Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	world_n	worldly_a	wrought_v	21	3	7.1858	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A79420	A discourse of divine providence I. In general: that there is a providence exercised by God in the world. II. In particular: how all Gods providences in the world, are in order to the good of his people. By the late learned divine Stephen Charnock, B.D. sometime fellow of New-Colledg in Oxon.; Treatise of divine providence	Charnock, Stephen, 1628-1680.; Adams, Richard, 1626?-1698.; Veel, Edward, 1632?-1708.	1684 (1684)	Wing C3708; ESTC R232630	167,002	420

use If there were not such evils what ground could you have to exercise patience what Heroick acts of faith could you put forth without difficulties how could you believe against hope if you had not sometimes something to contradict your hopes And if a good man should have a confluence of that which the ignorant and pedantical world calls happiness he might undervalue the pleasures of a better life deface the beauty of his own soul and withdraw his love from the most gratifying as well as the most glorious object unto that which is not worth the least grain of his affection 3. Future glory The great enquiry at the day of Christ's appearing will be How good men bear their sufferings what improvements they had and the greater their purity by them the greater will be their praise and honour 1 Pet. 1.7 That the tryal of your faith viz. by manifold Temptations may be found to praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ For a good improvement by them they will have a Publick praise from God's mouth and a Crown of Honour set upon their heads Providence sends even light afflictions as so many Artificers to make the Crown more Massy and more bright 2 Cor. 4.17 Works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory They are at work about a good man's Crown while they make him smart They prepare him for heaven and make it more grateful to him when he comes to possess it A Christians carriage in them prepares for greater degrees of Glory Every stroke doth but more beautifie the Crown 6. Sufferings of good men for the Truth highly glorifies the Providence of God This is a matter of glory and honour 1 Pet. 4.16 If any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God on this behalf They thereby bear a Testimony to the highest Act of providence that God ever exercised even the redemption of the world by the blood of his Son And the Church which is the highest object of his Providence in the world takes the deeper root and springs up the higher the foundation of it was laid in the blood of Christ and the growth of it is furthered by the blood of Martyrs The carriage of the righteous in them makes the Truth they profess more valued It enhanceth the excellency of Religion and manifests it to be more amiable for its beauty than for its dowry since they see it desirable by the sufferers not only without worldly enjoyments but with the sharpest miseries This consideration hath wrought upon many to embrace the Religion of the Sufferers If it reaches as far as death they are but dispatched to their Fathers house and the day of their death is the day of their Coronation and what evil is there in all this To conclude This Argument is stronger upon the infallible righteousness of God's nature for a day of Reckoning after this life than against Providence 'T is a more rational conclusion That God will have a time to justifie the righteousness and wisdom of his Providential Government and repair the honour of the righteous oppressed by the injustice of the wicked And indeed unless there be a retribution in another world the question is unanswerrble and all the reason in the world knows not how to salve the Holiness and Righteousness of God in his Providential Dispensations in this life since we see here Goodness unrewarded and debased to the dunghill Vice glorying in impunity and ranting to the firmament We cannot see how it can consist with the nature of God's Wisdom Righteousness and Holiness if there were not another life wherein God will manifest his Righteousness in the punishing sin and rewarding goodness For it is impossible that a God of infinite Justice should leave sin unpunished and Grace unrewarded here or hereafter The Scripture gives us so full an acount of a future state that may satisfie all Christians in this business The wicked rich man is in his Purple and Lazarus in his rags yet Abraham's Bosom is prepared for the one and an endless Hell for the other Jeremy resolves the case in his dispute with God about it Jer. 12.3 Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter and prepare them for the day of slaughter They are but fattening for the knife of justice and the day will come when they shall be consum'd like the fat of Lambs in the Sacrifice which shall wholly evaporate into smoke so the Psalmist resolves it in Psal 37.20 a Psalm written for the present case God laughs at their security in a way of mockery Psal 37.13 The Lord shall laugh at him for he sees that his day is coming God's day for the justification of his proceedings in the world and the wicked man's day for his own destruction wherein they shall all be destroyed together Psal 37.38 The whole mass of them in one bundle Who then will charge God with unequal distributions at that day which is appointed for the clearing up of his righteousness which is here maskt in the world who can be fond of the State of the wicked Who would be fond of a dead mans condition because he lies in State whose Soul may be condemned whilst his body with a pompous solemnity is carried to the Grave and both body and Soul joyned together at the resurrection adjudged to eternal misery Q. 3. What hath been said in this will also answer another Question Why God doth not immediately punish notorious offenders since the best governments in the world are such as call the violaters of the Law to a speedy account to keep up the honour of Justice Thus the Epicures charge God with neglects of providence because if he doth punish wicked men it is later than is fit and just because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the Sons of men is fully set in them to do evil Eccles 8.11 Delay of Justice is an encouragement to Sin Answ 1. This is an argument for Gods patience none against his providence Should he make such quick work what would become of the world Could it have held out to this day If God had instantly taken revenge upon those that thus disparage his providence the framer of such an objection had not been alive No man is so perfectly good but he might fall under the revenging stroke of his sword if he pleased to draw it Suffer God to evidence his patience here since after the winding up of the World he will have no time to manifest it God doth indeed sometimes send the sharp arrow of some judgment upon a notorious offender to let him understand that he hath not forgotten how to govern but he doth not alwayes do so that his patience may be glorified in bearing with his rebellious creature 2. God is just in that wherein the question supposeth him unjust He suffers wicked men to continue to be the plagues of the places

before he would use his interest in the Kings favour Nehem. 2.4 then the King said unto me for what dost thou make request So I prayed to the God of Heaven and I said unto the King c. So Abraham's Steward puts up his request to God before he would put the business he came upon in execution Gen. 24.12 David frequently in particular cases 1 Sam. 23.9 2 Sam. 2.1 2 Sam. 19.23 God only doth what he pleaseth in Heaven and in Earth He only can blese us he only can blast us Shall we be careless in any undertaking whether we have his favour or no 'T is a ridiculous madness to resolve to do any thing without God without whose assistance and preserving of us we had not been able to make that resolution 2. Trust Providence To trust God when our Ware-houses and Bags are full and our Tables spread is no hard thing but to trust him when our purses are empty but a handful of meal and a cruse of Oil left and all ways of relief stopt herein lies the wisdom of a Christians grace Yet none are exempted from this duty all are bound to acknowledg their trust in him by the dayly prayer for dayly bread even those that have it in their Cupboards as well as those that want it The greatest Prince as well as the meanest beggar Whatever your wants are want not faith and you cannot want supplies 'T is the want of this binds up his hand from doing great works for his Creatures The more we trust him the more he concerns himself in our affairs The more we trust our selves the more he delights to cross us for he hath denounced such an one cursed that maketh Flesh his arm * Jor. 17.5 though it be the best flesh in the world because it is a departing from the Lord. No wonder then that God departs from us and carries away his blessing with him While we trust our selves we do but trouble our selves and know not how to reconcile our varions reasons for hopes and fars but the committing our way to the Lord renders our minds calm and composed Prov. 16.3 commit thy works unto the Lord and thy thoughts shall be astablished Thou shalt have no more of those quarrelling disturbing thoughts what the success shall be 1. Trust providences in the greatest extremities He brings us into straits that he may see the exercise of our faith Zech. 3.12 I will leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. When we are most desolate we have most need of this exercise and have the fittest season to practise it he is always our refuge and our strength but in time of trouble a present help Psal 46.1 Daniel's new advancement by Belshazzar but a day before the City was taken by the Enemy * Dan. 5.29 the King slain and no doubt many of his Nobility and those that were nearest in Authority with him it being the interest of the Enemy to dispatch them was a danger yet God by wayes not expressed preserved Daniel and gave him favour with the Conqueror God sometimes leads his people into great dangers that they may see and acknowledg his hand in their preservation Daniel had not had so signal an experience of Gods care of him had he been in the lower condition he was in before his new preserment God's eye is always upon them that fear him not to keep distress from them but to quicken them in it and give them as it were a new life from the dead Psal 33.18 19. To deliver their Soul from death and to keep them alive in famine God brings us into straits that we may have more lively experiments of his tenderness in his seasonable relief If he be angry he will repent himself for his Servants when he sees their power is gone because then the glory of his providence is appropriated to himself Deut. 32.36 39. See now that I even I am he and there is no God with me I kill and I make alive No Creature can have any pretence to share in it He delights thereby to blow up both our affections to him and admirations of him and store up in us a treasure of experiments to encourage our trusting in him in the like straits We should therefore repose our selves in God in a desart as well as in the Cities with as much faith among Savage beasts as in the best company of the most sociable men * Durant de Tentat p. 168. And answer the greatest strait with Abraham's Speech to Isaac God will provide For we have to do with a God who is bound up to no means is at no expence in miraculous succors who delights to perfect his strength in the Creatures weakness We have to do with a God who only knows what may further our good and accordingly orders it what may hinder it and therefore prevents it He can set all causes in such a posture as shall conspire together as one link to bring about success and make even contrary motions meet in one gracious end as the Rivers which run from North and South the contrary quarters of the world agree in the surges of one Sea Though providences may seem to cross one another they shall never cross his word and promise which he hath magnified above all his name And his Providence is but a servant to his Truth 2. Trust it in the way of means Though we are sure God hath decreed the certain event of such a thing yet we must not encourage our idleness but our diligence Though Moses was assured of the victory when Amalek came armed against him yet he commands Joshua to draw up the valiant men into a body himself goes to the Mount to pray and is as diligent in the use of all means as if he had been ignorant of God's purpose and had rather suspected the rout of his own than his Enemies forces Neither doth Joshua afterwards though secured by promise in his conquest of Canaan omit any part of the duty of a wise and watchful General he sends spies disciplines his forces besiegeth Cities and contrives stratagems Providence directs us by means not to use them is to tempt our Guardian where it intends any great thing for our good it opens a door and puts such circumstances into our hands as we may use without the breach of any Command or the neglect of our own duty God could have secured Christ from Herod's sury by a miraculous stroke from Heaven upon his Enemy but he orders Joseph and Maries flight into Egypt as a means of his preservation God rebukes Moses for praying and not using the means in continuing the Peoples march Exod. 14.15 Wherefore criest thou unto me speak unto the children of Israel that they go forwards To use means without respect to God is proudly to contemn him to depend upon God without the use of means is irreligiously to tempt him in

As upon our sin God can arm them against us so upon our obedience he can make them serviceable even against their natures as if he had made a Covenant with them and they had both the reason and virtue to observe it I do not remember any instance in Scripture that God went out of the usual tract of his providence and acted in an extraordinary manner but where his people were one way or other concerned It was for Joshua's and the Israelites sake that the Sun was arrested to stand still in the Valley of Ajalon that they might have light enough to defeat their Enemies and pursue their victory * Josh 10.12 13. The Sea shall against its natural course stand in heaps like walls of brass to assist the Israelites escape * Exod. 14.22 The fire is restrained in the operation of its nature even whilst it retains its burning quality when the lives of the three valiant believing Children are in danger * Dan. 6.22 The mouths of Lyons are muzled when the safety of his beloved Daniel is concerned * Dan. 6.22 And the shadow goes back upon the Dial for Hezekiah's sake * 2 King 20.11 When God would at any time deliver his people He can muster up Lightnings and Thunders for their assistance * 1 Sam. 7.10 He can draw all the Regiments of Heaven into battel-array and arm the stars to fight against Sisera when Israels condition needs it and make even the lowest Creatures to list themselves as Auxiliaries in the service God hath nor a displeasure with sensless Creatures neither is transported with strains of sury against such objects when he alters their natural course Hab. 3.8 Was the Lord displeased against the Rivers was thy wrath against the Sea that thou didst ride upon thy Horses and Chariots of Salvation No but he made those Creatures the Horses and Chariots to speed assistance and salvation to his people which the Psalmist elegantly describes Psal 114. All Creatures are his Host and that God that created them hath still the Soveraign command over them and can imbody them in an Army to serve his purpose for the deliverance of his people as he did against Pharaoh 3. The interest of Nations is ordered as is most for the Churches good He orders both the course of natural things and of civil affairs for their interest He alters the state of things and changeth Governours and Governments for the sake of his people For these causes God sent Elisha to Crown Jehu King 2 King 9.6 7. I have anointed thee King over the people of the Lord c. that I may avenge the blood of my Servants the Prophets and the blood of all the servants of the Lord at the hand of Jezabel For the sakes of the Godly in that Nation and the revenging the blood of the Prophets which had been shed was he raised up by the Lord. He sent such judgments upon Egypt that it was as much the interest of that Nation to let Israel go as it was before to keep them their vassals God orders the interest and affairs of Nations for those ends and according to this disposition of affairs Christ times his intercessions for his Church The Angels had been sent out to view the state of the World and found it in peace Zech. 1.11 behold all the Earth sits still and is at rest there had been Wars in Artaxarexes and Xerxes his time but in the time of Darius that part of the World had an universal peace which was the fittest time for the restoration of the Jews and building the Temple because it could not be built but by the Kings cost whose treasure in the time of War was expended another way nor would it consist with their policy to restore the Jews to their government at such a time when they had Wars with the Neighbour parts of Egypt See how God orders the state of the World in subserviency to his gracious intentions towards his Church The time of the Jewish captivity was now out according to the promise of God and God gives that part of the World a general peace that the restauration of the Jews and the rebuilding of the Temple might be facilitated and the truth of his promise in their deliverance accomplished Upon the news of this general peace in that part of the World Christ expostulates with God for the restauration of Jerusalem vers 12. How long O Lord wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judeah against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years The time of the Captivity determined by God was now expired The first reformation in Germany was back'd by reason of state as it was then ordered it being the interest of many Princes of that Countrey to countenance Luther's Doctrine for the putting a stop to the growing greatness of Charles the fifth who had evident designs to enslave them I might mention many more only by the way let me advise those that have an inclination to read histories of former transactions to which men naturally are addicted to make this your end to observe the strange providences of God in the World and how admirably he hath made them subservient to the interest of the Church which will be the most profitable way of reading them whereby they will not only satisfie your curiosity but establish your Christianity Calvin understands that place Deut. 32.8 He sets the bounds of the people according to the number of the Children of Israel that in the whole ordering of the state of the World God proposeth this as his end to consult for the good of his people and his care extends to the rest only in order to them and though they are but a small number yet he orders his whole government of the Worlds affairs as may best tend to their Salvation Therefore God sets the people bounds or enlargeth them according as they may be serviceable one way or other to this end And the reason is rendred v. 9. For the Lords portion is his people and Iacob is the lot of his inheritance Therefore God orders all the rest of the World in subserviency to the maintaining and improving his portion and inheritance 2. As the World Secondly so the gifts and common graces of men in the world are for the good of the Church which is a great argument for providence in general since there is nothing so considerable in government as the disposing of places to men according to their particular endowments and abilities for them And the bestowing such gists upon men is none of the meanest argument for Gods providential government of the World As 1. The gifts of good men The gifts conferred upon Paul were deposited in him not only to be possessed by him but used and laid out for the good of the Church Col. 1.25 Whereof I am made a Minister according to the dispensation of God which is given to me