Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	faith_n	grace_n	spirit_n	4,029	5	5.0239	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A60548	Light out of darkness in a sermon preached before the Right Honourable Sir Robert Clayton, Kt., Lord Mayor of the city of London, in Guild-hall Chappel, the 26th of Sept. 1680 : wherein are contained, rules how to support our selves under dark providences, when they seem to supercede divine promises : also, directions how to obtain a prospect of serene and happy times / by Samuel Smith ...	Smith, Samuel, 1620-1698.	1680 (1680)	Wing S4201; ESTC R3482	14,587	40

for their appointed Issue The Lord can make the Lion and the Lamb Cohabitate allay the contrariety of jarring Elements by commanding them into an amicable and happy League He can so over-rule all blustering Animosities that they shall not overset his main Design but conspire to hasten it to its desired Port Thus by variety the Wheels in Clock-work seem to cross each other yet all help forward the universal motion for the regular pointing out of such set Seasons which best are fitted to the accomplishment of our Purposes Therefore as the Israelites readily marcht after the Pillar of the Cloud in the Wilderness so must we follow the Lord's Conduct without repinings upon the bare sight of our Warrant though we know not a step of the way 2. Rule When there is not any particular Promise which faces and suits to a dark Providence yet the main Body of the Promises which are the Common Places or Repositories of a Christians Comfort may become as a Constellation to guide us when we are Tost upon the darkest Ocean 3. Rule Treasure up the Experiences of former Ages those will hold us up from fainting in Extremities so that we shall not charge God foolishly Awake awake O Arm of the Lord put on Strength as in the Ancient times as in the Generations of Old Art not thou he who hast wounded Rahab or Egypt and cut in pieces the Dragon or Pharaoh in the Red Sea Isa 51.9 10 11. It is very observable That the Lord gave that unruly Death-threatning Leviathan to become Food to strengthen the Faith of the Israelites distressed afterward in the Wilderness Psal 74.9 to 15. Yea when the Church in Babylon lamented that they saw not their Signs nor had any Prophet among them to give them any Prospect of Hope that they should be delivered yet they drew an Argument to relieve their desponding Thoughts from the Interchangeable yet constant orderly Courses of the Night and Day of Winter and Summer Thus they Reasoned Is not the Day thine as well as the Night Thou hast prepared the Light and the Sun Yea the darkness of the Night sets off the beauty of the Morning Light and makes it to be more wonderfully accepted Thus ought Christians not Idlely to behold the Face of the Heavens but to make an Improvement of the Stationary Courses of the Seasons of the Year We may fetch Relief to our drooping Thoughts from God's Covenant in Nature to confirm our Faith in his Redeeming Love as to the expectation of special Grace and Mercy It is very observable That the Psalmist in Parallel Allusion says Thy Mercy O God reaches to the Heavens and thy Truth or Faithfulness to the Clouds The Lord suffers these to gather and grow big with Black Vapours even unto a Boisterous Contest yet in their Dissolution they perform a Kindness in Watering the dry Furrows of the Earth to make them Smile with a Fruitful Verdure So the Saints Graces which seemed Imprisoned in an Earthly obdurate Heart being bedewed with Afflictions bud afresh with a lovely Lustre In all Distresses therefore let us thus argue If the Lord order the Contrariant Seasons of Nature to conspire in a mutual Benefit to the Universe will he not much more exercis● a tender Care over his Church for whose sake the whole Creation is guided with a steady unerring Hand even in such Changes which sometimes stagger the Faith and tire out the Patience of his Afflicted Servants Hence I infer That when one Providence is complicated within the mysterious Darkness of another Then the Word of Promise must be our Staff to lean on and the Precept our Rule to Walk by The most Conflicting Distresses which cross our Hopes and Desires oftentimes ripen the Promises to the furtherance of God's Design Thus Joseph's being sold into Egypt made way for his Advancement in Pharaoh's Court The Intombing of Jonah in the Whales Belly buried him into Life It gained Reverence to his Person being Miraculously preserved and the Demorage of his Embassage himself being plunged into the heart of the Sea made his Letters Credential to be better attested and believed 4. Rule When Providences are Dark Prayer must joyn Issue to clear them up This is the readiest most dexterous Key to uncypher these Mysterious Characters in the profound meaning of them Especially when you have an Eye of dependency on Christs prevalent Intercession for this very purpose Worthy is the Lamb slain who Purchased the Promises and Ratified them in his Bloodshed to open the Sealed Book of Providential Mysteries The Lord would lose the Glory of his Works if they should alway be concealed as illegible Characters which none could understand Therefore he hath ordained the Spirit of Prayer to illustrate dark Prophetical Passages recorded for future Comfort Now if Prayer obtain not a speedy satisfaction to our Doubts yet our Hearts shall be quieted with this Consideration That all things shall work together for good to such who fear the Lord. Therefore Genuine Christians will wait till the whole Platform of God's Government amidst all Vicissitudes of Changes shall be presented in One view This will certainly be unfolded in the World to come Then Shall we know as we now are known That is We shall plainly see the true Reason why the Lord vail'd his Providential Actings as if he had forgotten to be Gracious Yea we shall acknowledge that he could not have taken a fitter wiser Course to bring us to a blessed Station than by the way of his dreadful Rebukes when we grew wanton with Mercies and froward in our Sins 5 Rule When you cannot follow God in untrodden paths of Providence yet consider it is good and safe to draw nigh to him in your undoubted Duty Resolve therefore tho he whisper not all his Secrets into thine Ear yet he shall be sure of the Obedience of the Heart Persevere in seeking the Beauty of his Face when thou canst not participate of his Bounty nor find out the intricate Windings of his Works Conform to his Known Will when thou canst not spell out his Secret Decrees and Purposes 6 Rule Justifie God as holy in all his Ways and righteous in all his Works when you cannot judge positively concerning them Psal 97.2 Clouds and thick Darkness are round about him yet Righteousness and Judgment are the Habitation of his Throne That is Equity Wisdom and Moderation are the Stability of his Government How awful and yet serene Majesty is resident in the Lord while he wraps himself up in most dreadful Appearances He ranks these Clouds while they contest and rides on the Wings of the Wind giving a Law unto them while they threaten to overwhelm us with a Storm Many times Dark Administrations are the Dust of his Feet which he raises in order to his merciful approaches towards us Therefore speak honourably of the Lord when you are at the lowest in point of Hope and Help Wherein you cannot discover God clearly it will be your

that Divine Light which they pretend to be They are rather Wild-fire thrown into the Sanctuary of God to fill it with Smoke and Clamor We must not turbulently plead for any Truth tho clear to us and very considerable in it self This will render our Testimony to be suspected in its Validity and Sincerity We ought with serenity of Mind to wait till the Father of Lights shall clear up such Mysteries in Religion which as yet may be hid from others of Weaker Apprehensions Let none therefore out of an Impatient Curiosity presumptuously obtrude or irregularly propagate any private Conceptions as if they were Indubitable Maximes to be imbraced by the Implicite Belief of other men The Lord hath promised to spread the Revelation of Truth in his own Time and Method thereby to supersede all froward Contests and rash Forwardness in any to disseminate their own Opinions by the Disturbance of Publick Peace and Order Let this Consideration moderate all Contests about Circumstantials in Religion viz. That the Forcible Birth of Reformation is every way as perillous as the Dilatory Production of it Such who doubt not of their way must not proudly contemn Dissenters Some are to be pitied in their Errors when they are not indulged by the neglect of searching after Truth But a dissembled Compliance before thorow Conviction is an Hypocritical Flattery and will for advantage secretly undermine Foundation Principles Truth is best preserved when those who formerly opposed it are convinced of their Error and then such ought gladly to become its humble Clients yea much rather its blushing Captives With how peaceable Deportment did the very Apostles spread Evangelical Light to the Idolatrous Nations that they might win them to the Obedience of Christs Scepter This caused them to triumph in leading the captivity of the Devil captive forasmuch as they powerfully insinuated the Truth by the Conviction of an Holy Life made amiable by the Exemplarity of Meekness and Heavenly Self-denial But the separation of Peace from Holiness is a secret contempt of the God of Truth and will prove the Carcase only of Prosperity Therefore let us hold fast the Mystery of Faith in a pure Conscience as we expect that the darkest Providences should be cleared up to us in a propitious creating of serene and happy times Often times the Church of Christ which is the Darling of his Providence becomes a fiery Beacon by extremities of Affliction to warn others that if the Lord 's own People violate their Soul Chastity in not walking according to the Purity of the Christian Faith even They shall smart severely for it Let not the Romish Synagogue therefore boast of her pompous Visibility in her Prosperous Iniquities For though her outward Painting and Patching in Religion draw the Wonder of the Nations before they Wander after her Deceptions yet Heresies and Abominations will in due time undermine a Semblance of Tranquillity and Strip her bare as an Harlot of all the Ornaments which cover her obstinate Degeneracy The true Church may be Hid for a time as a Lilly among Thorns yet Rome in all her Glory is not arrayed like one of those Lillies when stained with Calumny or rather Beautified with the Blood of Martyrdom How comely and prevailing with God for Deliverance in Distress are silent Penitential Tears in the Dove-like Eyes of his People especially when they retain their Integrity in defending the Dowry of Truth and the Standard of Real Holiness Light is sown for the Righteous and Joy for the Upright in Heart This shall secretly spring up for such while dark Providences wind themselves about in rich Mines of Comfort through the Labyrinth of their perplexing Doubts and Fears Directions If we would get a Prospect of Bright Serene and Happy times observe these Directions following First Let the Eye of our Faith be cleared up from Prejudice and steadily fixt upon That vital Influx of Divine Power Wisdom and Fidelity in God which constantly takes care of his Espoused Interest under all those Convulsion-pangs which seem to dissolve the very Ligaments of Truth and Peace Faith can fetch a Desponding Soul to Life when Deadly Fears assault us Even while we are giving up the Ghost of Hope Mercy may come forth to meet us with Salvation Thus the Disciples cried out It is a Spirit when Christ walked on the Sea toward them to calm the Storm and allay the greater Tempest even Fears in their own Hearts Thus the darkest Season of the Night immediately precedes the Dawning of the Day The thickest Throws and Agonies not only contribute toward and make Way for but are the Signal of a Joyful and Speedy Birth Even Obstructions as Divine Wisdom orders them shall smooth the way to Safety A skilful Archer shuts one Eye to strengthen the Visive Spirits in the other that he may more dexterously level at the Mark. So suppress Carnal Reason as an unfit Judge of Divine Dispensations if you would gain the support of God's Propitiousness under seeming Desolations We should count our selves safe while the Helm is in God's Hand For though he suffers Storms and Difficulties to Encompass us yet no Engines shall ever gain their designed Point against the Lord's Inheritance 2. Direct Be wonderfully Affected with and Thankful for the First-fruits of Deliverance Zech. 4.10 It is very unbecoming to despise the day of small things yea it is a great sin to prejudge the Lords Work by the first view especially when it is certain that the Lord reserves his choicest Mercies as lovely Colours to be superinduced at last when he is resolved to express the Beauty of his Providence to the Life for a Confutation of our impatient Curosity A thankful Valuation of the least beam of Light when all hope of relief seemed perish'd is the only way to bring forward Deliverance to Maturity The Lord doth not undertake Works instampt with wonder to lay them aside without any care of bringing them to a Perfect Birth The widest deepest overflowing Rivers spring from a little Conduit Head So Sions Salvation goes forth at first like a Lamp only before it prove a Constellation of Brightness spreading over all the Expansions of Distress During the saddest Contexture of Providence the Spiritual Glory of Christs Evangelical Kingdom shall never set it shall spread the more by Opposition become Illustrious by those very Fogs and Mists which ascend out of the Bottomless Pit of Popish Heresie Treachery and Cruelty Those very Prayers which seemed lost shall return loaden with the Richest and Choicest Mercies The Lord will beautifie the Meek with Salvation therefore beg a Spiritual Eye to take a Prospect of Deliverance beyond the Limits of Present Sense Thus David having obtained Gods Word only for the Conquest of his Enemies triumphed before he struck a stroke so confident was he of Success He cried out Gilead is mine Manasse is mine over Edom will I cast my Shoe Which was a Sign of taking Possession of the Promise as if he

of Darkness ushered in the Day-star Christ Jesus to enlighten the Gentiles and become the Glory of his People Israel Let me give you one Instance more in your own Experience Was not a thick Cloud on the Eye of the Clearest Understanding to conceal from us the proper Means of Slackning or Extinguishing that Dreadful Conflagration which burst out to the Consumption of all our precious and delectable Injoyments And yet even then we were hid in the midst of a Devouring Fire So preserved that the Sons of Violence durst not in that Extremity take the Advantage to assault our Persons thereby to out-act the Cruelty of the Flames Is not our City revived as a Phoenix out of its very Ruins Built fairer and firmer by an Awful and Wonderful Restauration Surely It s very Dust was precious to that God whose Good-will continued to dwell in the Flaming Bush to give it a fresher Verdure May this City of Solemnities become a Pattern of Reformation to the whole Nation This will strike a Terror into Restless Incendiaries who even execrate our greater Lustre as the Center of the Lords delight I hope the Envious Viperous Brood of Jesuits who are studious in contriving Mischief shall never effect our Second Desolation And that while we cleave to the Lord in our Integrity there shall be a Covering of Defence upon all our Glory However If any Cloud of Malice should stain and darken the Beauty of our present Prosperity yet the Most High hath Wise and Gracious Ends in permitting Distresses to exspatiate into Amazing Extremities before he appear to check them I shall briefly mention some of them 1 Hereby the Lord humbles and tries us to fit us for Comfort Thus he led Israel thorow Fire and Water the most Forlorn Distresses yet when they bowed with Submission to his Will he brought them forth into a Wealthy Land His Delays are no Denials nor Arguments of Insufficiency to Help but only Whets to the Importunity of Prayer a Touch-stone to try the Sincerity and Vivacity of Faith Love Self-denial and Obedience 2 Reas Hereby he makes the Mercy of Deliverance appear more Glorious He beautifies the Work of Salvation while it is interwoven with Difficulties Prepaired Mercies are longer before they be exhibited As they are curiously framed with deeper Impressions of Wisdom and Power so they would not be dispensed with faithfulness were they entailed upon such who cannot wait the Lords leisure of Bestowing them 3 Reas Sudden Help doth not so deeply affect with Thankfulness nor advance the Heart to so high a Pitch in Duty We prize what we obtain with Difficulty 4 Reas It is Wisdom in God to straiten before he relieve us least we should ascribe Inlargement to our selves The Use serves for Information Thus Under all Extremities of Affliction and seeming Ruins of the Church there lies hid the Seminal Hope of an Happy Restitution which may command a dreadful Restraint in Enemies and a Venerable Esteem from Friends Those Planets have the sweetest and most benigne Influence which are of the slowest Motion Let not therefore the Suspension of Gods Help breed any Suspicion of his Love because the choicest Exhibitions of Mercy are detained a while that the Beauty and Bounty of them may gratifie our patient Waiting for them Usually all the Benjamins of Mercy are first Benonies of Misery We many times meet with Storms which hazard a Shipwrack before precious Gems and Fragrant Spices unlade themselves into our Bosome Sampson's Honey Comb was the more pleasant because taken by Conflict out of the Carcase of a Lion so Mercies rellish sweetest when taken out of the Bowels of the most affrighting Providence The Lord settles his Church by shaking It that so the Desire of all Nations might Center in Christ under whose Banner only they can possess a Secure and Glorious Resting Place Be perswaded then to act this Life of Faith O the Usefulness and admirable Effects thereof This scatters our Fears raises our Courage cherishes our Hope silences our Repining spirituallizes our Duties evidences the Truth and Strength of Love brings Light out of Darkness Life out of Death Faith is the Parent of Self-resignation to God's Supreme Wisdom which makes the Soul to expect Comfort in his Time and Method It prevents any Contrivance how we may free our selves at once of all Discontentedness by any preposterous or unjustifiable Expedient Faith tramples on all the broken Reeds of Creature-props and Dependences It abhors the thoughts of Complying with such Sacriledge to God's Dishonour as to accept of any Creature to become bound with infinite Strength and unchangeable Faithfulness for the fulfilling of any Promise Therefore in all Straits suppress the shifting Life of Sense This is much like the Sick mans turning from one side of the Bed unto the other It may give a little ease or palliated Cure for the present but cannot root out the habituated Distemper of Discontent with our Condition Judging by Sense is a low-spirited-life which produceth nothing but airy expectation from the Creature and so loses that very Comfort which it seeks with an impetuous Impatiency Rather maintain Serenity in your Mind by Invigorating the Heroical Acts of Faith This will not leave you Floating on a dark Sea but will Pilot you to Christ in the Promise as a secure Harbour Therefore amidst all Storms and Rocks let this steer and over-rule your Course But you will say May not the Providences of God seem to thwart or supercede his Promises When these are very Gloomy and Tremendous how shall we do to support our selves or to demean our selves so as not to censure them out of Ignorance or Discontent To support our Hearts under dismal mysterious Dispensations consider these Rules and Directions 1. Rule You must know in the general that it is God's Prerogative to keep secret for some Tract of Time the ultimate scope of his Oblique and Circulate Dispensations He will set forth some Occurrences to puzzle Sense to silence Carnal Reason to abate the swelling of a proud Heart That so man by his most curious search may not find out any thing which God is resolved to lock up in his own Breast Besides if every Providence did run in a smooth Channel where were any Trial of the Faith and Patience of the Saints Yea the most Cloudy and Dreadful Cases serve to make up the Beauty of God's Government as White and Black Marble intermixt makes Checquer-Work the more admired Though Dust and Rubbish fly in our Eyes while the Lord is fitting and pollishing the rugged Materials of his Temple yet we shall see clearly the glorious Contrivance of the compleat Structure when the Scaffolds of our Self-conceited-Models which raise Pride and Prejudice are totally removed There is a secret Harmony betwixt Providence and Providence These like Fiery Exhalations seem to clash yet as to the main Design of God they combine to the Stability of our Faith and the Reward of our Duty in a patient waiting

Duty Modesty and Safety to be devoutly blind 7 Rule Though Providences should be Gloomy and Dreadful yet be not discouraged because the most Startling Appearances of God have usually ushered in the most Remarkable Degrees of Peace and Establishment unto the Church Jer. 30.5 6 17. Jer. 33.6 10 11. Zech. 13.8 9. Psal 71.20 21. Ps 65.5 By terrible things in righteousness hast thou answered us O God of our Salvation He fulfills Prayer many times in such a strange way which will make our hearts to tremble The Lord appeared to Job in the Whirlwind when he came to comfort him and justifie his Righteous Cause against his Censorious Friends Thus the place was shaken when the Apostles were filled with the Holy Ghost Acts 4.31 So Paul was struck blind and taken up for dead when the Lord chose him to be a Vessel of Mercy and Honour to bear his Name before the Gentiles Acts 9.9 17. Fire came down from Heaven to consume the Sacrifice in Attestation of Its Acceptance The highest Joys are built on the lowest and most tried Foundation The deepest most boisterous Inundation of Calamities shall not drown us if they advance us in Heavenly-mindedness Hereby we shall gain the prospect of Gods Covenant Mercy and Fidelity as a Securing Rain-bow about the Throne of Amazing Justice 8 Rule Reserve your passing Sentence on the Darkest Dispensations until the winding up in their ultimate Scope and Tendency As we must be Witnesses of Gods Truth to the present Generation and Trustees to transmit it pure unto Posterity so when Providences are most stupendious we must treasure up Prayers and antedate Praises for those Salvations which God will work in After-ages We should rejoyce to think that the Lord will provide more Halcyon days for the Successive Generations of the World though our selves should fall in the Wilderness and never set foot on the Canaan of a Desired Rest But fearing lest this Day-star may be perverted in its benigne Influence by breeding presumption in a sinful or slothful secure state let it cast an Aspect of Caution in Conjunction with its comfortable Rays that none may be misled by the abuse thereof 1st Let not Romish Doctors expect that the Saving Light of the Knowledge of God in Christ should beam into them while they willfully yield themselves as Captives to the Power and Prince of Darkness or delight to strengthen a Combination with restless Atheistical Workers of Iniquity Such are afraid least the light of Gods Truth should disturb their Security in a Sinful Course yet there is no shadow of any pretence under which Antichrist may presume to lie safe from that Winged Desolation which watches to ensnare him As the Path of the Just is like the Morning Light which shines brighter to perfect Serenity in the Conscience so the Way and Designs of the Ungodly shall perish For these the Blackness and extremity of Darkness is reserved for ever They may sportingly presume to warm themselves with their own deceitful dying Sparks kindled out of the Grandeur of the World and a pompous False Religion yet they shall lie down in the shame of Disappointment When once an Evening of unexpected Terrors shall overtake them these shall increase to a midnight of desperate Sorrow in a perfect Desolation 2dly Let not the Enthusiast pervert this Comfortable Promise in the Text as if the Kingdom of Christ were to be promoted by the Invention of any Novel Arrogating Opinions which such Men expect should be idolized for Undubitable Maximes These can never usher In those glorious Accessions of Truth and Peace promised to the later Age of the Christian Churches Under a Pretence that In the Evening it shall be Light Scepticks irreverently pry into the Cabinet of Gods Secret Counsels Such do not with a modest safety advance in the Search of true Wisdom but rather rudely dictate Rules to the Supreme Governour of the World Proud Dogmatical Spirits exalt the Phaenomena or Mock-light of their Wanton Fancies Under pretence of illuminating others they despise the Sacred Institutions of Christ as if those were weak faint obscure Streams of Light adapted and fitted only to the Infant State of Christianity Such Deceivableness of Unrighteousness flows not from the Father of Lights but from Romish perverting Emissaries the Locusts of the Pit of Darkness 3ly There is another Caution I would give to such who expect the glorious Accession of Jewish Converts to the Christian Churches Let them not disturb Christs sweet repose among the Lillies of Evangelical Vertues by becoming Thorns and Briars to tear and rend in pieces his Seamless Coat of Unity and Concord The Divisions of Christians among themselves obstructs the Conversion of the Jews are the Engines which Rome makes use of to batter down the Bulworks of our Safety Fiery Contests among Protestants scare the Wild Savages from embracing Christs Pure Religion His Healing Influences as the Sun of Righteousness cannot spread to such Nations who still remain under the power of Pagan or Popish Blindness when they hear that Christs Doves quarrel one another with as great bitterness of spirit as That whereby Wolves designedly prey on the Lords Inheritance What a shame is it That these Lovely Twins of Truth and Peace should be divorced when as the Fruits of Righteousness can neither be sown nor reaped so advantageously in a Storm of Passion If we would have Gods Mercy and Truth meet together in fulfilling the Promise of our Establishment Let Righteousness and Peace kiss each other in our own Breasts But if a perverse spirit be mingled among us all Counsels and Means used for Safety will prove abortive Let us not by our Animosities Jealousies and Immoralities attempt that Destruction upon our selves which all our Enemies could never yet effect While the Jews severally contended in Parties they were universally overthrown Many are in expectation of Glorious Promises to be fulfilled in the Last Age of the World But we can never become terrible to Antichrist till all Antichristian Lusts be pulled down in our own hearts nor till we display the Banner and Beauty of Truth with Unanimity This will credit propagate maintain and secure the Protestant Religion and its Professors in the hearts and estimation of all Men When the Lord shall restore Sion to a more settled State the Worshippers of his Name shall see Eye to Eye they shall agree in the same Sentiments of Religion and in Candour of Affection In the mean time while it is only Twilight among the most knowing Christians let us not reproachfully stigmatize one another in those less considerable Controversies which at this day perplex the Christian Churches The Genuine Spirit and Profession of Christs Pure Religion is full of Meekness and not sowred with Envy Malice nor any proud Partiality in judging of Opinions It doth not wrangle in a Peremptory asserting the Truth lies on the side of this or that Party only Such Clashing Corruscations are Portentous Fore-runners of Destruction and not