Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	work_n	workman_n	world_n	37	3	4.4549	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61300	The good masters plea, against the evill servants cavill Discovering the vanity of those men, who judge the service of God to be vaine. Delivered in certaine sermons upon Malachi, 3. 14. Being a taste of the labours of that reverend, faith full, and holy servant of God, Nicholas Stanton, M. of Arts; late preacher of the gospel of Christ, at the parish of Margarets in Ipswich, in Suffolk.	Stanton, Nicholas.	1650 (1650)	Wing S5251; ESTC R222417	42,730	188

God his Pious Consort while others are building Sepulchers to their fathers and Husbands erects him this Pillar and Monument both for matter form of his own providing hewing by the help of Gods spirit while he lived a Monument more lasting then that of Brasse and Marble It was found in his study written out with his own hand by importunity of a friend for private use but as the wine was found in the Cluster of Grapes Isa 65.8 and one said destroy it not there is a blessing in it so such as saw it much desired the publication of it And his Yoak-fellow it being a I'hoenix springing out of his ashes and the true child of such a father darst not with the carelesse Mother suppresse and smother it but call in help 1 King 3.19 to hand it forth for Publike use which else had been stil-borne and never seene the light that so he might live though dead and that lasting Posterity might rise up and call him blessed honey dropped and lay upon the ground and Saul had kept the People by an Oath from eating but Jonathan comming and tasting thereof with the end of his rod was much revived and refreshed blaming his father for restraining the people surely the people under this godly mans ministry were brought to a place of much honey where the word dropped abundantly and was sweeter then honey and the honey-combe where many a fainting and weary soule was cheered and comforted and you that do but taste as with the end of a rod how good and gracious the Lord is by this little piece of him who otherwise was abundant in labours will lay blame some-where that you are kept from more of it you will find such sweetnesse in it and thinke the Church hath wrong that she wants any of her treasure but be assured Reader whoever thou art that no Ananias and Sapphira-like spirit hath held any of it back but that which hath been a cause why the labours of many godly Ministers have been buried with them a necessity from the closenesse and shortnesse of his notes and hand which have made it not onely difficult but almost impossible to Mid-wife them into the world and if any imperfect Copy should be thrust forth Gen. 38.29 the breach be upon them Know it comes not polished from the Authors pen and is of quicker delivery then that any skilful hand could come at it His spent paines and labours together with himself are now with the Lord finding what here he hath taught that his labour was not in vaine in the Lord he was a burning and a shining light while he lived a workman that needed not be ashamed and this his work will praise him in the Gates it carries its own letters of commendation and if thine eye be single to judge righteous judgement thou wilt find it full of heart-breaking conscience-convincing and soule-incouraging truths in plaine and familiar but heavenly and spiritual dresse and while others are busie in tying and untying knots spending time in the brabbles and disputes of the times which tend to strife rather then godlinesse this holy servant of God throwes out the disputer of this world and like a good Spie or Seer he brings and maintaines a good report of the good old way of serving God And though possibly there may not be wanting some that may call them low and legall things not savouring as they use to say of the Gospell spirit of these times to such we answer as Moses had his Jannes and Jambres Exod. 17.11 2 Tim. 3.5 8. and Paul met with some that had a forme of Godlinesse but denyed the power thereof men of corrupt minds that withstood the truth 2 Tim. 1.7 so it may now fall out but if thou hast a spirit of love and of a sound mind and hast been nourished up in the words of faith 1 Tim. 4.6 7. and of good doctrine which thou hast continually followed exercising thy selfe unto godlinesse thou wilt eat and blesse God and blesse his counsell thou wilt find it very profitable if the fault be not thine owne eat and digest the roll and let it be sweet in thy belly and despise not the day of small things pray that the Lord of the harvest would thrust forth more such labourers and that he would teach and tell thee how vaine all things else are but to serve God and that godlinesse onely is true gaine and if any man teach otherwise and consenteth not to the doctrine that is according to godlinesse he is puft up and knoweth nothing but doteth about questions and strife of words from whence commeth envy strife railings evil surmisings froward disputations of men of corrupt minds destitute of the truth which think that gaine is godlinesse from such turn away But lest we unmannerly make thee stand too long at the door ere wee bid thee come into the house we beg thy prayers and are thine in the service of the Gospell Matthew Lawrence Robert Stansbye Isaac Basil THE GOOD MASTERS PLEA AGAINST THE EVILL SERVANTS CAVILL MALACHI 3.14 Ye have said it is vaine to serve God THe Author and Pen man of this Book being the last of the first Testament was the Prophet Malachi who was one of those even the last of those three Prophets that the Lord raised up for the help of his Church and benefit of his people after that long and sore captivity which they had been in and now but newly delivered out of and though they had been in a hot furnace yet were they not purged from their drosse There were two sinnes which the Prophet doth now especially charge upon them 1. Slighting of Gods Services and Ordinances 2. Cavilling at his wayes and speeches Strange sins to be found especially in such a people at such a time It might wel have bin expected from this people especially now coming so lately out of such sore troubles that they should have laid their hands upon their mouthes and have justified the Lord in all his proceedings that they should have been even hungry of offering Sacrifice and glad of opportunity to have done God service resolving after this manner well seeing the Lord hath been so good to us as to deliver us out of the hands of our enemies we will resolve to serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the remnant of our daies and seeing we have wanted our former opportunities of doing God service and offering him sacrifice but have them now restored us againe we will now double our diligence time cost and paines in serving of him These and the like expressions might well have been expected to have come from this people as from such as come out of affliction but as it is nothing thus with many others so neither was it with these which were not onely soone weary of Gods service themselves but in their hearts at least condemned it as fruitlesse and unprofitable for any others for which as

lay and how confident they were of a liberall reward for their serving of God c. Having also some tast and the first fruits of it already these things make these people begin to doubt and question what before they seemed resolved of that many a man comes away sighing and saying within himselfe well I am affraid that if this were my condition that death were comming for me and I were under the hand of God and so near my end as such a one is I should not be so comfortable as he is but that J should lye like a wild Bul in a net ful of the fury of the Lord and be at my wits end therefore it may be that I have been mistaken all this while and for all this there may be a God and there may be some reward in serving of him c. and hereupon he resolves to do something in Gods service well I will resolve to pray hear c. More then I have done that if there be a God and there be any reward for his service I may have something in the Bank and a comming thus thinking to make sure however things goe Simil. As you shall have some ignorant hide bound Countreyman that having no skil nor experience in Sea-affaires and adventures into forraigne parts and new plantations is quite against such kind of trading when the ship goes out he gives it for lost and all that is ventured in it secretly condemning them for folly at least that have nothing to doe with their moneys but to make such desperate ventures of it as these and yet this man hearing how such a one and such a one by putting in a stock of money and imploying it that way were great gainers and and made men for ever as they say this man at length and in time may be brought to make some venture himselfe that way reasoning thus well though I have no minde that way yet I care not if I venture something at Sea c. It may be the ship may return and some profit may come by it that if it doth prove so I may be the better and save something but he will not venture so much as shall undoe him if it should miscarry but what he can easily spare So it is here carnall hearts though they Judge thus of the service of God as vaine and that labour as lost that is taken therein yet perceiving as before was said what others have got thereby are hereby brought to do something for God thinking that if there be a God and it be not in vain to serve him that something may come in in an evill day being so simple as not to consider that God will be served aright for the manner as well as for the matter neither will they venture much for God to part with all for the Pearle but onely venture so farre as to provide for themselves how they may be happy as they thinke without any thing comming in this way The first use of this Doctrine is for Information Vses and that in many particulars First Vse 1. Of information It informes us of the reason why the Lord hath no more servants to wait upon him and doe his worke The world and sin have abundance but the Lord very few especially of those that will wear an in tire coat without seame or that will venture upon any hot piece of service if they be put upon it here is the true ground of it they doubt whether the service of God be not a vaine service and whether there be as good wages to be had for doing of Gods work as they have from those Masters whom now they serve and whose worke they do Secondly It informs us of the ground of so much lukewarmnesse and indifferency as is in many that are or seeme to be the servants of God why they slubber over the Lords work and are so slighty in his service offering him sacrifice of that which doth cost them little or nothing as in praying hearing and the like as if it were no great matter whether they prayed or not prayed whether they heard or not heard whether they stood and appeared for God or dissembled it especially if it come to this that they cannot follow and serve God but it must cost them dear Indeed many can be content to keep Gods service doe Gods work and professe religion so long as this profession and service will maintaine them but if it comes to this that they must maintaine their service and they cannot professe and follow God but it will cost them their estates credits liberties or lives then they shrinke and here 's the reason they make a question if they should disburse so much for God and in his service whether ever they should see their own again and not be losers by the bargaine This makes them so backward to enter upon some worke that God puts them upon and so slighty in that which they doe Simil. That as they that work for bad pay-Masters when their work is faulted are ready to answer why t is even well enough unlesse I were like to be paid better for it then I am so doe they here suspecting the service of God for a vain service they think the work done in it to bee well enough how slighty soever whereas did they believe otherwise and the truth of those promises of God 1 Cor. 15.58 for his bountifull rewarding of such as are his servants it would make them fruitfull and painfull in his service Thirdly It informes us of the ground of so much Apostacy and backsliding from God why so many of his disciples and servants go away and fall off daily Yea many ancient standing professors that seemed to have been good and faithfull servants and to have done God much good work yet now after a long time they carry the Lord his livery home againe and will weare it no longer nor follow him any further but are now for a new Master and that such a one as the times will serve them to follow and serve without danger The ground hereof is clearly this they thinke to mend themselves and to take a course that will be more profitable then this service would be if they should continue it But as Moses Heb. 11.25 26 27. endured many and great afflictions seeing him by faith who is invisible to sence so had people hearts and faith to beieeve the truth of Gods promises and the profitablenesse of his service all the world could not be able to hire them out of it nor any thing in it beat them off or any whit discourage them But I would earnestly desire these people that are backesliders from God to consider how wonderfully they provoke the Lord to displeasure who thus turne their backs upon him and give over his service and indeed there is just cause that the Lord should be sore displeased For such a one proclaimes to all the world in effect