Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	life_n	see_v	write_v	5,407	5	5.3704	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A67550	The pious mans practice in Parliament time. Or A seasonable and necessary tractate concerning the presages, and causes of a common-wealths ruine, and the wayes, and meanes to preserve a church, and state, in prosperity, plenty, purity, and peace. By R. Ward, utriusque regni in Artibus Magister; and preacher of Gods holy word at Stansteed Mount-Fitchet in Essex.	Ward, Richard, 1601 or 2-1684.	1641 (1641)	Wing W804; ESTC R218413	102,562	298

not idely expect the performance of those promises which God makes unto them but must labour by prayer for the fulfilling and accomplishment of them then it is our dutie to use the meanes if we desire a happie event Two things wee have here particularly and a part to consider of to wit That meanes must bee used and that wee may then expect what God hath promised First ordinary and lawfull means must ordinarily and lawfully be used Now in this branch we have foure particulars particularly to point out unto you to wit First what Meanes are here note The definition or description of Meanes that Meanes are so called of the middle place which they hold betweene the efficient and finall causes or the Agent and Act serving the one for the furthering and atchieving of the other And so all creatures whether persons or things come under this account in respect of him from whom and for whom all things are And thus whatsoever wee are commanded to use or doe use lawfully for the attaining of any lawfull thing which is desired by us or wanting unto us or necessary for us it is called Meanes And Secondly The necessity of the Meanes wee must now consider the necessity of Meanes and the use thereof We must not say with that prophane person Si salvabor salvabor si damnabor damnabor if God have writ my name in the Lambes white booke of life then I shall never see death doe what I will on the contrary if God have writ my name in the blacke booke of reprobation then I shall never come unto salvation though I use all the meanes thereunto that possibly I can Let us not say Homo proponit Deus disponit We may purpose and practice what wee will but the purpose of God shall stand and his providence doth dispose of all things for although this bee most true yet so is this also That secret things belongs unto God and revealed things unto men And therefore let us not looke to that which we can never see nor prie into that which we can never understand nor enquire after that which we can never finde out I meane the Decrees purposes and secret will of God But let us looke to his revealed will and precepts and therein we shall see the necessity of the use of ordinary and lawfull meanes The necessity of the means appeares two manner of wayes unto us to wit 1. Because it is evill to neglect the Meanes 2. Because it is good to use the Meanes 1. To neglect lawfull and ordinary Meanes is evill it being either 1. Desperatenesse when a man is without hope of reaping good by them although God have annexed and promised a blessing unto the use of them Or 2. Unthankfulnesse unto God who provides them as helpes against our infirmities and wants Or 3. Sloth when a man will not trouble himselfe with the use of the Meanes although the Lord have commanded the use of them Or 4. A presumptuous tempting of God when a man expects good without the use of them for wee tempt God in his promises when wee hope to enjoy what wee desire although we neglect the use of those lawfull meanes which God hath allowed and commanded us to use The Divell tempts Christ thus to tempt the protection Mat. 4.7 and providence of God but he would not and therefore no more must we but acknowledge that the neglect of lawfull and ordinary meanes is evill and sinfull And 2. As the necessity of good meanes appeares by the evilnesse of the neglect thereof so also by the goodnesse of the carefull use thereof For 1. In the diligent use of naturall meanes as meates medicines apparell circumspection and the like wee show most wisedome and that we are not like beasts without understanding 2. In the carefull use of supernaturall meanes as Prayer Fasting the Word Sacraments and the like wee shew most grace and that wee are not as men which know not God But of this by and by in the fourth particular viz. what meanes we must use Thirdly Two Cautions concerning the use of the Meanes Caution 1. wee have here further two Cautions to be observed in the use of the meanes namely 1. In the use of the meanes remember the end Separate not those which God hath conjoyned sever not the meanes from the end nor the end from the meanes A similitude A messenger must not so minde his way that he forget his errand To separate the meanes and end whereunto ordinarily they lead is vanity in all courses but in divine matters or matters of much moment meere madnesse He who sinneth without repentance and yet hopes to escape hell separates the end from the meanes Hee who expects heaven without faith and obedience separates the meanes from the end which he aimes at And those who looke to the Court of Parliament whereunto they are called and consider not the end wherefore they are thereunto called viz. the Glory of God the honour of his sacred Majestie the prosperity of the Common-wealth the welfare of the Commons the peace of the land and the advancemēt of true religion separate the end from the meanes But Quae supra nos nihil ad nos My tractate may be called the pious mans practice in Parliament time not the dutie of Parliament men and therefore these not belonging much unto us being above us I will therefore passe them by and passe unto the second Caution which concernes us namely 2. Ascribe not too much to the meanes used Caution 2. Here observe that wee ascribe and give too much to the use of the meanes two manner of wayes to wit 1. When wee conceive and hold the meanes so necessary that we fall into the use of unlawfull meanes as Saul did when hee went unto the Witch at Endor 1. Sam. 28.17 and Ahaziah when hee sent unto Beelzebub the God or Idol of Ekron 2. King 1.2 When there is any thing amisse in Church or Common-wealth wee must not for the rectifying thereof have recourse to insurrections rebellions seditious practises or any unjust or unwarrantable courses but onely unto lawfull meanes as making our moane to Magistrates and commencing our complaints unto them and making knowne our greevances unto Parliaments and the like And 2. Wee ascribe too much to the use of the meanes when we attribute helpe unto them or trust in them as Asah 2. Chron. 16.12 who did not onely use Physicke for that was lawfull but trusted in the Physitians which was unlawfull And hence sometimes the meanes faile and succeed not as we see in Gehazies laying his Masters staffe upon the childe Wherefore 2. King 4.31 if we desire the continuance and prosperous successe of this Parliament let us not trust in it but in God by it Let us not ascribe any thing unto the meanes nor place any confidence in the meanes but onely desire the blessing of God upon them and upon all their