Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	church_n	doctrine_n	time_n	4,041	5	3.7132	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A60992	A sermon preached before His Grace George Earl of Melvil Their Majesties high commissioner, and the nobility, barons, and burrows, members of the high court of Parliament. In the Parliament-House, upon Sunday, May 11, 1690. By John Spalding, minister at Kirkcudbright.	Spalding, John, 1633?-1699.	1690 (1690)	Wing S4796; ESTC R221641	18,386	25

A SERMON Preached before His Grace GEORGE EARL of MELVIL Their Majesties High Commissioner AND The Nobility Barons and Burrows Members of the High Court of Parliament In the Parliament-House upon Sunday May 11. 1690. By Iohn Spalding Minister at Kirkcudbright EDINBURGH Printed by the Heir of Andrew Anderson by Order Anno DOM. 1690. 1 CHRON. 12. 32. And the Children of Issachar which were men that had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do THis Text bears an excellent Character of a Party who came with others in a very Critical Juncture to Hebron to assist in making David King Saul now being out of the way and the time of fulfilling the promise to David being now at hand wherein you have 1. a description of the Party thus Characterized 1. From their Tribe they were Children of Issachar a Tribe whose Motto was a strong Ass couching down between two burdens as Gen. 49. 14. discovering their Disposition Strength and Employment about worldly concerns The Lord will bring off people from their vvorldly affairs vvhen he hath service for them 2. From their Number they were 200 that came to assist in the work Tho people be at some disadvantages yet ought they not to vvithdravv their hand from the Lord's vvork And 3. From their Station all of them had command over their Brethren either in a Civil or Military capacity Strong obligations lyes upon those in places of Trust and Command to put their hand to the Lord's work 2. You have the Character it self which beyond many others they did bear they had understanding of the times Where we are 1. to consider what is meant by times By times here is not meant properly that which Philosophers call the measure of Motion by first and last But Figuratively the state and condition of times or these Providences Affairs Changes and Vicissitudes that fall out in time Esth. 1. 13. And 2. What this understanding of the times is It were too narrow a sense to astrict it either to that Physical and Astrological knowledge which they had of the Stars and motions of the Heavens teaching them the fit Seasons they being for most part Husband-men of Sowing and Reaping c. Or to that Historical and Chronological understanding which they had of the times that were past or of right computing and ordering the times of celebrating their solemn Feasts or to that Military knowledge which they were endowed with of the fit seasons of going forth to and right management of their Wars and Battels But it hath reference 1. To that Moral Prudence and Policy whereby they knew the nature tendency and duties with their fittest seasons of the present posture of affairs And 2. To that spiritual wisdom and understanding whereby they were directed to the discovery and right improvement of the intricat providences of their time which seemed to be greatly perplexed with singular intricacies and rotations and particularly of the present dispensation of making David King And 3. In the Text you have the effect and result of this gift of their understanding of the times It was contributive to the discovery and practice of their own and all Israels present duty to know what Israel ought to do whether as a Body Politick or Ecclesiastick The words that I have chosen for the Subject of this Sermon are these which were men that had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do Wherein you have 1. a supposition of two truths the handling of which is not my present intendment 1. That there are some special times and providences which may pass over a Church or Kingdom Eccl. 3. 17. 2. That these signal times and providences are oft-times very intricat difficult to understand Ez●● 1. 16. 2. A position of other two Doctrines As 1. That it is a necessary duty and commendable qualification to understand the times that a Church or Kingdom may pass under 2. That the right discerning of these times contribute much to discover unto and direct people in the right timing and management of their present duty The prosecution of these two truths is my present work Doct 1. That it is a necessary duty and commendable qualification to understand the singular times or providences that may pass over a Church or Kingdom Eccl. 8. 5. A wise mans heart discerneth both time and judgment Method requires that in the prosecution of this truth I should first give you the grounds of it 2. What are these things which in times we are to study mainly to understand And 3. What way we may best come to the understanding of times I. The grounds of this Doctrine are 1. God hath expresly commanded that ye make serious reflections upon his singular providences whether of mercy or of judgment Psal. 66. 5. Come and see the works of God he is terrible in his doings to the children of men And when the seven Seals are opened Rev. 6. 1. A thundering voice is heard crying come and see and how many Beholds are prefixed in the Scripture to his signal steps and goings amongst a people Exod. 3. 2. Behold the bush burned with fire and the bush was not consumed And Iob is in a special way called to this duty Iob 37. 14. Hearken unto this O Job stand still and consider the wondrous works of God 2. The Lord is sore displeased with and uttereth severe threatnings against a people that are not in this duty Psal. 28. 5. Because they regard not the works of the Lord not the operations of his hands he shall destroy them and not build them up It is an high contempt of God when he travelleth amongst a people in signal and singular steps of providence not to observe or take notice of his goings and lays them open to that sad challenge whereby the Lord ranks them below Bruits Isai. 1. 3. The ox knoweth his owner and the ass his masters crib but my people do not know and Israel doth not consider 3. Without this knowledge of the times the Lord loses his due praises at our hands for how can we praise him when we cannot discern his loving kindness why will ye be so foolish and unjust as to rob God of the Glory due to him of all his Works by not studying to understand them Psal. 107. contains a record of his wondrous Works and at the close of every Section there is an Exclamation O that men would praise the Lord c. And the last verse concludes Whoso is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord. 4. As the Lord by neglect of this Duty loses his Praises so we lose the benefit of Times and Providences if we do not understand them for by his Works as well as by his Word he causes his people to profit And without this discerning of the Times we want a great part of the Food of our Faith the exercise of Patience and occasion of serious Comtemplation

the Lord are set to wait on it and no foul fingers to touch it 1 Chron. 16. 37 c. And then and not till then cometh peace and all the people return to their houses and David returned to bless his house v. 43. There are many other things in times that ye ought to understand but least I exceed the bounds of a Sermon I forbear to mention them and comes to the last thing I proposed in the method of this Doctrine III. What way may People best come to understand the Times Answ. 1. By Consulting the Word of God which is the best Key to unlock Providences and Times to the law and to the testimony Isa. 8. 20. and as Asaph when he was puzled with a singular Providence Psal. 73. 16 17. he went into the Sanctuary to be resolved and there was cleared as to the Times and Providences he was trysted with The Lords voice cryeth unto the city Mic. 6. 9. and the man of wisdom shall know thy name 2. Labour to have the work of Grace and Renovation thorow and clear without Clouds for the Image of God in a man is of such a nature that it hath something in it answering as Face to Face in a Glass to all the revealed Will of God and to its great and best Interpreter Times and Providences and the more powerful and lively Grace be in its Actings the more infight you will have both in his Word and Works Psal. 25. 14. the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him c. 3. Compare former Times and Providences in their Nature and Circumstances with present Times and Dispensations and that will give more Light in what seems hid and obscure to you Psal. 77. 5. Consider the days of old and the years of antient times and bring them home to the present Case and it may help you to know the Vision Mic. 6. 5. Remember from Shittim to Gilgal that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord. 4. Imploy by Prayer Christ Jesus to open the Book of Times and Providences to you for he is worthy to do it Rev. 5. 2. When ye go forward and he is not there and backward but cannot perceive him on the left hand where he doth work but cannot behold him and on the right hand but ye cannot see him then ply the Duty of Prayer for the right management of that Duty hath given great Light to the Saints in dark and difficult times Psal. 77. 19. when the Lords way is in the sea and his paths in the deep waters yet Prayer will be a mean to discover his Goings and lay open his Mind in them 5. If ye would rightly understand Times beware of Prejudices at and rash Censuring of Times and Providences as if ye were wiser than God or could amend what he hath done who art thou O man that chargeth God foolishly and findeth fault with the Almighty the wise Counseller and excellent Worker Ye ought to submit your Will to His and neither to censure nor quarrel His Ways but say as Psalm 18. 23. This is the doing of the Lord and marvellous in our Eyes I remember what is recorded that Luther said to Melanchton when he was ready to censure the Times as seeming to threaten the ruine of the Church Monendus est iste Philippus ut desinat esse mundi gubernator Let Melanchton cease says he to govern the World Men when they overlook a supreme over ruling Hand at the Helm of Providences are ready to censure them It was a severe Construction that Porphyry put upon the Israelites passing through the Red-Sea and the Egyptians being drowned That they took the advantage of a low Water as if the Ebb there had ever been so great or better known to Strangers than Natives And Neh. 4. 2. What do these feeble Iews And 6. If ye would understand the Times ye must not take a light overly view of them but ye must look attentively upon them and pry into them Psal. 107. 23. ye must look and look again on them His Works are sought out Psal. 111. 2. of them that take pleasure in them Ye must look both sides to speak so of this Book and ye will find what is dark on the one side of the Leaf is clear on the other on the one side ye may perceive nothing but Wrath Trouble Confusion Hell Death c. but if ye will turn over ye may see Love Peace Order Heaven Glory yea ye must wait upon the time of bringing forth and patiently expect the result for what ye see not now ye shall see hereafter Times are with Child of many Truths and Dispensations and there is a Month of bringing forth and here is the Faith and Patience of the Saints Doct. 2. That the right understanding of Times is very contributive to the clear discovery and seasonable performance of the proper duties which are called for in these times That I may render this Truth useful to you I shall 1. Give you some things in the general for Explication 2. Show you what are the proper Duties of this time and juncture we are fallen under 3. What Motives may perswade to the diligent and serious performance of these Duties And 4. How the right discerning of our times do contribute to the discovery and practice of these Duties And if your time will allow I shall make some Application of all I. In the general for Explication let these things be considered 1. Every time casteth up its proper and seasonable Duties and not only the lustre and beauty of Duty by imbracing the right season of it is made to shine as an Apple of Gold in a Picture of Silver but much of the success or disappointment of it depends upon the right timeing of it Every thing saith Solomon Eccl. 3. 11. is beautiful in its season mis-timed Duties as they are uneasie to others and unacceptable to God so are they of dangerous consequence both to the Church and the Persons themselves 2. As every time so every Person in the Church and State have proper Duties incumbent to them according to their several Capacities Stations and Talents for advancing the glory of God and securing their own Happiness and in order thereto particularly for preservation and transmitting of the Gospel and its Ordinances to Posterity that through your care the Children that are yet unborn may praise his Name 3. The Lord doth ordinarily Spirit some men for the Duties of their time and in a more than ordinary way furnish them with Gifts and Endowments for their Generation work elevating them above what they are in ordinary and raising their Spirits Dan. 11. 32. to do exploits making the feeble as David and the weak as an angel of God ● It s rare to find Acting and Duties of Times single and pure without the woful mixture of Self-Interest a sour Leaven that hath spoiled many glorious Actings and heavy Sufferings But of this more hereafter and therefore

reign which I pray and hope our King shall make the parallel of removed the high places brake down the images cut down the groves and brake in pieces the brazen serpent tho Moses made it and called it Nehushtan And that which in this affair was his best policy ye have in the 5 vers He trusted in the Lord God of Israel And 3. If ye will consider what Luther that famous Reformer saith That there are three great hinderances of Reformation Security among the people of God secret treachery of enemies and carnal policy in managers of the work For to offer to cure the disorders of the Church by carnal wisdom and to determine the great controversies of Religion by humane Reason is cum ratione sapientia insanire to go mad with Wisdom and Reason And I have read what Livy saith That carnal policies are in their contrivement pleasant in their management difficult and in their issue sad to them that use them and will leave them with that sad lamentation of that great Polititian Tully whose Policy had kept him in Place Honour if I remember in the time of four Emperors yet at his end cryed out O me miserum nunquam beatum It must needs then be a wicked Maxim which some Father upon Matchiavell That all the Laws and things of God are to be subjected and stoop to that which they call Reason of State 4. It 's a duty of our times if we understand them right to crucifie that grand Idol Self And all self-ends and interests when they come in competition with Christ and his Truth and when the case is Christ or Barabbas O! How many worship this Idol Self Phil. 2. 21. All seek their own not the things of Iesus Christ. But the voice of our times to you Most Noble Patriots is not to seek great things for your self with Baruch Ier. 45. 5. But with Mordecai Esth. 10. 3. to seek always the wealth of your people and labour for a more Publick Spirit Moses and Paul seem to lay their Soul and part of Heaven in Pawn for the glory of God and delivering of the Church Will ye prefer your little Stock to the safety of the whole Cargo and Vessel O cursed Self away with it away with it crucifie it crucifie it You were lately by a great Light of this Church exhorted to prefer Ierusalem to your chief joy and I hope the impression of it abideth with you For 1. It is a Spring and Source of many evils from whence flows our Pride Ambition Covetousness Vanity c. but from this they are all the Children of this cursed Mother and if ye do not slay this Idol ye will not have a heart to life at the fallen Tabernacle or to help to set on the Crown on Christ's Head 2. It is the fostering and feeding of this Idol Self that is the sad occasion of all those breaches divisions and animosities that are amongst a people for according to the frame of their Idols so are all their Methods taken and some have an Idol of one shape and some of another and according to that Mould so are all their actings to support it And 3. This selfish disposition and temper as it doth cause the enemy to blaspherne and opens the mouths of the wicked to say lo this is the man that pretended so highly for Christ now he hath left him when he hath drawn his Stake or he hath left him because he cannot mount up to preforment that way and gain nothing from that quarter so hath it provoked the Lord to cut down these self-interests that men have preferred to Christ and his Interest how many Crowns hath this made to totter and fall to the Ground because they sought a Crown to themselves and not to Christ. And how many great and fair Houses have been laid waste because they built their own Houses and let the House of the Lord ly desolat Iehu his self-ends Hos. 1. 4. brought ruin upon him and his House and all his policy could not prevent it he that saves himself this way shall lose himself 5. They that rightly understand our times will find that moderation and sobriety is one of the great duties of it Phil. 4. 5. Let your moderation be known to all men c. winding up of Instruments to the highest Peg doth not only marr the Harmony but breaketh the Strings Let not the Stretches of former times edge you to the same methods You know who it was who being inquired what was the best way of governing Kingdoms wrot only in return upon a large Paper at a great distance from other three times Modus Modus Modus moderation moderation moderation The Records of experience show us that violent Administrations and running things to the height have not been long-lived Omnis felicitas ad culmen producta Retrogreditur nihil violentum durat And 6. The Duty of our Times seems to be that ye should lay such sure and lasting Foundations as not only these two strangers in our Land Righteousness and Peace Psal. 85. 10. may meet and kiss one another but that they may live together and be perpetuated to the generations to come that the Children yet unborn may bless you As we in this time do bless you in the Name of the Lord and from the House of our God for what ye have done already Go on then I say against whatsoever opposition either from Enemies or false Builders and lay such a sure Basis that after-Generations may build upon it hear that word in Zech. 8. 9. Let your hands be strong ye that hear in these dayes these words by the month of the Prophets which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid that the Temple might be built III. Let me press these Duties of our times upon you by some Motives 1. The Concerns ye have among your hands in this time are great your Grace and this Honourable Court of Parliament have not only the Matters of an Earthly King whom God hath singled out to do Exploits for him among your hands for which ye are obliged as ye have already done to evidence a great deal of care and zeal but ye have under your care and tutory Christ's own Bride she is a tender Virgin and hath yet but little Breasts she hath been wounded in the house of her Friends as well as by Enemies and she is not yet heal her Wounds are yet bleeding for the Lord's sake prove to her as the compassionat Samaritan Luke 10. 34. Bind up her Wounds pour Oyl into them and take care of her she is Nobly-Born she is a King's Daughter Psal. 45. 13. New come from her Banishment and for her Father's Blessing for her Bridegroom's Blessing and for her own Blessing who is ready to perish deal kindly with her and be faithful Tutors to her Yea ye have Christ's Crown his Glory among your hands and if you take away or