Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A09646
|
The cure of hurtfull cares and fears. By master Thomas Pierson late rector of Brompton-Brian, in the county of Hereford
|
Pierson, Thomas, ca. 1570-1633.
|
1636
(1636)
|
STC 19910; ESTC S111955
|
18,628
|
96
|
his good pleasure whatsoever the case be Thus doing we shall neither tempt God by neglect of meanes nor yet perplex our selves about the successe What ground we must lay that wee may do so through distrust in his mercy And that wee may so doe wee must lay this good foundation Make sure we stand rightly in covenant with GOD through faith in CHRIST IESUS for hee that commeth unto God must beleeve Hebrewes 11.6 and then we have good title to all Gods promises whereat true faith doth ever looke and to them that have obtained that pretious grace are given exceeding great and pretious promises 2 Peter 1.1 4. All the promises of God are in him yea and in him Amen that is in Christ Iesus most sure and certaine to true beleevers 2 Cor. 1.20 This estate once had we must in every thing that may perplex us stir up this pretious grace of faith and set it a working which seemes to be the Lords meaning in that golden sentence oft repeated The just shall live by faith That faith may have its perfect worke three things to be considered Hab. 2.4 Rom. 1.17 Hebr. 10.38 And that this grace may have its perfect worke to free our hearts from distrustfull and perplexing worldly cares wee must rightly informe our selves in three things First in Gods soveraigne right to inflict upon his dearest servants when where and how hee pleaseth either death it selfe or any evill that is a forerunner thereof for their sinnes originall and actuall Secondly in the different nature of Gods promises and in his divine royalty for time measure and manner of performance Thirdly in Gods good pleasure to exercise his Children and servants many times under sore afflictions all of which he will cause to worke for their good out of his tender love in Christ which remaineth constant unto them under their greatest miseries 1. Gods right and soveraignty For the first that God hath right and soveraignty to inflict upon his dearest servants either death it selfe or any evill that is a forerunner thereof as famine sicknesse sword of the enemy and the like when and where he will for their sinnes originall and actuall is most plaine Romans 5.12 By one man sinne entred into the world and death by sin and death went over all in as much as all have sinned Hebr. 9.27 It is appointed unto man once to dye Death then being our debt to God who shall deny him liberty to call for his due And for his right to inflict upon them hunger thirst sicknesse sorrow and the like none can deny it that considers the afflictions of the godly as of Iob in losse of goods and of all his Children by sudden death Iob 1.15.16 19. in grievous boyles upon his body from the sole of his foot unto his crowne Chapter 2. ver 7. and of David who complaines that hee had no soundnesse in his flesh Psal 38.3 his wounds stanke and were corrupt verse 5. his loynes were filled with a loathsome disease verse 7. he was feeble and sore broken yea hee roared for the very disquietnesse of his heart verse 8. 2 〈◊〉 different nature of Gods promises For the second Gods promises are of two sorts some concerne the life that now is others that which is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 And among these latter which be heavenly and spirituall there is a difference Some are of blessings absolutely necessary to salvation as justification adoption regeneration and the like others are very comfortable but yet not simply necessary to salvation as the sensible feeling of Gods love and inward joy therupon strength of faith and great increase in other graces farre above that measure which is simply needfull to the being and truth of grace Now GODS promises of blessings simply needful to salvation be absolutly made in Christ to true beleevers without exception as Acts 16.31 Beleeve in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt bee saved But other spirituall graces lesse necessary and all temporall blessings must bee understood to be promised with the exception of the Crosse to wit that true beleevers shall have them upon their sober and sanctified use of lawfull meanes unlesse it seeme good to GOD by the want of such blessings to correct them for their sins as he did David 2 Sam. 12.10 11. The sword shall never depart from thy house because thou hast despised me Psalme 118.18 The Lord hath chastened me sore but hee hath not given mee over unto death Or else to make tryall of their faith and patience as hee dealt with Iob in his afflictions Iob 2.3 Thou movest mee against him to destroy him without cause and Chapter 23.10 He knoweth the way that I take when hee hath tryed mee I shall come forth as gold Also Gods royalty for time manner Gods royalty and measure of performing his promises is very remarkeable In these circumstances he retayneth and exerciseth divine liberty and looketh that his Children should wait for the evidence of his good pleasure and rest contented therewith when he doth manifest the same though it doe not answer their desires And he blameth those that will limit or confine him in any of these as his people did in the wildernesse when they would as it were point out their own provision For time Psalme 78.20 41. In particular for the time when GOD will do this or that thing which hee hath promised indefinitely he shewes his royalty to his Disciples Acts 1.7 It is not for you to know the times which God hath put in his owne power In this circumstance he requireth the patience of faith saying Manner Hee that beleeveth shall not make hast Isa 28.15 And for manner of performance sometime he giveth the particular blessing asked As upon Elias prayer he sent first drought and then after rayne Iames 5.17 18. Other while instead of the blessing asked hee giveth some other thing answerable thereunto making more for his owne glory and the good of his servants as when Paul besought the Lord thrice that the thorne in the flesh the messenger of Satan might depart from him God said my grace is sufficient 2 Cor. 12.7 8 9. GOD did not free him from the assault but gave him ability of grace to resist Yea our blessed Saviour in his bitter agony in the Garden offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared Hebr. 5.7 Not by a totall freedome from the Cuppe of his bitter passion though he had said Father if it be possible let this Cuppe passe from me Matthew 26.39 but by making him willing and able to beare it and in suffering to overcome For after this prayer he said to Peter The Cuppe which my Father hath given mee shall I not drink it Iohn 18.11 and in suffering bee overcame And measure of performing his promises Rev. 3.21 Likewise in the measure of his gifts and
any amasement The reasons of this duty are strong Three reasons of the doctrine 1. Worldly care is needlesse to a child of God First every Child of GOD hath an heavenly Father that careth for him and so his owne worldly raking care is needlesse 1 Peter 5.7 Cast all your care upon him for he careth for you This reason our blessed Saviour urgeth strongly unto his Disciples as well from Gods prouidence over baser Creatures the Fowles of the ayre and the Lilies of the field and therefore they must not thinke he will neglect his Children that are far better Matthew 6.26 28. As also from his speciall notice of all their wants verse 32. and assured readinesse to make supply thereto upon their sober use of lawfull means when they chiefely set their hearts on heavenly things verse 33. Secondly 2. Worldly care is very disgracefull to a Christian worldly care is very disgracefull to a Christian arguing either their shamefull ignorance of Gods providence which indeed extends it selfe to the very haires of their head Mat. 10.30 Or else their great weakenesse if not their totall want of true faith in God through Christ and so is plaine heathenish as CHRIST telleth his Disciples Mat. 6. v. 32. After all these things food and rayment doe the Gentiles seeke in a worldly manner as not knowing they have a Father in heaven that careth for them For they that rest and rely upon GOD for any blessing that hee hath promised will wait for it in the sober and sanctified use of lawfull meanes and goe no further Hee that believeth will not make hast Isaiah 28.16 but will stirre up his soule to wait on GOD as David doth Psalm 42.5 11. he that is weary of this waiting shameth his beleeving like to Ioram King of Israel who in the time of famine said This evill is of the Lord what should I wait for the Lord any longer 2 Kings 6.33 as they are said not to believe in God that trust not in his salvation that is that rest not upon his providence for their preservation Psal 78.22 Thirdly 3. Worldly care is a burden to the soule exceeding hurtfull worldly care is a great burden unto the the soule not only vaine and unprofitable but also exceeding hurtfull That it is a burthen David sheweth when speaking hereof he saith Cast thy burthen upon the LORD that is whatsoever thou art carefull for and wouldest have given thee Psalm 55.22 That it is vaine and unprofitable he plainly sheweth Psal 127.1 2. It is vaine for you to rise early to sit up late to eate the bread of sorrowes meaning through carking care if the Lords blessing bee not with you Also Matthew 6.27 Which of you by taking thought can adde one cubite unto his stature If ye then bee not able to doe that thing which is least why take yee thought for the rest Luke 12.25 26. And that it is very hurtfull the notation of the word used by the Holy Ghost sheweth plainely importing a dividing or parting the mind asunder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This carking care is the covetous mans disease They pierce themselves through with many sorrowes 1 Tim. 6.10 And hereby many times bring upon themselves most heavy judgements What else did move Ananias and Sapphyrah to dissemble with the Apostle and to lye unto GOD about the price for which they sold their possession saying they had brought all when as indeed they kept back a part Vndoubtedly they were distrustfully carefull about their future maintenance and provision but it cost them deere even both their lives by sudden death Acts 5. verse 1 2 3. c. And are not these worldly cares the chiefe of those spirituall thornes which choake the seed of grace in the ground of mens hearts whereupon it becomes unfruitfull Matthew 13.22 and so neere unto cursing whose end is to bee burned Heb. 6.8 3. Vses of the doctrine 1. For instruction True Religion is the only way to true content Now sith whatsoever is written aforetime is written for our learning Ro. 15.4 Let us make application hereof unto our selves And first would the Spirit of God have the hearts of his Children voyd of worldly cares Then undoubtedly the sincere imbracing of true Religion is the only way to get true content and comfort in any estate for what is or can be wanting to his soule to whom the God of heaven saith be carefull for nothing Hee speaketh not this to al that have the shew of godlines but to such as have the power and truth thereof For Gods kingdome is not in word but in power 1 Cor. 4.20 and in whom this power is in them is righteousnesse peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 Even joy unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1.8 such as the world can neither give to its owne Ioh. 14.27 nor take away from the godly Iohn 16.22 But me thinkes Two objections propounded and answered I. Objection I heare the men of the world call in question the truth of this point That true Religion should afford such sweet content unto the soule The exercises thereof bee wearinesse unto them Mal. 1.13 therein they can meet with no such thing Answ I answer This sweet content and comfort in Religion is a fruit of GODS holy Spirit Gala. 5.22 The fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace c. which Spirit God gives to true beleevers Iohn 7.39 who turne from sinne Proverbs 1.23 and make conscience of obedience Acts 5.32 And therefore have the godly testified the fruition and feeling of it as David Psalm 4.7 Thou hast put gladnesse in my heart more than in the time that their corn their wine increased Hee had more joy in Gods favour then worldlings had in all their abundance God was his exceeding joy Ps 43.4 his favour was better than life and therwith his soule was satisfied as with marrow and fatnesse Psalme 63.3 5. Vnto Ieremy also was Gods word the joy and rejoycing of his heart Ieremy 15.16 Paul and Silas sang prayses to GOD in the prison when their feet were made fast in the stocks and they had beene sore beaten and shamefully intreated the day before Acts 16.23 24 25. They found by experience that GOD in Christ was the father of mercies and the God of all comfort who comforted them in all their tribulations as the sufferings of Christ did abound in them so their consolation also abounded by Christ 2 Cor. 1.3 4 5. But naturall men that live in sinne doe want the spirit Iude verse 19. and therefore no marvell though they have no savour nor rellish of joy in Religion The naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 They are strangers from the covenants of promise Ephesi 2.12 and a stranger doth not intermedle with this joy