Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	let_v	lord_n	see_v	4,012	5	3.3773	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A49636	The way to good success propounded in a sermon preached upon November the 24th, 1684, at Trinity-house-Chappel, to the wardens, elder brethren, and fraternity of masters and seamen of the same house, at Kingston upon Hull / by N.L., minister of the gospel at St. Mary's Church in Hull.	N. L.	1685 (1685)	Wing L49; ESTC R43334	15,096	37

and chusing the most proper means to attain it He forsees dangers and endeavours to avoid them He discovers difficulties and prepares to encounter them Religion is so● far from being an Enemy to the prudent management of our Affairs in the World that where it is heartily embraced it doth much assist us therein as it frees us from many hurtful lusts and Passions which darken the understanding that we cannot so prudently order our concerns as it fortifies us against the troubles we meet with in carrying on our just and honest designes therefore 't is said of David who committed his way to God and put his trust in him That he fed his people according to the integrity of his heart and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands or as read by some Ruled prudently with all his power Psal 78.72 They are therefore under a great mistake who think that because God commands them to commit their way unto him they may either be negligent or improvident Now I come to speak Positively what it is to Commit our Way to the Lord. This Committing our Way to God doth imply our submitting our selves and wayes to the Govemant of God a yielding up our selves to the conduct of Heaven to be ruled and guided by those Laws that God governs his Subjects by that God who gave unto us our lives hath given also to us Laws and when we observe these Laws to be a Rule for our Actions then we may be said to commit our Way unto him But if we follow the dictates of our own corrupt Minds or the evil examples of others or the sinful Customs of the Times and Places wherein we live we renounce God's Soveraignty over us and disown as it were our dependance upon him Yea further if either we have any wicked projects and designes or manage any of our affairs by unwarrantable means viz. Fraud Lying Perjury or Injustice we are so far from Committing our Wayes to God that we may be said to commit them to the Devil and are so far from obtaining his blessing that we forfeit his favour and the aides of his good Spirit When the Devil set upon our Blessed Saviour in the Wilderness Matth. 4.6 he would have perswaded him to vain confidence saying If thou be the Son of God cast thy self down for it is written he will give his Angels charge concerning thee and in their hands they shall bear thee up least at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone and he alledgeth Psal 91.12 that God had given the Angels charge of him but he leaves out part of the Verse which was contrary to his purpose viz. He shall keep thee in all thy wayes In omnibus actionibus loci munerissive vocationis tuae In all the actions of thy place duty or vocation And therefore our Saviour verse 7. intimates that if he should do so he should be so far from trusting in God that it would be a tempting God saying It is written Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God Wherefore every good Christian ought to take care in the first place that his way be good that his actions be agreeable to the Law and the Testimonies and know this that there is no doubt difficulty condition of life or action to be performed which Gods Law doth not give particular or general directions for Many times indeed we are to seek and at a loss and cannot find a resolution of our Case yet 't is not because the Law is imperfect but because our sences are not sufficiently exercised therein to discover it and so not able to accommodate the great Rule to our particular Case For the Law of the Lord is perfect and able to make the man of God perfect 2 Tim. 3.15 2. It implyes our seeking to Almighty God by Prayer for his direction and blessing Phil. 4.6 Be careful for nothing but in every thing by Prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known unto God This is not only an indispensible duty but our great priviledge that in all our undertakings we may sue to God for aide and for his blessing We are but weak silly Creatures of our selves and can effect nothing all our sufficiency is of him We may rise up early and sit up late and eat the bread of carefulness and all to no purpose unless God Crown our undertakings with his Blessing Let us therefore frequently in the most humble and devout manner beg earnestly of Almighty God that he would supply all our wants support us in all our difficulties deliver us out of imminent dangers prosper our honest and just undertakings let us say with David Shew me thy way O Lord lead me in thy truth and teach me for thou art the God of my Salvation Great encouragement have we for the discharge of this duty from Gods appointment from his gracious promises and from the examples of the most pious Men in all Ages who have taken this course with good Success Moses David and all the worthies of Old have left this upon Record from their own Experience That God is nigh unto all them that call upon him That the Lord is good to them that wait for him to the Soul that seeketh him Lam. 3.25 3. This Committing our Way to God implyes our trusting in his Word and Promises and this is the main Matter included in the Text and therefore 't is added Trust also in him Volve super Dominum Rest on him who is a Rock David saith He is the Rock of my Salvation Psal 18.46 and therefore he will trust in him The devout Father St. Bernard whilst he speaks concerning this Rock has these words Fremit mundus premit corpus insidiatur Diabolus non cedo The World rageth the flesh pincheth the Devil spreads Snares Yet I fall not because I am fixed on a Rock This it is to live by Faith when we meet with strong temptations and are in danger to be drawn into Sin then we seek to God for help and use our utmost endeavours and wait confidently upon him for such an issue as he hath promised Psal 34.22 The Lord delivereth the Souls of his Saints and none that put their trust in him shall be destitute I might shew you the Examples of Abraham David Daniel the three Children how they Committed their Way to God and trusted to him in the midst of great difficulties and dangers and found that God was as good as his word From which instances we might likewise take notice that a good Christian as he fears nothing but sin so he is solicitous about nothing but duty He need not trouble himself about Events for God is faithful who promiseth to turn all for good in the Issue to these who Commit their Way to him and also trust in him 4. This Committing our Way to God implyes an humble Submission to him and contentedness of mind with God's ordering of us and our Affairs Such do not rebel against Gods will nor

murmur at his Proceedings nor contend against his Providence but are ready to say with Eli under the greatest disappointments and the most seeming cross Providences It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good 1 Sam. 3.18 Our Religion teacheth us when God in his Providence crosseth or disappointeth us in our Enterprizes not to fly in the face of God in a passion but to fall down at his feet in submission Our blessed Saviour gave us his own example for this duty When God put a bitter Cup into his hand to drink he said The Cup which my Father gives me shall I not drink it The great Apostle Paul also took out this Lesson Phil. 4.11 12. For I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content I know both how to be abased and how to abound every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and suffer need Qu. 2. What Considerations may enforce this Duty 1. I shall only name two the first is in the Text he will bring it to pass or turn it to good And the force of this first Consideration will appear if we take notice 1. That God is able to bring it to pass 2. That he is willing First That God is able although this be a truth that most men take for granted yet seing it oft falls out that our Faith is put to the stretch things are so cross and with Nicodemus are ready to say How can these things be can God furnish a Table in the Wilderness It will not be amiss to touch upon these following particulars that our judgements may be satisfied in the present truth Whoever is disappointed in any design he undertakes 't is either because he wants prudence to manage it power to compleat it or cannot be present to carry it on Now there is that in God which answers these defects 1. Their wisdom in God and that infinit too whereby he is able to forecast his work and to overwit the wisest As Eliphaz sayes Job 5.12 He disappointeth the devices of the Crafty so that their hands cannot perform their enterprize verse 13. He taketh the wise in their own craftiness and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong Whatever wayes of Wisdom are to be met with in the Creature they are but so many beams of light darted from him who is the Original Jam. 1.5 If any lack wisdom let him ask of God who gives it to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him Then as the Psalmist saith Psal 94.9 10. He that planted the ear shall not he hear He that formed the eye shall not he see He that teacheth man knowledge shall not he know Yes surely therefore Rom. 16. last He is called the only wise God 2. There is power in God It hath been observed by some that this expression is found no less then 70 times in Scripture that God is Almighty difficulties are no difficulties with him Whatever is absolutely possible in it self excepting that which is inconsistent with perfection it falls within the reach of his power He can bring about his designs by weak means without any means that are obvious to the eye of man or by seeming contrary means All the Creatures are at his beck and command he can dispose them take away their beeings suspend their Actions yea the very hearts of men are in his hands and he can turn them as the Rivers of water 3. He is Omnipresent oftimes mens designs miscarry ' cause they cannot be at several places the same time or cannot act at a distance but God is present in all places and filleth all things Can any man hide himself in secret places that I should not see him for do not I fill heaven and earth Jer. 23.24 And this being added to his Wisdom and Power make it out that God is able to bring things to pass Secondly God is willing to bring it to pass He is good and merciful and delighteth to do good and to shew mercy It 's as natural to God to do good as for the Eye to see or the Ear to hear The sweet Singer of Israel David Celebrateth the mercy and goodness of God in Psal 106.107 108. God hath no pleasure in punishing men and therefore Justice is called Op●● à lienum his strange work and when at any time he doth inflict Judgements upon them he seems to be troubled thereat How shall I give thee up Ephraim how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Zeboim Hos 11.8 He hath no delight in disappointing men in their Enterprizes God hath a natural inclination to do us good to Crown our endeavours with Successe to gratify those that please him Psal 35.27 Let the Lord be magnified who hath pleasure in the prosperity of his Servants Besides Gods willingness is apparent from the many gracious Promises that he hath made in his Word to help and relieve them that put their trust in him 2. There is none that we can Commit our Way with safety to but unto God It will be acknowledged that we cannot with safety commit our Way to the Devil though there are too many God knows who take this course such as consult Wisemen but this their way is their folly Such as take unwarrantable courses to bring about their designs they for certain will find themselves disappointed in the issue Neither can a man put confidence in himself with safety he is both too feeble and too foolish Jer. 10.23 O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himself it is not it man that walketh to direct his own steps If a man put confidence in himself 't is the way to want Success Neither may we with safety put confidence in Friends though they be a great treasure For the greatest through impotency may or through fraud will deceive us Job complains Job 6.15 My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook and as the streams of brooks they pass away Neither can we trust in the greatest of men One would think that if any thing was to be trusted in it was to be in Kings and Princes but see what is said Psalm 62.9 Surely men of low degree are vanity and men of high degree are a lye to be laid in the Ballance they are altogether lighter then vanity Therefore he sayes Psalm 146.3 4. Put not your trust in Princes nor in the Son of man in whom there is no help His breath goeth forth he returneth to his earth in that very day his thoughts perish Man is but vanity and God never created him to be trusted in Trust is too great a burden for any thing but God But some think they may safely put confidence in their Wealth Psal 52.7 Lo this is the man that made not God his strength but trusted in the abundance of his riches and strengthened himself in his wickedness Prov. 10.15 The Rich