Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	earth_n	heaven_n	lord_n	4,502	5	3.6160	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A76115	The vvaters of Marah sweetned. A thanks-giving sermon. Preached at Taunton, in the county of Somerset, May 11. 1647. for the gracious deliverance of that poore towne from the strait and bloody siege. / By T.B. Master of Arts, and a minister of the gospel in that county.	Batt, Timothy, 1613-1692.	1648 (1648)	Wing B1148; Thomason E433_19; ESTC R206196	14,053	24

bound to hear Exod. 21.23 and if he take the matter into his hands woe be unto ye Psal 2. 3. Is it so You then who have had experience of this powerfull ordinance and have found God to be a prayer hearing and a prayer answering God in his gracious returnes of mercy Blesse this God for his favours thus conferred get enlarged hearts to set forth his mercies according to their merits Indeed the tongue of Men and Angels can never do it as they should but will not you therefore do as you may His mercies have not failed you and shall your acknowledgements fail him should you not finde your tongues to praise him for his favours enjoyed as well as pray for them wanted As miseries are removed by prayer so mercies are to be welcomed with songs Sacrifices of thanksgiving did alwayes follow Sacrifices of pacification Lev. 3. Could you poure out petitions in time of need in the day of your distress will you not drop forth a few thanks when you have what you would more then you expected then ye pray'd for No let your right hands forget their cunning your tongues for ever cleave to the roof of your mouthes rather then forget neglect to set forth his praises who hath given you such a deliverance And the Lord shewed him a tree c. Doct. 6 God never wants supplies to help his People Did you ever know the Sun want light the Sea a Fountain Water God is a sun a sun of righteousnesse a Sea a Fountain a Spring of living Water and though you may yet he is never empty there is still an overflowing fulnesse in him he is never at a stand but knowes how to comfort to deliver his Psal 84. Psal 18.2 Jer. 2. Eze. 11. Esay 33.21 and 27.3 2 Pet. 2.9 I might bring a cloud of witnesses to make good this truth scarce a page in the book of God but proclaims it Hence you shall find he is compared to whatsoever may be requisite for the comfort and defence of his people Sometimes he is styled a Sun a sheild a sanctuary a refuge a rock a fountaine a light c. to teach us whatever our condition our wants be there is that in God will answer will supply all Hence is he called an all suf-ficient an Almighty God a God to whom nothing is hard Gen. 18.14 Infinite in wisdome that knows all our wants and the way to supply them knowes them not onely objectivè but affectivè being touched with the feeling of our infirmities as the Apostle phraseth it Heb. 14.15 he knows how to cleer every channell to convey and seasonably to dispence comfort he is infinite in power and is able to do whatsoever he will there is nothing can reach beyond his power he is infinite in goodnesse in love which layes an engagement upon him to let out and act these for the good of all afflicted ones so that be our straits never so great there 's wisdome enough to see them and to bring out of them be our enemies our weaknesse never so powerfull there is strength enough to sustain to rescue us be our back-slidings never so many there is goodnesse and love enough to heale them faithfulnesse and truth enough in God to performe what ever he hath promised In many places he is styled The Lord of Hosts he is one that hath the command of all the creatures both in heaven and earth and if they cannot afford help enough he can create more he can doe it without them by and from himselfe he can change the very course of nature for his childrens good See it in Jonah Isa 59.10 in the three Children in Daniel As no meanes can save where God will ruine so nothing shall hinder where God will help I might be particular in the proof of this truth and shew you the fulnesse that is in God to supply us 1. In respect of all our necessities both for soul or body or both there is that in him that will supply every want make up every defect God is a generall an universall good 2. In respect of all times and seasons It may be said of creature-comforts as one speaks as 't was of David he served his time but God is such a help to whom there is no time wherein he cannot do good Nullum tempus occurrit regi no season is out of season with him he is as able now as then then as at any other time All times are alike to him who never wants power nor a heart to do good to his But I am confident you of this place have seen and can speak as much of God in this particular as ever did a people oh that you had hearts to render unto him according to all the good that he hath shewn ye and therefore I shal hasten to the Application and the main Use shall be to provoke you unto thankfulness Use Is it so that God never wants supplies to help his people and wil you want tongues and hearts to praise that God who hath laid out so much goodnesse and love and power and wisdome in your deliverance hath God drawn forth something of all his treasure to help you and will not you draw out any thing of yours to glorifie him where Gods favour shines there cannot but be a reflection true love will never be idle 't is a working an active grace it must as one returne or die Oh the base ingratitude of many who are so far from taking advantage from the receipt of mercies to praise God as that they either bury them or abuse them to his dishonour Friends consider what God hath done for you the mercies that you have received do enjoy But tell me where are your books of remembrance where is your Jehovah now Exod. 17.15 wherein you have proclaimed God to be your salvation what is become of all Gods wonders among you wonders that might even fill a Volumn and give life to a story that should out-live the world whither is the memory of all your deliverances fled deliverances (a) When the Castle was first taken by the Park forces from cruelty and oppression within when they that hated you ruled over you from the teeth and sury of those barbarous wretches (b) At the raising of the first and last Sieges without have you forgotten this Again what is become of the destroying pestilence that within these few years had taken up its habitation among you hath your present health and jollity put to silence all those dying groans which so lately sounded in your affrighted ears shall such mercies as these are lie raked up in the dust of time without any monument set over them to tell once they were But to passe over these this day alone hath matter enough of an eternall gratulation being the center as it were wherein all mercies met upon your heads Oh what an evidence of love and wisdome and power was here that when so many potent and

Exod. cap. 15. but he was pleased to use this meanes for the manifestation of his owne power and that it might leave the deeper impression upon their spirits who were so dull and hard to beleeve Thirdly what this tree points out It intimates to us Christ and his Gospel Gal. 6.14 The Gospel hath a crosse that goes along with it yet t is such a crosse as sweetens all other crosses to us Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus c. Let the Law come thundring out all its curses and terrours it can never trouble a gracious spirit here is a tree that sweetens all From the coherence observe Doct. 1 After great mercies may come great miseries Crosses oftentimes lie neere our choicest comforts God usually doth mingle his favours with afflictions see it here in these Israelites after their joyfull melody of songs and instruments of musick they are exercised first with thirst and then that thirst is tortured with bitter water See it in Abraham Gen. 22. Sampson Judg. 16. the Church Act. 12. what ever our comforts may be yet crosses will follow and trip up our heeles A Beleever here in this world is halfe in heaven and halfe out Sathan may come to buffet him as well as Christ to comfort him A Christians life is but an intercourse of peace and trouble God hath his ends in it First that he might drive us to the throne of grace times of distresse are praying times I doubt not but you of this place can seale to this truth Lord in their trouble they have visited thee they poured out a prayer when thy chastning was upon them Esay 26.16 their prayers did but drop before now they are poured forth And that of Hosea 5. ult In their afflictions they will seek me early Dant animum ad loquendum liberè ultimae miseria Liv. l. 9. Extremities are not onely an incentive but a warrant to importunities a storme will bring a very heathen upon his knee Jonah 1.5 God knowes that his children are never so fuly disposed to servency in prayer as when the Crosse is upon their shoulders Secondly that he might keep us from carnall security A man is never more apt to grow secure never a fitter prey for Sathan then after some great mercy received as men are more drowsie after a feast then upon an empty stomack so we after a feast of mercies and therefore God will exercise us this way that he might keep us waking No sleep so dangerous as that in sinne Thirdly that we might set the higher price upon his favours we usually love that best which we sometimes want are likely to loose one years peace now is better then 80. heretofore Abrahams Sonne at seventy years was better then if he had been given sooner and the same Isaack had not been so precious to him had he not been as miraculously restored as given his recovery from death made him more acceptable then if he had never been in danger Use 1 Is it so that after great mercies may come great miseries Then though you have and doe enjoy great mercies dream not of a freedome from crosses whilst here below our present estate is no Paradise of ease but a warfare we are like a ship on the waters though the Sun shine to day a storm may arise to morrow which may suddainly deprive you of all your present enjoyments I beseech you tel me how have you improved your deliverances have you been the more aboundant in your obedience in giving God the glory of your peace Liberties lives and those comforts you now enjoy whereof you might have been deprived by the malice of men the wrath of God is your strength improved in his service your time spent to his glory for his praise your All laid out for him or rather have not they brought forth security profanenesse pride a loose and carelesse walking with your God a wantonnesse of spirit in the things of God and his Son Is not drunkennesse swearing whoring profanation of Gods day and ordinances are not these as strong as generall as ever how many of you are guilty of one or more of the fore-named sins the sheep bleat the oxen bellow In most what is there more then a meere forme of godlinesse more then a name to live and can you then expect a continuance of your undervalued mercies which you have so evilly improved so horribly abused Oh tremble to consider what may yet become of you and feare lest your habitations that are yet remaining be made a desolation lest a provoked God cause you with weeping and amazed eyes to read this lesson Oh that we had knowne even we who have been partakers of such a deliverance as this in this our day the things that did belong unto our peace But now You may weep out the rest But I proceed And when they came to Marah they could not drink c. Observe that Doct. 2 It is the nature of creature-comforts to disappoint our expectations They are like Jobs deceitfull brooks Job 6.15 that will make men ashamed in the Summer when they turne aside for water to refresh them and find none There are five particulars wherein this truth appeares 1. In regard of their entitie and substance they have not that in them which we expect they should yeeld What Solomon speakes of dainties is true here Desire not his dainties for they are deceitfull there is abundance of falshood in creature-comforts 2. In regard of their quantity there is not enough in the creature to supply our wants See Hag. 1.6 9. You have sown much and bring in little c. Ye lookt for much and loe it came to little the Creatures are too poore too beggerly to content or satisfie us 3. In regard of their quality Men think in changing their condition to find waters of life but they meet with waters of death There is that in them will poyson when relyed on 4. In regard of the efficacie There is little efficacie in any creature we can fancie little vertue of their own to convey any comfort they are but like a dead man no way usefull till God put life in them the strength they have they doe receive from heaven Man lives not by bread c. 5. In regard of their duration Riches take Eagles wings and flee away Prov. 23.5 swiftly suddenly irrecoverably All dependance upon outward comforts in outward excellencies is uncertaine dangerous if a man rest on them he may out-live his trust his prop may be taken away and then downe he falls Use Is it so Let not your hearts run out after these deceitfull empty poysonous feeble dying comforts that cannot but disappoint you Nulla res longa mortalium est omnisque foelicitas seculi dum teneiur amittitur Hier. All the excellencie of all creature-comforts is but like an impression of a seale upon water which doth vanish ere you see where or what it was or like a picture