Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	act_n	faith_n	justification_n	3,419	5	9.8335	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80845	Fœlix scelus, querela piorum, et auscultatio divina; or, prospering prophaneness provoking holy conference, and Gods attention, in which you have the [brace] happy estate of the wicked, holy exercise of the godly, hazard and event of both. Plainly propounded in sundry sermons preached at Botolphs Algate London: and after contracted in two sermons preached in Peters Church in West-Chester, July 17. 1659. Now published to the counsell and confirmation of the godly; and check of the false surmises and reports of the wicked. / By Zachary Crofton.	Crofton, Zachary, 1625 or 6-1672.	1659 (1659)	Wing C6993; Thomason E1870_1; ESTC R209731	120,321	422

falsly in thy Covenant Our heart is not turned back neither have our steps declined from thy way Psal 44.17 18. Let profane men practise their evill purposes and prosper in their evill practises and plead providence providence their blasphemie may afflict us but their plea carrieth no perswasion or force to him that feareth God obeyeth the voice of his servants one it is written is of more weight to a gracious soul then hundreds of victories and a series of prosperity for indeed to determine divine allowance by good or bad successe of any cause or approve or disapprove any course of life by it's externall providence that attend it is to deny and determine in direct contradiction not onely to the experiences of the Church but expressions and maxims of Scripture which are multiplyed to our establishment against the force of this very temptation as Blessed are the poor theirs is the Kingdome of God Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for they shall be fed blessed are they that weep for they shall laugh and blessed are they that men shall hate separate from their company and reproach and cast out their name for evill for the Son of mans sake such were the true Prophets great is their reward but on the contrary Wo is unto the rich the full and those of whom all men speak well Luk. 6. For such were the false Prophets of old and again we must through many tribulations enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Acts 14.22 And the poor of this World Rich in faith God hath chosen And the like all which are of no use if the current of common providence must be the ground of conviction or guide of conversation nay our Saviour doth so sarr discountenance appeals to and approbation of any cause by providence and successe that he will not work miracles to convert souls or enforce faith When the Jewish Sectaries call for a sign and resolve their conversion in some pompous outward and glorious shew the Lord denieth a sign and referreth to the sign of Jonah dictated in holy writ nay and cautioneth all men to take heed of signs wonders and lying miracles which are the arguments of Antichrist to out-face the Scripture Mat. 24.24 2 Thes 1.9 John Huss out of Isiidore Chrisostome Gregorie and Augustine hath long since rendered the Reason why miracles have ceased in the Church and are onely found in favour of the false Prophet and Antichrist viz. because the Church of Christ must be persecuted and seem abject vile and forsaken and must overcome by confessi●n of the truth by holinesse and shining in good works by love and patience and not by power but Antichrist must sway all and have full power to persecute and Hypocrites who look after Temporals more then Eternalls must be discovered and the true Saints tryed and Carn●lists bee justly punished with that snare of specious signes and convincing providences So that if we will not throw away our Bibles disown Scripture and make divine precep●s and prescriptions of none effect let us never dare to appeal to providence whi●h may fall on the side of the most prophane let us never say this course is pleasi●g to God because pleasing to the men that devise and pursue it this God al oweth because he prospereth but this he disalloweth because thereto he disappeareth these are Saints their prayers succeed but these are sinners Lam 3.44 for God wrappeth himself as in a cloud and shutteth out their prayers for precept not providence is the Rule prescribed by the Lord and by it we see The proud are called Happy c. motive 2 Providence made a Rule doth expose us to uncertainty of perswasion and unconstan●y in profession of Religion Faith ought to be fixed and constancie in it ●is the honour of any profession 2 Tim. 1.13 1 Cor. 15.58 holding fast the form of sound words and being stedfast and unmoveable alway abounding in the worke of the Lord is the dutie and due property of a true beleever but forsaking the right rule is the way to constant wandring declining the standard of truth doth expose us to inevitable fluctuation and deviation The admirers of the Moon and observers of the wheels motion must needs be subject unto Changes variety of providences must needs ingender variety of perswasions by the orders thereof such as see by no light or sail by no compasse but by success must needs like the waves of the Sea be tumbled and tossed to and fro The returns of this wheel runs men on most palpable and shame full contradictions for if success be the line of decision the same cause is to day good because prosperous to morrow evill because adverse to day godliness is gain and to morrow gain shal be Godliness sometime the Righteous are in honour but anon the Honourable are the Righteous how soon do such men change their Tune who conclude providence to bee Gods voice Was it not this that led men in all ages unto sinful shameful unconstancy 2 Sam. 7 8 19.19 20 the same Shimei that to day curseth David because adverse is the first that to morrow cometh down and meeteth him with blessing 1 King 18.40 because returned with victory They that in Ahab rage fall down before Baal in Elijahs successfull resolution pull down Baall and destroy his Priests Providence engageth the same mouth to sing Hosannah to him that commeth in the name of the Lord That to morrow crieth Crucifie him Crucifie him such as conform their Religion to outward providence shape a coat for the Moon and like Baldwinus of whom Beza speaks will have Religionem Ephemeram an every days Religion ab his ad istos abillis ad hos leviter iens aut transiens easily turning hither or thither as the Apostle Peter contending against anon constraining again to the ceremonies of the Jews like the Samaritans Gal. 2.14 brethren to Israel when favoured but strangers and foes when frowned on by Alexander Like Eccebolius a Christian in time of Constantinus an Infidell and Pagan in the time of Julian the Apostate and again a Christian on his death changing his Religion with the Emperour like the Melchites a kind of mongrill Christians who would be of the Kings Religion as those in 2 Kin. 17. Who feared the Lord and served other gods feared the Lord that plagued them and served other gods which pleased the King so that luke warmness and fluctuation of Spirit and change is the result of making outward present providences the reason of our assent and dissent to any cause or course Providence is a brave principle of Skepticisme and a bar to Martyrdom Our age is indeed an age of providences to be admired and Skepticisme to be abominated They make indeed few and very few Martyrs sometimes with hands lifted up to heaven we vow and Covenant to God and presently cast off our Covenant as an old Almanack out of date One while we have zeal against

the Heathen Poets have long since sung Marmoreo Licinus tumulo jacet Cato parvo Pompeius nullo quis putat esse Deos. Cato is contemn'd Pompey to shame exposed Whilst base Licinus in Marble lyeth enclosed And have not their Orators left us that maxim on observation of wicked mens prospering Foelix impietas virtus dicitur Prosperity makes Vice be deemed Virtue Do not their Histories acquaint us with the happy gales wh●ch attended the sacriledge of Dionysius making him say the Gods loved sacriledge he successe of Coesar against Pompey making him to question the very deity and the never crossed estate of the Tyrant Polycrates who of purpose to fall under a crosse cast his Ring into the Sea and received it in the fish that was served up at his table Of the successe of Anthony over famous Brutus constraining him to cry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 virtue is of no value let Fortune be adored by my posterity And Nero his high prosperity that made it treason in the famous Senator Thraseus not to flatter him What shall we tell you of Seneca's writings of providence occasioned by wicked mens prosperity And Salvians treatise of Gods government of the World in righteousnesse on the like occasion Or shall I mention to you Basils stumbling at the successe and prosperity of the blasphemous Arrians Or of the flourishing estate of the Turks those vowed enemies of Christianity I might swell a volume with instances of this nature but must not our own observation witnesse it to us may not we in our age run and read the prospering providences of the most prophane have not we seen men of errour ignorance perjury perfidie and hypocrisie who supplant government subvert foundation dethrone Princes usurpe authority invade Nations imbrew their hands in blood trample on the Church lay it wast blaspheme ordinances expose Ministry to contempt violate all sacred obligations falsifie all solemn professions advanc● and establish themselves by all acts of cruelty couzenage dissimulation and perjury and passe to the grave in the height of honour And can we otherwise conclude then that wee call the proud happy and they that work wickednesse are set up and they that tempt God are even delivered Whilst it is thus we have cause to be serious in Seneca's question Cur bene malis why should prospering providences attend the prophanest wretches whence is their success how comes it to pass that they who thus provoke God scape Scot-free here then I shal shew you that prospering providences do on some weighty grounds and reasons attend the prophanest wretches viz. the 1. Providence of God in its common course and method doth dispose 2 Patience of God doth require 3. Punishment and probation of the Saints necessitate 4. Provoked Justice doth enforce prosperity to attend the prophaneest These Reasons let us particularly and seriously consider and they will convince us that there is good ground for prophane mens prosperity and first of the first Providence in it's Common Reason 1 course and method doth dispose prospering providence to attend the prophanenest wretches the World created is preserved ordered and disposed by divine providence he that made the World settleth it in a series and regular course and method though God do exercise a speciall care over his own Children his eyes running to and fro 2 Chron. 29.9 that he may shew himselfe strong for the good of the upright in heart Yet he sleights not the World but ordereth all the affairs thereof according to the purpose of his own will and that in a settled course and prescribed method His eyes behold the evill and the good Prov. 15.3 Nothing falls out but at his appointment and in the course and order of his appointment he disposeth all things to their end with all causes means occasions method or obstructions thereunto belonging No conservation or condition befalls the whole creation but runs in the channell of common providence fortune is a foolery and chance a meer cheat for nothing in the world is really though to our sence it be accidentall and fortuitous but all things come to passe by the Regular motion of providence which frequently brings under the Godly and lifts up the prophane and there are in this Chariot of Providence four wheels carrying forth and regularly disposing the prosperity of the worst of men viz. 1. Divine power and soveraignty 2. Distribution of Gods goodness to his Creatures 3. Divine method and order 4. And due Reservation of the wicked to the day of vengeance The first wheel of peovid The prosperity of the prophane is disposed by the providence of God unto the demonstration of his power and soveraignity God doth whatsoever he wil and who shall say unto him what dost thou the whole course of providence is a comment on God his independencie and absolute dominion and usually Runneth Counter to mens castings and contrivances apprehensions and expectations so as that God may manifest his thoughts are not mans thoughts 1 Sam. 16.6 7 8 9.10 Samuels sight may soon suggest Eliab for his high stature and lively aspect to be the anointed of the Lord before him but the Soveraignity of God wil set up David the most unlikely of the family of Jesse and so witnesseth that God seeth not as man seeth no outward enjoyments must depend on humane acquirements therefore all things come alike unto all men There is one event to the righteous and the wicked to the Good to the clean and to the unclean to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not as is the good so is the sinner he that sweareth as he that feareth an oath Eccles 9.2 Though the favour of the Lord be to the Righteous and his good will to them that fear him yet sanctity is no peg to stop his wheel of providence Grace must not divert the demonstrations of his soveraignity no man receiveth any thing by desert and merit in common much lesse in speciall good things but the very best are tenants at wil fed by the Commons of Gods determination The soveraignity of God will triumph over the seeming merit of sanctity as well as the probable procurements of nature and therefore the Race is not to the swift nor the Battle to the strong neither yet bread to the Wise nor riches to men of understanding Eccl. 9.11 Benjamin with their 26000 once and again overcame Israels 400000 and destroy 40000 to demonstrate that battle is not to the strong It is the wonder of the World to see fools flourish the weak to prevail whilst the strong are foyled and the wise in want not considering that the acquirements of art nature cannot alter the course of common providence Promotion comes not from the East nor from the West nor from the South but God sitteth as the Judge he putteth one down and setteth another in the room psal 75.6 7. When the heathen do observe Agathocles the Son of a Potter to become King

out why should you be smitten any more ●sa 1.5 The son of most liberty and least smart is usually the child of highest displeasure Whom God most cockereth he most correcteth but if affliction be not felt then are we bastards and not sons now affliction is either a note of no relation unto God or of severe rejection by God if God cease to scourge a son it is in severe anger to let him take his swinge in wickedness to the losse of Fathers blessing and inheritance The saddest estate of Israel was when God professeth he would cease from his anger and let Ephraim alone when joined to Idols Gods rage can only roar out this language I will make my fury towards thee to rest and my jealousie shall depart from thee and I will be quiet and bee no more angry Ezek. 16.42 And I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredome nor your spouses when they commit adultery Hos 4.14 Origen quoting this scripture crieth out vis indignantis Dei vocem terribilem audire will you hear the terrible voyce of God hear it here I will not punish The profane like foolish children think their fathers quietness the token of his favour they are well pleased when profaneness passeth uncontrouled and impiety uncorrected when Gods silence seconds and gives way to their loud crying sins they crie mercy mercy but Bernard calleth it Misericordiam omni indignatione Crudeliorem a cruell courtesie a killing kindness to let the child play with the candle till burned and the knife till stabbed Vatablus interpreteth those words in Ezek. 3.20 I will lay a stumbling block before him I will prosper him and not by affliction restrain him can wee consider prosperity to be the principle and spring of Atheisme irreligion and profanenesse therefore pride compasseth them they set their mouth against heaven c. Psal 73.6 and conclude it a mercy to be prosperous It is the miserable mercy of the Gentiles whom God gave up unto a reprobate mind and vile affections to do those things which were not convenient to be filled with all unrighteousness and fornication wickedness c. Rom. 1.28 29. An estate of so great displeasure that the children of God rather chuse affliction and crie with Luther Feri Domine feri strike Lord strike and spare not or with Jeremiah Correct mee O Lord however the wicked boast of Gods good pleasure when they run into high prophanenesse and justice regards not to restrain then wee cannot but read of them that they are Bastards and not sons and so have no relation to God Chastisement is domestick discipline or else they are designed to a wrathful rejection they have provoked him so far with their pride and stubbornesse that hee will no longer bee troubled to correct them or attempt to reduce them but let them take their swinge and runne their Career of profanenesse unto their own ruine let them swear and lye commit adultry deal falsly do what they will they shall not for him be check'd or crossed for hee in his wrath hath cast them off and will have no more to do with them till in judgement he crie Go yee cursed into Hell fire prepared for the Divell and his Angells So not pity and good will but provoked justice doth enforce the prosperity of prophane men God is most angry when most silent and striketh least Thus then you have the question resolved and see how it comes to pass that it goeth so well with the wicked and if wee attend the course of Gods providence bee affected with the working of Gods patience assent unto the Saints Chastisements and tryalls and apprehend the highest expressions of provoked fury wee see satisfying reasons and grounds why prospering providences frequently attend the prophanest wretches and shall cease to wonder that the proud are called happy they that worke wickednesse are set up and they that tempt God are even delivered Having thus explained and confirmed the doctrine I shall now passe unto the application of it and although it might be largely usefull I shall contract all into one generall use of instruction to teach us to demean and carrie as those that are convinced that prospering providences do frequently attend the prophanest wretches Principles must be the ground of practice and perswasions must enforce obedience do we then see that they call the proud happy and they that work wickednesse are set up and they that tempt God are even delivered Let it bee our care to walk in the sence of this course of providence and carry suitably to so clear demonstration of profane mens prosperity and especially in learning and daily exercising these three lessons or duties First favour no cause or person follow no course of life as approved of and acceptable to GOD because seconded with prospering providences in this world 2. Find not contentment in the prospering providences of this life 3. Fret not at the prosperity of the wicked even of the worst of men Of these in order and first of the first 1. If prospering providences do frequently attend the prophanest wretches then favour you no cause follow no course as approved of and and acceptable to God because seconded with prospering providences in this world Make not providence an argument of defence and justification to any cause or yet a ground of beliefe and imbracement to any course of life do not determine this or that principle profession or practice to be true because not troubled and good because successefull The providences of God are in our much age observed made mention of I wish they be not more then admired even prophanely advanced to palliate prophanesse and impose impiety on others How many that act horrid impieties unparalleld wickedness subverting foundations supplanting laws destroying liberties usurping authority despising dominions speaking evill of dignities trampling on truth contemning ordinances laying wast the Church advancing errors heresies schisms despising and despiting Gods Ministers violating sacred vows and blaspheming most solemne oaths and Covenants and in their Enterprises meeting with successe proceeding with prosperity do with impudence cry providence providence as the plea of defence to their damned courses and conclude their horrid prophaness to be the Good Old Cause even the Cause of God and Religion with all fervor imposing it on others charging ignorance unbelief and obstinacy on all such as say not all is well done and do not strike hands with them in their ungodlinesse whilst they administer no light nor urge any argument save successe and prosperity sure these men do forget that we call the proud Happy and they that work wickednesse are set up nor is there any more of strength in their praying fasting and humilation that religious running into prophanesse and making piety the Prologue of their wicked undertakings whilst they that tempt God are even delivered Let me not be mistaken I would not disown or in the least degrade the providences of God I know they are to