Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	kindness_n	lord_n	love_a	1,686	5	9.5041	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A55752	Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity and duty of Gods children by the late Reverend and Faithfull Minister of Jesus Christ, John Preston ...	Preston, John, 1587-1628.	1658 (1658)	Wing P3306; ESTC R13568	328,523	450

to beseige Ierusalem upon the Covenant that they made with the Lord though it were feigned the Lord drew him back and set them at liberty but afterward because they did not keep their promise and observe the Covenant that they had made the Lord sent him the second time and destroyed them utterly Do we know what the Lord will do yet further The Lord hath removed this sickness but who knows whether he may not send a greater then this if we do not render according to the mercies received although the sickness be removed yet be assured that there is wrath out and it will seize upon us Indeed it is possible to defer it and to stay it yet if we do not render to the Lord if we do not humble our selves we have cause to fear that there is not an end In 2 Chron. 7. 14. See what conditions the Lord requires when he will heale a land indeed If my people humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turne from their evill wayes then I will hear in heaven c. Marke it The Lord never heals a land to purpose he never heals the wound to the bottom but when their sins are healed and forgiven when the disease is taken away till men turne from their evill wayes till they seek the Lords face and his presence till men be humbled aright till they do thus their healing is but a skinning of the wound it will break out again Therefore we must not think that all is past because the Lord hath removed it for the present he may send the sword and a greater plague and therefore we are to consider this and no man is to put it off God observes how every man is affected with these works of his he that doth not consider but neglect it he takes the name of God in vain In a special manner I say the Lord observes this how men behave themselves at such times whether they do more for him then they were used to do These great actions of the Lord ought not to be passed by negligently but he expects great answering of such great mercies But you will say wherein doth this rendring to the Lord according to the mercies received consist What is this thankfulnesse I answer as it is said of love so it may be said of thankfulness it must not be in word onely but in deed and in truth Not but that it must be in word Psal. 107. It is required that we confesse the loving kindnesse of the Lord before men we should be ready to speak of it but that is not all it must be indeed and in truth And that consists in two things One is that our hearts be affected with the mercies and loving kindness of the Lord that the heart be enlarged towards the Lord with love and fear of his holy Name For when a man doth kindness to another that which winneth love is to consider the bountifulness of the mans disposition When we observe the Lords patience and long-suffering this should teach us the knowledge of the Lord and this should make us consider what a God he is that so his mercies may cause us to love him and that thereby our hearts may be enlarged towards him So David in Psal. 18. I love the Lord for he hath done thus and thus c. This is to be thankful indeed when our hearts are affected towards God when we think the better of the Lord for therein Davids affections were right that he was still speaking good of the Lord more and more he is worthy saith he to be praised So when we learn to trust the Lord he hath done thus and thus therefore we will trust him And when our hearts remember the Lord when we think of him continually And secondly as one part stands in this in the affection of the heart so likewise in our actions then we are thankful to the Lord indeed when we do something for him when our thankfulness is not a thing consisting onely in fancy and notion and imagination but when it produceth action and when we do the works of the Lord more abundantly When a man will set his thoughts on work to study what he may do or what he can do for the Lord. And when he shall do this not onely for the reward to come for that gives not a lustre to the action but it proceeds from thankfulnesse indeed when a man doth that which he doth because the Lord hath done thus and thus for him therefore he will serve him Herein our thankfulnesse is seen when we do something really because it is for the Lord. Saint Paul as he abounded in thankfulnesse so he abounded in labour Iacob because the Lord had heard him he would give him the Tenth of his goods and the Lord should be his God So when we have received special mercies we should do some special thing for God some extraordinary thing to pray more to be more frequent and fervent to be at more cost for the Lord upon such occasions to be more exact in reforming our lives and more fearful of offending God In a word as the Lord enlargeth himself in mercies to us so our hearts should be enlarged to him to do as much as may be And thus our thankfulnesse is exprest when we have opportunity when ever men come in place and occasions wherein they have opportunity to do service to God now to venture more to be more zealous for his sake to be more solicitous to do something to be more intent for the glory of God this is to be thankful according to the mercies received a man must set his thoughts on work to do something extraordinary when there is an extraordinary mercy bestowed To help us now to do this is to remove that which hinders it You shall see what hindred Hezekiah His heart was lifted up he did not render according to the mercies received from the Lord for his heart was lifted up In this there are three things First his heart was lifted up to other things to minde them and it was not lift up to the Lord to think of him and to serve him So that there was forgetfulnesse in him that is one thing intended when a man shall lift up his heart to other things to minde other things to do other things his heart forgets the Lord. Therefore the Lord when he would have his mercies remembered he appoints something to keep them in mind He hath appoynted the Sacrament of the Lords Supper do this in remembrance of me The passeover was appoynted to be taught to their Children that when they should ask them what they did meane by such a thing they should tell them that the Lord had delivered them out of the land of Egypt Forgetfulness is the cause of unthankfulness therefore to remember the mercies of the Lord is one thing that helps us to be thankful that is to observe the passages of his providence towards us