Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	absence_n	absent_a	flock_n	18	3	9.1977	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13538	Dauids learning, or The vvay to true happinesse in a commentarie vpon the 32. Psalme. Preached and now published by T.T. late fellow of Christs Colledge in Cambridge. To which is prefixed the table of method of the whole Psalme, and annexed an alphabeticall table of the chiefe matters in the commentarie.	Taylor, Thomas, 1576-1632.	1617 (1617)	STC 23827; ESTC S118153	314,670	466

simple Audience in no other then a plaine and simple manner auoiding as much as he may vnknowne sentences and darke speeches which flye aboue low conceits that by this familiar handling of the Word it may become as a light in the darke corners of ignorant mens hearts First then It were to be wished that a Minister were more then a bare reader hee must bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apt to teach able to diuide the Word of trueth aright and must labour for the truely-learned tongue to bee a prompt Scribe an Ezra causing men to vnderstand the reading For if the blinde leade the blinde both fall into the ditch Secondly people must diligently attend to the things that are taught Heb. 2. 1. and not giue ouer till they vnderstand the grounds of Religion For first Faith commeth by hearing and vnderstanding of the Word the Word truely vnderstood is the seede and parent of faith Secondly without this knowledge of God and Christ there is no saluation Ioh. 17. 3. This is life eternall that they know thee the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent Thirdly great is the excellencie of knowledge Eccles. 2. 13. As the day is aboue the night so knowledge excelleth ignorance and wisedome folly without it there is no walking in the day or in the light knowledge is more necessary then the day or the Sunne therfore resist not the means whereby it may be gotten Thirdly we must not thinke that we then vnderstand vvhen we know or teach men to know that which they did not before for true vnderstanding stands not onely in speculation but first in the change of the heart 2. Cor. 3. 17. then wee behold the glorie of God in the Word vvhen we are changed into the same Image from glorie to glorie by the Spirit of God Secondly in the change of the life to new obedience Psal. 111 10. The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome a good vnderstanding haue all they that doe thereafter whereas without obedience vnderstanding doeth but conuince and lay open to many stripes Thirdly when it mingles the word with faith Psa. 119. 66. Teach me good vnderstanding and iudgement for I haue beleeued thy Commandements Fourthly when knowledge sets vs forward in glorifying God for else it is no better then the knowledge of the heathens which made them excuselesse because knowing God they glorified him not as God Rom. 1. 21. and if the heathens were iustly condemned for not glorifying God according to that darke knowledge they had how much more should our knowledge mooue vs to glorifie God which else maketh vs more inexcusable if wee glorifie him not by giuing him his worship praise and honour and by making vse of all his attributes and mercies but especially those in his Christ Secondly A minister must not onely be an instructer by his doctrine but a leader also by his practice for else first hee is no guide for he is a guide whom wee take with vs to direct vs in a dangerous way what a guide and not able to guide himselfe Secondly else Gods worke shal neuer go happily forward for he shall not build so fast with one hand but he shal destroy with another Thirdly their doctrine which may saue others shall bee a bill of inditement against themselues the curse is already vpon them that seeing they perceiue not and speaking the word to others they heare it not themselues and their doome shall be Wicked seruant out of thine owne mouth thou shalt bee iudged Thou that teachest another doest not thou teach thy selfe thou that preachest against couetousnesse art thou a griper neuer satisfied or is there a graue in thy heart neuer full doest thou preach against drunkennesse and art an intemperate person a companion of drunkards against lyars and yet there is no trueth in thine owne wordes Fourthly it is a notable marke of an Hypocrite to doe the same things which commonly he reprooueth in another and of a bold wicked man that dares take the word of God into his mouth and yet hates to be reformed and if it be in a teacher hee becomes not onely a wicked agent but also a teacher of iniquitie All which shewes that a good Minister must be more then a Preacher he must bee a doer also a guide a good man not a directer onely but a guide too Singular holinesse must be written in Ministers foreheads and special graces in their hearts they must haue about them not onely the sound of Bells but the sweet smell of Pomegranates also they must bee neither bleare-eyed nor blemished nor any way defectiue Thirdly A faithfull Minister must euer haue his eye on his flocke to guide them and watch ouer them for their good as a tender mother will not let her weake and tender childe bee neere a place of probable danger but her eye shall bee ouer it to saue it from perill From this care Ministers are called watchmen and are set in their places as watch-towers to espie and preuent danger and enemies and First the estate of men requires this duty from Pastours who are weake when they are at the best apt to turne aside out of the way ready to be seduced and misled by others and prone to be carryed away head-long by their owne lusts if there were no enemie else without them Secondly their owne calling enforceth it being set as Ouerseers of their Congregations Act. 20. 28. to ouersee the wayes of their people Their charge is to warne the wicked and to admonish the righteous if he turne from his righteousnesse which they cannot doe without the obseruing of both Thirdly they must imitate the chiefe Pastor and shepheard of soules the good shepheard calls his sheepe by name and findes it out if but one of a hundred be wandering he seekes out the lost sheepe bindes vp the broken and strengthens the feeble knees he loued his sheep to the death and so true loue is desirous not to leaue a man till it haue set him safe Fourthly the danger of not admonishing the people is exceeding great for they communicate in their sinnes and the curses due vnto them God wil require the bloud of a sinner that is not admonished at the watch-mans hand Ezek. 3. 18 20. And hereunto adde the blessing and reward of him that turnes a man from iniquitie hee saues the soule of his brother Iam. 5. 20. and shall shine as the starres in the firmament for euer Dan. 12. 3. This doctrine serues to reprooue sundry both Ministers and people First the sin of non-residency is a great sin where there is no iust cause of absence A minister is tyed to liue among his people because he must euer haue his eye ouer his flocke but how can he guide them with his eye who is continually absent The Apostle Paul whose calling made him necessarily absent from some Churches professeth that he had no