Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	glory_n	jesus_n	lord_n	3,161	5	3.4412	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65694	Eighteen sermons preached upon several texts of Scripture by William Whittaker, late minister of Magdalen Bermondsey, Southwark ; to which is added his funeral sermon preached by Sam. Annesley.	Whittaker, William, 1629-1672.; Annesley, Samuel, 1620?-1696.	1674 (1674)	Wing W1718; ESTC R29271	230,495	446

grace God undertakes for both Now the fulness and unchangableness of these decrees argue the love of God to be unchangeable As God hath intended some to glory as the end he intended by grace as the means to bring them to that end 2 Thes 2.13.14 But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you Brethren Beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit belief of the Truth whereunto he called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ That is the glory purchased by our Lord Jesus Christ And if this love of God flows from his electing decree it must needs be everlasting because God cannot be frustrated in his decre 4. Arg. The fulness of that care that God takes of his People though they may be tempted and assaulted and mee● with sore buffettings yet he will not let them be tempted above what they are able 1 Cor. 1.13 and when they are the forest beset with difficulties and under the greatest fears and sad thoughts yet even then God hath the same care of them that he had of St. Paul 2 Cor. 12.9 my grace is sufficient for thee That one expression that we have 1 Pet. 1.5 is enongh to clear this truth Who are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation you read in the verse before of Gods reserving of Heaven for them and in this verse of God's preserving of them for it Though they may meet with many Rubs and Interruptions in the way to Heaven yet they are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation they shall not fall short of glory God doth still love them and they shall find the Fruit of this love to be everlasting happiness His grace is omnipotent grace and therefore it is that our Saviour comforts his Disciples with this consideration Joh. 10.29 My Father is greater then all and none can pluck you out of his hands Now if God takes such care of his People to preserve them then there is no fear of their falling short of his glory 5. Arg. Lastly The many assurances that God hath given his People of his everlasting love to them He hath given them his word he tells them whom he loves he loves to the end Joh. 13.1 he hath told them I well never leave you nor forsake you Heb. 13.5 Nay he hath given them not only his word but his promise which is more than a solemn word Jer 32.40 And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from then to do them good Nay he hath not only given them his promise but his promise confirmed with an Oath Heb. 6.17.18 Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the Heirs of promise the immutability of his Counsel and confirmed it by an Oath That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie we might have a strong Consolation c. Nay he hath confirmed his Oath with a Seal he hath given us his hand and Seal and he hath given his People the first Fruits of the Spirit whereby they are Sealed up to the day of Redemption So that you see the love of God hath this transcendent excellency in it that it is everlasting There is nothing that enemies can do to put a period to it and there are all things in God that might give us an assurance of theeverlastingness thereof Vse Now to make some Application of this point in a few words First This may inform us of the folly of them who fix upon any thing on this side God There is no everlastingness no fixation no stability in any thing but in God only I have seen an end of all perfection but thy Commandments are exceeding broad Alas all other things are but as Clouds that are passing away they are not why should we set our hearts upon things that are not they are not because they continue not In fixing our hearts and hopes and in building our expectations on any thing befides God and placing our comforts on any thing besides the love of God as we highly dishonour God so we highly wrong our own Souls Hereby we highly dishonour God because we prefer the Cistern before the Fountain yea we rather chuse to build on the Sand then upon the Rock of Ages we think our selves better in the hands of Creatures then in the hands of the Almighty and infinitely gracious God And we wrong our selves because we bring our selves under an absolute necessity of being frustrated and disappointed though we may be as industrious as the laborious Bee to wander from this to the other part of the world to go to this and that Flower yet we are sure to meet with nothing but disappointment but God is a sure refuge his love is stable and secure to our Souls Nay we do whtat we can to put God far from us when we fly from him and make the world our comfort We bid as it were God to depart from us We tell him we can do well enough without him we can do well enough with other things besides him we say as they did depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy love Job 21.14 2. It may inform us how such Discourses as this is may cause our hearts to burn within us as it is said of his Disciples who were going to Emaus Christ appeared to them and they knew him not but afterwards when he had left them then they recollected their thoughts and said How did our hearts burn within us whilst he spake unto us that God should love such as we are and that with an everlasting love and so as that nothing should be able to take off his love from us not our sins not our provocations this is a wonder Though these may be as so many Clouds to darken his love yet this is a priviledge peculiar to all true and sincere Believers Now since God doth love us so wonderfully how should this cause our hearts to burn within us To burn with the Fire of Repentance to purge away the dross of our sins that ever we should be so foolish unwise and disingenious to requite so good a God who hath so loved us And with the Fire of love to love God and to do what we can in acknowledging such love in him to us And with the Fire of Zeal for him that hath shewed so much of kindness to and care of and over us 2. Vse The next use is by way of Exhortation and in that I shall speak to two sorts of persons First To them who find themselves as yet Strangers to this love of God Let me speak to them Oh do but think how sad a condition you are at present labour to affect throughly your hearts with the sadness of this condition though you may have never so much of other Mercies yet if you have not

14. He followed God fully We must not only serve God in some duties which have nothing of reproach in them to our names and nothing of prejudice to our concerns but even in those duties by the observance of which we run the greatest hazard as to all that is dear to us in this world and to mind these heartily and in good earnest and because God Commands them and because they are his Institutions 2. In shunning whatsoever might offend God Psal 119. I hat every false way You that love the Lord hate evil Psal 79.10 If there be any thing of love in the Soul to God there cannot but be hatred of what ever is contrary to him your hatred is never right unless it be grounded upon principles of love to God You therefore hate evil because ye love God How can I do this wickedness ond●●n against God said Joseph Joseph might have prevented many dangers which because of his ●o● complyance with his Mistresses temptation he involved himself in but this Doctrine taught him not to allow himself in any thing that was offensive to God And so should we stand upon our watch and guard as those that are sensible of the corruptions of nature and the activeness of Sathan to make use of those Corruptions to deceive us and to draw us rrom God and this Rule hath been practised by the people of God all along Job made a Covenant with his eyes David kept his mouth as with a bridle both of them by these Metaphorical expressions do signifie their watchfulness and care to keep themselves from being led a side into sin or any thing that might be offensive to God This is to adorn the Gospel when we thus carry it towards God 3. Not only to serve God but to delight in his Service and to take complacencie in every duty we perform Delight thy self also in the Lord and he will give thee the desire of thine heart It is a dreadful Judgment that God threatned to execute upon his people Israel because they would not serve him with chearfulness in the abundance of all things therefore they should serve their Exemies in hunger and cold and nakedness in the want of all things They changed their Master and it was a sad change too It was the Commendation of the Apostles in those times of persecution when they could not profess this Gospel but it would cost them dear yet whatever their food was it had good sawce they eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart rejoycing in the Holy Ghost This duty hath been practised by all they have been sincere St. Paul when he was canvasing the case with his own soul and disputing with himself whether all was well with him or not Rom. 7. in this took comfort as to my inward man I delight in the Law of God I do not only do it but I delight to do it To do what God commands and to do it as our burthen is unsuitable to this Doctrine Rom. 7.21 22. I find then a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me It is natural for men to delight in nothig but sin and to take pleasure in unrighteousness They are lovers of pleasure saith the Apostle more than lovers of God and he tells us Rom. 1. last of some kind of Monsters among men who knowing the Judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death not only do the same but have pleasure in them that do them this is given as the true account of Gods severity against them every part of our duty is our priviledge God hath required nothing from us as our duty but it is as much to our present comfort as our future happiness it is only carnal reason that makes objections against the Commands of God it is the Language of corrupt nature When will the Sabbath be over Amos 8 5. but the language of a gratious heart is When will there be a return of Sabbath opportunities and of means for us to enjoy Communion with God Natural men cannot be so sick of spiritual imployments as gratious souls are sick of worldly diversions Rom. 8.15 He hath nto given us the spirit of bondage again to fear but the spirit of adoption whereby we cry abba Father When we are able to look up to God as a Father we cannot long endure his absence Absolom was sorely afflicted for his two years absence from David at Jerusalem and that he might see his Father But what ever langauge corrupt niture may speak the great design of this Doctrine of God our Saviour wherever it works effectually where ever it comes in power is to refine our affections and to purge out this dross and toturn the whole bent of our hearts towards God Psal 63.1 My Soul longeth for thee and what we long for while that is absent makes us take no pleasure in what we enjoy A day in in thy presence is better than a thousand else where Psal 84.10 I had rather said David be a door-kecper in the House of God than dwell in the Tents of wickedness in the meanest rank of Ser. vants And said the Prodigal though I be but as a hired Servant yet if am but one of thy Family I am well enough it is more than I deserve It is good for me to draw nigh to God he speaks of it as on experienced truth and that he sought for and took pleasure in One thing have I desired of the Lord and that will I seek after c. Psal 27.4 Now not only to engage in the duties of of Religion but to account them our delight our chiefest refreshment and to be of nothing so impatient as the want of those Opportunities is that which this Doctrine of God our Saviour teacheth us viz. to delight our selves in God 4. To devolve all our care upon God Casting all your cares upon him for he careth for you Though yo many meet with losses and troubles that may come upon you as thick as Jobs troubles came upon him even as the Waves of the Sea one upon the neck of the other yet to be quiet and calm 5. This Doctrine teacheth us to devote our whole selves to him without any reservation and this commanded and practised Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy might with all thy strength and with all thy Soul And we find this in the practice of Gods people as to their endeavours Praise the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me Praise his holy Name Psal 103.1 With my whole heart have I sought thee Psal 119.10 This Doctrine directs all to give up their whole selves to God and thus Psal 73.25 Whom have I in heaven but thee c. all was nothing in comparison of God 6. To be satisfied with and thankful for sincere Consciences though we be guilty of many failings and whatever we meet with in Gods service though we have never so great

removed and turned into hatred God shewed a great deal of love to Saul in chusing him out of all the Tribes of Israel to be head over his People and Saul himself was at first very sensible of the goodness and love of God to him in this respect and therefore when Samuel tells him how God 1 Sam. 9.21 had chosen him to be the head of his People Saul answered and said am not I a Benjamite of the smallest of the Tribes of Israel and my Family the least of all the Families of the Tribes of Benjamin Wherefore then speakest thou so to me he thought this was too much kindness to be shewed to such a mean and unworthy person as he was Nay in the beginning of his Reign God did wonderfully honour him both in giving him the hearts of his People it s said God touched the hearts of his People chap. 10.26 and likewise in giving him success against his Enemies Yet after all these favours which were but Fruits of common love Saul for his disobedience was cast of He first rejected God and then God rejected him 1 Joh. 15.23 when Samuel expostulated with Saul and told him he had not executed the Commission he had received from the Lord he had not destroyed all the Amalekites according to the Commandments of God he pleased himself with a fine excuse the People took of the cheif of the things to Sacrifice to the Lord 1 Sam. 15.22 23. Saith Samuel hath the Lord as great delight in burnt Offerings and Sacrifices as in obeying the voyce of the Lord Behold to obey is better then Sacrifice and to hearken then the fall of Rams For Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft and stubborness of iniquity and idolatry Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord he hath also rejected thee from being King Here was first favour from God and then anger but this was but the common favour of God The Apostle doth not speak of this So concerning that case the prosperity of the wicked which hath so much staggered the faith of Gods People and put them to a non plus Why do do the wicked prosper what expostulations do we find not only in David but in many other holy men in Scripture in this Case God may be bountiful to all men but this is but his common love But now if we speak of what love the Apostle speaks of here it is special love which is manifested in distinguishing Mercies in those Gifts and Graces that are without Repentance Rom. 11.29 2. We must distinguish between the peculiar love of God in it self and the appearance and evidence of it to our apprehension This love in it self hath a real constancy though in our apprehensions it may be seemingly uncertain God is ever careful to love his People with this peculiar love really though this love may not always be visible and apparant to us Isa 49.14 read there the complaint of the Church and the Church is as dear to God as the most beloved Wife is to the tenderest Husband She is said to be betrothed to God nay God is said to marry her Hosea 2. yet you see the Church complains And Zion said the Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hoth forgotten me Not only forsaken but forgotten not only cast out of doors but quite cast of this was the sense she had of her own Case But God answered that Objection with many comfortable and gracious promises in the verse following Can a Woman forget her sucking Child that she should not have compassion on the Son of her Womb yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee I might bring a whole Cloud of Witnesses to prove this truth that the love of God is real and constant when in our apprehensions it seems to be uncertain and that he then loves us when he seems to have taken off his love from us Psal 77.7 8. Will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favour able no more is his mercy clean gone for ever doth his promise fail for ever more hath God forgotten to be gracious hath he in anger shut up his tender Mercies Selah Shut them up that there is no hope of future Mercies I said this is my Infirmity but I will remember the years of the right band of the most High This was the Fruit of his deliberation when he had recollected his thoughts this was my weakness it was not so with God Gods love is certain and constant It is many times with gracious Souls that are beloved of God with a peculiar love as it was with Hagar she wept and lamented she looked on her self and Child as hopeless till the Angel opened her Eyes to see the Well Gen. 21.16 And she went and sate her down over against him a good way off as it were a Bow shot For she said let me not see the death of the Child And she sate over against him and lift up her voyce and wept And God heard the voyce of the Lad and the Angel of God called to Hagar out of Heaven and said unto Her what aileth thee Hagar fear not for God bath heard the voice of the Lad where he is 19. verse God opened her Eyes and she saw a Wall of Water and she went and filled the Bottle with Water and gave the Lad to drink Her Bottle was spent her hope was quite gone but God opened her Eyes So it is said of the Prophet 2 Kings 6.15 when he saw such a multitude that came against him and his Master And when the Servants of the man of God was risen early and gone forth behold an Host compassed the City both with Horses and Chariots And his Servants said unto him alas my Master how shall we do And he answered fear not for they that be with us are more then they that be with them And Elisha prayed and said Lord I pray thee open his Eyes that he may see And the Lord opened the Eyes of the young man and he saw and behold the Mountain was full of Horses and Chariots round about Elisha This Eye is the Eye of Faith now when this Eye of Faith is dim objections are raised but when God opens this Eye this dispels all these Objections How ever the love of God is constant though to our sense and apprehension it may many times be over clouded and dark in Isa 50.10 you read of Children of light walking in the darkness those to whom comfort was their right and priviledge they who had a real Title to it yet those Children of light sate in darkness This is the Case of many gracious Souls I add this to the former as it is the distinguishing love of God the Apostle speaks of in the Text so it is the distinguisthing love of God as to its reallity not to its visibility 3. We must distinguish between the love of God in its self and various degrees of this love I grant not only in appearance but