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	religion_n	true_a	7,548	5	5.1593	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A48855	A sermon preached before Her Majesty, on May 29, being the anniversary of the restauration of the King and royal family by the Bishop of S. Asaph, Lord Almoner to Their Majesties.	Lloyd, William, 1627-1717.	1692 (1692)	Wing L2716; ESTC R6946	15,431	33

as we may reasonably believe that God is concern'd for Thirdly When we see there was a great and near danger of losing that which God was concern'd for if this had not happened for its preservation I think these three that I have named are sure tokens by which we may Judge without danger of mistake that any thing that happens in this manner is of God's doing 1. First When we see a thing done that is great and extraordinary in it self or is like to be so in its consequence it sets us presently on thinking whence this should proceed For we know that nothing happens by chance every thing has a Cause wheher we know it or not But if we are so at a loss for it that either we see no Cause at all or none that can reach the effect What then We Judge the Cause to be something that is to us invisible The Heathens as they held every thing which they could not see to be a God so when they saw any thing done which they knew not how any creature should do they ascribed it to God Thus the Magicians of Egypt when they saw Moses turn dust into lice a thing which they could not do with all their Inchantments They confessed that this was the finger of God When the Syrians saw their mighty armies overcome by a handful of Israelites they knew it was not done by humane strength what then It must be a Divine power that assisted them When the Jews that were returned from the Babylonian Captivity had built up the Wall about Jerusalem in fifty two days which was a very unaccountable thing even their Enemies the Moabites and others that saw it confessed that this was the work of God Thus they Judged not from any peculiar notions of their own Nation or Religion but it was the reasoning of humane nature upon that Hypothesis that there is a God that governs the World And therefore much more we that have Revelation for this Wee that have the holy Scriptures which teach us that from him and by him are all things when we see such things done as could be from no other it confirms us that such things must be from God It is that Allwise and Allmighty Being that sheweth himself now by his ordinary Providence in such works as are above our reason and strength no less then he did by works of Miracle to them that lived in Scripture times Secondly Especially we see this in such works as appear to be done for such purposes as wee have all reason to believe God would be most especially concerned for in this World This is the second thing that I proposed among the ways we have to Judge that any great work is of God's doing The Old Romans in judging of Criminal matters when they would kn●w the author of any thing that was done one of their fi●st Questions was that of Cassius Cui bono Who has been or who was like to be the better for this If the ben●fit of it redounded to any person whether to himself or to his Children or his family that gave a shrewd suspicion that he was the Author of it The same way one may guess at the author of any Action whatsoever the nature of it may be And by this measure God is pleased to give us leave to Judge of him and of his doings This he tells us in the first place that he made all things for his Glory It is that which we are therefore to consider in the first place as being the chief end of all his doings Whatsoever is contrary to that and so is all sin whatsoever we are sure he is not the Author of it And though he suffers such things as far as he sees fit yet he does not even that but so as it may turn to his G●ory But of all things that he has made he loveth those things best that are fittest to set forth his Glory Those are here upon earth the Rational beings whom he Create● in his own Image howsoever by Sin they are fallen from it Again among these his chief care is for them whom he has re●●emed to himself Especially he takes care for the B●dy o● his redeem'd ones that is for his Church And therefore for those societies of men that are his Church in the several Kingdoms or Nations As this is his chief care for Persons so for Things he is chiefly concerned for those things by which man sheweth forth his Image all those Godlike Qualities of Truth and Righteousness and Peace and Charity and Mercy and the like And above all for true Religion and the true Worship of God These things are directly for his glory therefore these things are his great concernment in the World That Gods greatest care of all is for his Church this is so clear that they that held a multiplicity of Gods the Heathens thought it most reasonable to believe that every God should be most concern'd for his own people They believed the God of Israel would do things for his own people that he would not do for any other And therefore when they saw great things done for Israel they did not doubt that those things were done by Israel's God In like manner whatsoever may be done by any other supernatural power as it cannot be denied that Devils may do great things that may resemble the wonderful works of God yet they are to be distinguisht by this that whereas God's works are for the good of his Church and for the promoting of Religion and Goodness which are his great concernment in the World Whatsoever tends to the destruction of these we may be sure it is not the work of God It is the Enemy that hath done this And yet when the Enemy has done his worst which may go very far towards the Destruction of the Church so far as to bring it into great sufferings by the permission of God for the Chastisement of his People which having obtain'd its effect they will have cause to thank God for their sufferings Yet I say when the Devil has done his worst before it comes to utter destruction God will find a way to deliver his people and that is truly the work of God 3. And the neerer they were to destruction the more visible is his work in their deliverance that 's the third thing I have to shew The greater danger there was of our losing that for which God is concern'd so much the more of his Hand appears in our deliverance from it The greatest dangers are those which as to men appear to be insuperable Therefore the more any danger appears to be such the more it appears to be worthy of God that he should deliver us from it For though as to him all things are easie alike no one work is harder then another to make the World out of nothing no more then making Lice out of Dust Yet as to us there is a great difference for we are most affected with