his owne he should nullify and anihilate all his truth and faithfullnes all his mercie and kindnes all his love and goodnes The glory of his righteousnes and honour of his holynes were gone his owne saints had nothing to settle and rest their soules and harts vpon nothing at all to trust to Besides what occasion would the slaves of Satan and vassalls of sin take to vpbrayde vs that we serve a master that will doe vs good as farre as good wordes will goe and no further I might adde as many manifest reasons as testimonies herof it were as easy to abound in the one as in the other but what needeth it The good pleasure of his will that thus it shal be is infinitely aboue and beyonde all allegations which he or any lym's of his have or can have to contradict it in the least the divell and wicked men are to weake to wage evidence or arguments with God in the prooffe of the truth of any point of divinity And seing this his gracious pleasure is to this purpose so apparently revealed let us rest and trust therin resolve our selves as fully satiffied for the truth herof I but that the divell will not let vs doe if he can chuse and therfore he bend's his greatest forces against this blessed instruction and doth besiege and lay battery to the soules of Gods saints to see if he can enforce them from the truth herof and on the other side he fortifyes the prophane spirit of impious persons in the contrary perswasion Two things are principally obiected A double Objectiō first the hard measure and vnhappy condition of Gods saints Secondly the wellfare prosperity of vngodly persons The one being rebells to the Lord are raysed on high and have what they will yea more then their hart can wish as the Psalm saith Psal 73.7 The other being Loyall and obedient subjects ever ready to doe his will to the vtmost are in the worst case of any other mē none so perplexed within none so persecuted without as they scarce any are in so bad a case none in worse These are the two hornes like those of Hananiah that he doth runne at men with with all might and maine endeavoring the overturning both of this sacred truth and the true comfort of it the setting vp of a godles liberty of sinning to all men But wee that wee may save harmeles the honor of our God and the glory of this his holy truth and at once confute yea confounde every such absurd and infernall argumentation as may make any insurection against the maiestie of the most high to abate any mans hart or heate in goodnes or to C●ette any soule in any sinfullnes it shall become vs well to answer these cavills and to quitt the Lord in his truth and to comfort his servants in the same notwithstanding this diabolicall opposition Know wee therfore and beleeue that what soever seemeth to bee true either in the one allegation or the other either for the ill vsage of Gods chosen or for the peace and contentment of sinfull persons yet neither jndeede is any thing against the truth wee have spoken which shall remaine infallible vndoubted and vndeniable so longe as the heaven and earth shall have a being Touching the ill vsage of Gods children consider I pray you these things First that the world may deale ill with men when that the lord deales well with them Answer to the 1 branch Joseph found it so in his particular Christ tolde his disciples soe in the world yee shall haue troubles but be of good comfort Though therfore the world doe offer vs hard measure yet it noe way hindereth the heavenly truth of what we speake Secondly the worse the world deal's with the Lords people the better will the Lord be to them Ro. 8.28 So saith the Apostle for the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glorie which shal be revealed in vs So againe 2. Cor. 1.5 as our sufferings abound for Christ so shall our consolations abound much more by Christ And yet againe the Apostle saith that the saints rejoice with joy vnspeakeable glorious though they be in heavines through many afflictions And yet once more Saint Iohn in his relevation tell 's vs Reu. 7. what Gods Angel tolde him therfore they are in the presence of God day night c. And the reason hereof is because by the worlds bad vsage their graces by tryed more throughly and soe themsclues are crowned more gloriously Thirdly that all this evill which Gods saints finde here is not indeede evill but the outside of it the onely appearance therof not the substance so sayth the Apostle when he tell 's them that he was as anknowne as dying as sorrowing as poore as hauing nothing c. yet though it seemed thus it was not soe indeede but farre otherwise as the text avoucheth Nay which is yet more we may be assured that all those things that be accounted soe evill by men are in Gods intention truly good and soe shal be to vs in the issue and consequence of them if with the eye of faith we endeavour to looke vpon them So Dauid sayd of Shemeis rayling God will doe me good c. againe it is good for me that I was afflicted Fourthly though the Lord say as in this our text that he will deale well with all his children yet he doth not tye himself evermore to make it true in externall and temporall things but will giue it vs it may be even in these two sometimes but howsoeuer in things spirituall and eternall and these are the things wherin he deals well with vs indeede other favors are both too common and too meane to be the reputed either the best fruits of his favor or the only reward of his churches faithfulnes Fiftly nothing could ever be infallibly concluded from the externall state only of a christian How God