Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
truth_n jerusalem_n spirit_n worship_v 3,034 5 9.5572 5 true
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A64833 Venning's remains, or, Christ's school consisting of four classes of Christians, I. babes, II. little children, III. young men, IV. fathers : with their several characteristical differences and attainments, also the doctrines proper to be taught to each of them : being the substance of many sermons / preached by Ralph Venning and fitted by him for the press before his death. Venning, Ralph, 1621?-1674. 1675 (1675) Wing V225; ESTC R27039 205,701 393

There is 1 snippet containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

name be all the glory But I pass from hence to speak a little to these Babes by way of Application THese things being so which you cannot well deny poor Babes let me bespeak you and exhort you 1. To Consider not only what you ought to do but how you ought to do it not only the matter but the manner of all duties and to measure your obedience more by the quality than the quantity the weight than number of it together with what ends you have in it 't is not the bigness or juiciness of the fruit but the relish that gives the commendation and that is the end you have in doing your duties If thy obedience have not a good relish ad gustum Dei if it do not taste well though thy duties be never so many and well coloured and full of enlarged affections they are not acceptable to God nor a sweet smelling savour to him The usual question that Babes make is about the what of duty what shall we do say they Acts 2. what must I do saith the Jaylor Lord what wilt thou have me to do saith Paul They mind the matter of duty and ask often about the what but as we should mind what to hear and do so how to hear and do We should not only receive the Lords Supper but so as to discern the Lords Body not only pray but pray according to his Will not only submit to Baptism c. but mind the how and why as Rom. 6.3 5. Col. 2.11 13. God doth not look so much to the hand as to the heart to the action as to the Spirit by which and the end for which 't is done The rich men threw in much more for quantity than the Widdow yet her Mite was more than their abundance there may be more of prayer in a short Ejaculation than a long prayer of many words God is taken more with a little well done than with much good done Deus magis delectatur adverbiis quam nominibus adverbs set out God best as all that he did was good exceedingly and Jesus Christ is not only true but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truly bread so adverbs set out our best when we do what we do truly sincerely faithfully c. for these express the Spirit and end of duties A little Gold refined is more worth than much in the Oar and one Diamond hath more of value in it than a heap of common stones A contracted Prayer may have more in it than a long one not that I speak against the inlargedness of any persons affections in duty for if God opens who can shut but that none should place the excellency of a duty in length or meerly in fervency for many things may occasion it when it may not be fervency of spirit wrought by the Spirit of God 'T is not how much but how well not how affectionate but how spiritual that God minds many Lads when they begin to write strive to write much but saith their Master write me two lines well and I will take it better than if you scrible and scrawle a side of Paper Sat ' sat ' cito si sat ' bene 'T is not worshipping at Jerusalem but in spirit and truth that God minds and as 't is to place 't is to bulk To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices 'T is a broken heart that I will not despise The Apostle doth not take care only to pray or sing but to do it with understanding and his Spirit also 1 Cor. 14.15 spiritual things should be done spiritually we should not only do the things which are pleasing to God but do them so that the doing of them may be pleasing to him his Will according to his Will 2. Consider what is the true state condition and design of Ordinances and Duties they are not your food but the dishes in which your food is set before you not the water of Life but the Conduit pipes through which 't is conveyed to you 'T is not the end of Ordinances and duties that you should make them your end no they are but means to an end would you take up with food or Physick without health why then with Ordinances without the power blessing and effects of them Though I speak not this to take you off from Ordinances and Duties yet that you may not look for that there which God hath not placed there not have that value for them and trust in them which is due to the God of Ordinances live not without Ordinances but live above them while you use them 3. Be more universal in your obedience and do not confine Religion to certain daies and duties God is the universal good and we are most like him when we are universally so Then shall we not be ashamed when we have respect to all his Commandments Psal 119.6 'T was the great commendation of Zachary and Elizabeth that they walked in all the Commandments and Ordinances of God without blame They did not pick and choose some make ifs and ands as to others but were indeed lovers of all And here is love that we keep his commands viz. all of them and they not any of them are not grievous 1 Joh. 5.3 Every creature is good in one or other respect they are particular goods this or that but God as I said is all good and doth good to all all his commands also are holy just and good and we should study to know do all the good and acceptable and perfect Will of God Rom. 12.2 to be as like God and to do all that God likes as much as possible 4. Observe the proper season of Ordinances and Duties of Hearing and Praying c. every thing is beautiful in its season 'T is the glory of the Tree planted by Preaching watred by Baptism blessed with the laying on of hands to bring forth fruit in season for as it follows Heb. 6.7 the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it precept on precept and line on line and bringing forth herbs meet suitable and seasonable for them by whom it is drest receiveth blessing from God which refers to the Parable of the good ground hearers as what follows Vers 8. refers to the thorny ground There is a time for all things and because man knoweth not his time his sorrows are great upon him 't is unseemly for a man to mourn in a time of joy as 't is to rejoyce in a time of mourning To speak more to Babes 't is not beautiful because not seasonable to be praying in a time that calls for another duty or to be hearing when it may be some duty in your calling or Family calls upon you to be then and there to mind that Babes are too apt to rob Peter to cloath Paul to take from one duty and give to another therefore I speak thus unto them 5. Do what you do more out of ingenuity than fear and more out of thankfulness