Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	word_n	work_n	world_n	1,254	4	4.3360	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13569	The ballance of the sanctuarie shewing hovv vve must behaue our selues when wee see and behold the people of God in miserie and oppression vnder the tyranny of their enemies. Written by William Teelinck, minister of the Word of God at Midlebrough in Zealand.	Teellinck, Willem, 1579-1629.; Gataker, Thomas, 1574-1654.; Harmar, Christopher, attributed name.	1621 (1621)	STC 23860; ESTC S118307	55,093	128

giuen vs a liuing soule and hath taught vs more then the beasts of the earth and made vs wiser then the fowles of heauen Iob 35. 11. to this end hee hath set vs vpon the stage of the world that wee might plainely see and marke for our comfort and consolation the waies of the children of men here vpon earth together with the seuerall euents that proceed and spring from thence by Gods heauenly prouidence Vnreasonable beasts that liue here among vs as Dogs and Catts see what is done in the world and see it with as cleere eyes and many times better and plainlier then men doe If man then doe not endeauour himselfe with the inward eyes of his vnderstanding not onely to see and marke what is done or what passeth in the world but which is more to marke the finger of God to bee therein and thereby to learne the truth and constancy of God such a man differeth not much from a beast or an vnreasonable creature Psal 49. 21. Psal 32-11 in regarde of spirituall life whereon the difference betweene the one and the other wholy dependeth yea hee is therein worse then an vnreasonable beast for heauie plagues hang ouer the heads of such carelesse and brutish persons as haue no regarde vnto the workes of the Lord. Heare what the Psalmist sayth because they regard not the workes of the Lord nor the operation of his handes hee shall destroy them and not build them vp Psal 28. 5. which in truth is a most fearefull threatning and sheweth that God esteemeth and holdeth such carelesse men to bee most wicked To which purpose also Salomon sayth Wicked men regard not that which is right but those that feare the Lord marke all things Pro. 20. 5. For this cause wee are often times warned and aduised to this diligent marking in holy Scripture Seeke you out of the booke of the Lord and reade noe of these shall fayle none shall misse her mate for his mouth it hath commaunded and his spirit it hath gathered them together Esay 34. 16. Iosu 23. 14. this also Iobs friendes and Iob himselfe also marked diligently in the whole course of their liues as in the whole booke of Iob it is sufficiently declared And all the misvnderstanding that they had among themselues touching Gods workes partly consisted heerein that they vnderstoode not the word of God so plainely as wee doe and partly also by reason of the extraordinary strange and vnaccustomed dealing of GOD with IOB which hee as then for a time layd vpon him for a warning comfort and strengthening of all his people as long as the world should endure as also to that end he causeth it to bee written Ier. 4. 13. Now from hence also it further appeareth that to the end wee may truely to our comfort and with some fruite consider of all the workes of God wrought among the children of men there are 4. thinges specially and very necessarily to bee obserued First some distinct knowledge of Gods proceedings manifested vnto vs in the holy Scriptures Secondly a diligent marking of all Gods workes wrought heere among the children of men Thirdly a comparing of that which he doth in this world with that which hee witnesseth in his word Fourthly a constant noting of the seuerall fruites that springe from the finding out of the truth of God opened vnto vs in his word and works And of all these 4. in the chapters ensuing wee will speake some what more at large CHAP. XVI Of the distinct knowledge of these things which God in his word touching the gouernement of this world hath manifested vnto vs being very fit and necessarie for the drawing of spirituall profitt from workes of God wrought heere among men THat the certaine knowledge of the will of God opened vnto vs in the holy Scriptures touching the gouernment of the world is necessarily to be had that wee may reape profit by the works of God done among the children of men it is manifest for how can any man else knowe and vnderstande whether that which happeneth in the world agreeth with that which God hath written in his word Since it must needs be that if a man doe not vse to reade Gods word nor know what God therein setteth downe vnto vs they must of force erre when they take vpon them to iudge of Gods workes and to them it may be sayd as Christ sayd to the Saduces You erre not knowing the Scriptures Mat. 22. 29. For this cause as many learned men that are well read in the letter of the holy Scriptures yet many times can not well iudge of the actions and proceedings of men because they haue not vsed to compare that which God hath spoken in his worde with that which dayly by his hand hee bringeth to passe in the gouernmēt of the world so it is certaine that those that are not accustomed to reade peruse the holy Scriptures and therefore know them not can not with any spirituall vnderstanding or profit marke Gods works here on earth among the sonnes of men It is necessary therefore for euery one that wil discharge and vnburthen his conscience therein to be conuersant in the holy Scriptures And it is a most notorious in gratitude vnthankefulnes and a damnable carelesse slouth among great smale young and old that seeing God our great God the maker of the whole world that setteth vp and puileth downe Kinges Dan. 2. 12. hath vouchsafed as it were with his owne hande to write a booke for vs touching the order that hee doth and will hold and obserue in the gouerning of this worlde that thereby wee might certainely and sufficiently knowe his meaning and order our wayes and by the light of the same booke might be holpen well and wisely to iudge of all Gods workes touching the gouernment of the world for our comfort and consolation Rom. 15. 4. that wee miserable poore and wicked children of men that many times are so curious to search into and to read the Histories and Iournals of mortall mens actions that scarce haue trauelled through any small parte of the world and that would esteeme it a great honor and fauour and would with all thankefullnes embrace and run after it If wee might be permitted to enter into the studie of a great potentate of this worlde to reade Arcana Imperij the order that hee holdeth in his gouernement that yet I say we poore simple wretches are found to be so slow and carelesse of the looking into Gods booke whereas notwithstanding the same booke so highly both in generall and perticular specially concerneth vs being that which setteth downe vnto vs the state of our euerlasting saluation or condemnation and how wee must heere on earth behaue our selues vnder the gouernement of our God that heereafter in the worlde to come wee may alwayes and for euerliue with him in heauen Iohn 3. 39. This in truth is an vnreasonable ingratitude and a most woefull and damnable contempt Therefore

the sonnes of men we haue learned that by comparing spirituall things with spirituall things by meanes thereof we may duely and clearely begin to perceiue and vnderstand the truth and certaintie of Gods word and how that heauen and earth shall sooner passe away then one tittle of Gods word shall fayle so that we may be able to say being holpen by the aforesaid obseruation That this was done in England this in France this in Germany this in our Countrie in our towne in our village in our house according to that which the Lord witnesseth in this or that place of his Booke that it should fall out so and in such manner although in mens opinions it was otherwise expected to be done Now further that wee may bring these things the better about and thereby to reape that profit and fruit which we desire to doe by these thinges that are done and happen here in this world we must specially adde these two thinges thereunto First and before all that we accustome our selues in all things that happen to fall out and come to our knowledge to note the finger of our God to be therein and withall hold this for certaine and most true that as in all things that we see and behold men to doe not the body of man worketh onely but the soule especially which we see not so that likewise the Lord our God which gouerneth all things by his mightie Word hath his finger secretly in all things that are done much more then Ioab had his hand in the businesse of the woman of Tekoa 2 Sam. 14. though in an holy manner and that altogether incomprehensible whereby he alwayes worketh well and produceth much good euen by meanes of the wickedst instruments in the world by vngodly Assur that is the rod of his anger and by the Deuill himselfe whom hee vseth often times to plague his people by Esa 10. 5. 6. and 1 Chron. 22. 20. So that we must endeuour to bring our selues to see the working of Gods finger to be alwayes in euery thing that is done in the world and to thinke and perswade our selues that it is the Lord our God that hath done this thus and in this manner either by furthering or by hindring the same in this or that manner and causing or suffering it to fall out the one way or the other And accordingly whatsoeuer hapneth to crosse the proceedings of Gods children learne alwayes to say vnto our soules behold this our God hath done or permitted to be done This the vngodly vse not to doe they doe not once marke the finger of God in any thing that hapneth vnto the Children of men but their manner is to ascribe it to the lowest and nearest causes and to depend wholy thereupon looking no higher nor further then the gates of the Towne wherein they dwell vnlesse it be a thing that is vnaccustomed and such as doth not vsually fall out and then it may be they will suppose that it proceedeth from God as the sorcerers of Egypt marked the finger of God to be in the lice that Moses brought vpon the Egyptians because they could conceiue no naturall cause whereby it might be effected Exod. 8. 17. 18. 19. but such as are godly and know Gods word note the finger of God in all things as that which is most necessary to bee considered they thereby may obserue the workes of God to fall out according to his word and may draw and reape conuenient fruits from the same Secondly that we accustome our selues when any thing worth the noting falleth out in the course of our liues that is against our selues or others whether they bee particular persons or whole Nations to quicken our witts thereby and to stirre vp our memories to call to mind and remember whether there be no one place of Scripture that witnesseth something touching the same whereby it is foretold or whereunto it may be likened as for example we see a man run vp and downe about his worldly affayres vpon the Sabboth day and when he hath done we see all that he did was in vaine heare should we remember what is sayd vnto vs Exod. 16. 27. to wit And it came to passe that there went some of the people on the Sabboth day which was the rest of the Lord for to gather Manna and they found none This was the practise of Christs Disciples and God gaue them vnderstanding thereby see Ioh. 2. 16. 17. 22. and Ioh. 11. 16. Now to finde conuenient places of Scripture touching these thinges that may bee compared with that that hapneth in the world wee must in that that is done diligently consider what the speciall causes were why those things fell out and came so to passe as they did as namely why such and such things hapned so well or so ill and wherein they finde themselues to haue a part in the gracious promises of the Lord and the Lord hath promised such good to come to them as they then finde or wherein they feele and know themselues culpable of the threatnings of God whereby things haue so happened vnto them as they haue fallen out And if we can finde no certaine speciall cause thereof but the contrary rather then we must as in Iobs case ascribe the event to the mighty power of God and accordingly behaue our selues therein CHAP. XIX Of the seuerall fruites that spring from the searching into and finding out of Gods truth and certaintie declared vnto vs in his word and in his workes THe fourth and the last of the foure necessary points required hereunto that by the workes of God done among the sonnes of men we may be enduced to lay more hold vpon the feare of God and godlinesse is that wee diligently note and consider the seuerall fruites that are hereby reaped and which by finding out Gods truth and the certaintie thereof are declared vnto vs in his Word which must be earnestly and well considered of because this is the ende scope and speciall marke whereunto all tendeth that hath formerly beene deliuered Now the fruites that spring from the aforesaid considerations are notable both many and great whereof some that we may orderly place them in certaine ranckes concerne the holy Scriptures themselues by the light whereof wee may bee able to proue and to iustifie all the aforesayd arguments and declarations other some concerne Gods workes and a third sort our obedience which wee are to yeelde and shew vnto the word of God and the holy Scriptures Touching the first sort of fruites concerning the holy Scriptures they are three For in the first place wee learne out of the aforesayde considerations the truth of the holy Scriptures that the same is most certaine and immutable and that it shall neuer faile in any one tittle thereof therein contained And heereby are wee confirmed and assured in our consciences as by experience we find that what soeuer the Lord hath spoken by his owne mouth in his worde that with

his hand hee effecteth and bringeth the same to passe in gouerning of the worlde Now this is a most notable fruit for vntill such time as that wee doe dewly and truly marke how true Gods word is and how truely God performeth bringeth that to passe continually in the gouerning of the world which in his word hee hath promised and threatned to doe wee shall neuer esteeme of feare nor submit our selues vnto Gods worde and on the contrary when by our owne dilligent obseruation wee find out and are perswaded of the truth and certaintie of Gods worde wee are thereby at all times led and induced to the loue of Gods word and incouraged to beleeue it and to esteeme well thereof Iohn 2. 12. It is sayd that the worde of God is quicke and powerfull and sharper then any two edged sword Heb. 4 12. Now no man doth easily beleeue this but hee that by feare of the word of God is moued therunto in his heart Acts 2. 37. and 1. Cor. 14. 24. 25. and he that is so affected doubteth no more thereof then hee doth that the Sunne is bright and cleare and he that hath this feeling of the worde working in his soule hath vndoubtedly already made a good entrance into the way to Gods kingdome for this is most certaine and sure that all the sinnes and misdemeanours which those men commit that withstand the written worde which is the liuely truth of God proceede from this that they do not beleeue that the same word is so true and certaine as it is The second fruit is that wee learne by the aforesayd declarations the abundant largenesse and copiousnes of the holy Scriptures psal 119. 96. It is not to be spoken if wee woulde apply our minds earnestly and as wee ought to find out places in the Scriptures that may bee applyed to those things that happen and are done in this world what a rich mine of gold wee should find the Scriptures to bee and should hardly after we had once conuersed therein fayle of some one fitt place or other therein that might bee applyed to all the thinges that while wee liue we should haue neede of or are to be done by vs 2. Tim. 3. 16. which if the Papists had done they would soone haue perceaued and knowne that there was no neede nor necessitie to finde out and invent many new Lawes and Rules for the ordering of mens liues thereby to bring men to saluation as they haue done whereby the holy Scriptures are by them brought into contempt and in a manner abandoned and thrust wholy out of vse The third is that we are by the aforesaid considerations holpen and better furthered in the vnderstanding of the holy Scriptures It is not to be expressed nor spoken how the earnest and serious marking of Gods proceedings with the children of men and with our owne soules giueth a singular great light to the true vnderstanding of many places of holy Scriptures whereof otherwise those that haue no experience nor knowledge of things touching and concerning a spirituall life can neuer conceiue any thing as may appeare in many places of the Psalmes which otherwise cannot so well bee conceiued how they hang and depend one vpon another we can truely witnesse that sometimes from the mouthes of simple plaine men wee haue receiued a verie fit and conuenient sence and interpretation of some places which otherwise were very intricare which they by their owne obseruations haue learned and found out to be so and in such manner vnderstood and it falleth out often times that vpon occasion of that which we haue heard seene to happen among men we were aduertised and haue beene taught the meaning of diuers places of Scriptures which touched vpon such occasions and whereof before we could not finde out the true meaning This is expressely taught in the proceedings of Christs Disciples of whom it is sayd that notwithstanding that Christ spake plainely of his death resurrection yet that they could not vnderstand it nor diue into the depth thereof Luk. 18. 33. 34. but that afterwardes by obseruing the event of things they vnderstood it Ioh. 2. 22. And thus a godly heart that is wont to looke into Gods workes becommeth an Interpretor to it selfe of many places of holy Scriptures Touching the second sort of Benefits concerning Gods workes we reape hence this speciall fruite in that we learne by the declaration aforesayd not to become so peruerse nor resolute concerning many things actions that are done and happen in the world whereas many simple men that haue not busied their braynes about looking into the word of God nor in marking of the course of Gods workes become obstinate thereby and grow carelesse and slacke to regard the spirituall life in regard of the prosperitie of the vngodly and the aduersitie of the godly which at the first they could not vnderstand nor conceiue and therefore gaue a wrong interpretation of them because they entred not into the sanctuary of the Lord which now is his worde for when wee wholy relie vpon the word of God in all worldly accidents wee attayne vnto the right vnderstanding of things that belong vnto God and are not thereby hardened but rather instructed and made better psal 92. 6. 7. psal 73. Iob. 17. 8. 9. Touching the third sorte of fruits concerning the manner of our obedience which according vnto the word of God wee owe vnto him there are three fruites In the first place wee are by the aforesayd declaration instructed to discerne our owne and other mens ouersights and are therby aduertised both how sinne on the one side by carelesnesse of liuing the pleasures of the worlde and all maner of wicked actions doth oftentimes procure diuers inconueniences and perplexeties vnto those that are adicted thereunto and in all occurrents makes their prosperitie a cursed vnto them which putteth vs in great feare doubt to enter into that way that is so full of danger so troublesome as that we our selues by our own experience can say vnto our soules Oh my soule enter not into this way I haue seene many fall therein I my selfe haue often beene hardly besied therein and so long as wee will goe into this way our prosperitie will become a curse vnto vs and be a meanes to ouerthrow vs and if wee can say thus much by our owne experience to our soules it will be a powfull meanes to diuert vs from the way of the vngodly and againe on the other side when by the aforesayd declaration wee finde and see that the feare of God constancie righteousnesse good workes and godlinesse for certaine haue the promises of this life and the life to come yea and that those that are indued therewith haue great peace of conscience and are preserued from many mischances whereinto wickednesse and sinne draw men and that in all dangers and perplexities they are comforted and imboldened we can not but be therby strongly prouoked